Women's football doesn't perhaps get the recognition it deserves, or the publicity either. This year's WSL saw a greater attention span for the women's game and it produced some players that'll quickly become household names. Ever since Team GB reached the quarter-finals of the Women's London 2012 Olympic football, there has been a rise in the popularity of the Women's game. One player that has risen to prominence this year is Leah Williamson.
Leah is just 17, and 2014 proved to be her break through campaign despite it being her first year in senior football with Arsenal. She joined the Centre of Excellence at Arsenal aged 9 and has been getting better year on year. If she keeps progressing like she has been then she could be quite the player when she matures more.
In 2014 Williamson made 20 appearances, which included 18 starts, 11 of them being in the Women's Super League. She meanwhile scored two goals, both of which were of extreme quality. Her first senior goal came against Millwall back in July as she curled the ball home beautifully from outside the box to put her side 2 ahead in a game they went on to win 4-0 in the Continental Cup. Leah's second goal of the season, and her first league goal was even better. She pounced on a lose ball to dink the ball over the despairing keeper as Arsenal were defeated 3-2 by Chelsea last month.
The versatile defender/midfielder is already proving to be quite a talent and the leadership she displays at such a young age is a key part of her game. She has already skippered England's U15 and U17 sides whilst many believe she has the potential to go onto captain the senior side too. Former Arsenal Ladies manager Shelley Kerr is one of those people;
Kerr: "She already has great communication skills and has the potential to be a future England captain."
Williamson's reading and understanding of the game for someone so young is what has drawn many admirers to the way she plays. She's strong in the tackle and good in the air, something which has been aided by playing in a more defensive role coming up through the Centre of Excellence, and through the different age groups for England. However at senior level she's adapted well in midfield where her vision and composure comes across brilliantly. Her performances in 2014 were so good that she won the Player of the Year award for the FA WSL Continental Cup. A competition that Arsenal were defeated 1-0 in by Manchester City in the final.
She is yet to make her full international debut at senior level but it'll only be a matter of time before she gets a full England call-up. Williamson's meteoric rise in 2014 has been quite execptional and she'll only get better. By the time the 2015 WSL campaign comes round Leah Williamson will be 18, and if 2014 is anything to go by then 2015 could be quite a year for the talented youngster.