Latest news with #EmmaHeighway
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Euro 2025: England Lioness Hannah Hampton remembered by teacher
The former PE teacher of Lioness goalkeeper Hannah Hampton said she always knew the player would one day be England's Number One.A bloody-nosed Hampton kept England's Euro 2025 hopes alive on Thursday when penalty shootout saves saw the nation through to the 24-year-old told the BBC after the game: "Don't ever write us off."It was the same winning attitude that had been spotted years ago by Emma Heighway at Eramus Darwin Academy in Burntwood, Staffordshire where the goalie was now viewed, she said, as an icon. Hampton, who was brought up in Studley, Warwickshire, studied GCSE PE at the school, where staff knew "early doors that she was going on to do something amazing", Ms Heighway said."She was incredibly determined," the teacher recalled. "She is multitalented and an incredible athlete across the board."But she had to sacrifice a lot. She missed school while at England camps and then had to catch up." 'Better with one nostril' Ms Heighway added: "Its been amazing to follow her journey through. She has got a real kind of icon status around here." Thursday's match saw England miss four times in the penalty shootout, while Sweden missed five, with Birmingham-born Hampton saving two of the for a nosebleed she suffered during the game, she said: "I'm better with one nostril now."Hampton left the school in 2017 after completing her studies, but came back to visit a few weeks ago."She told the students to trust the process," Ms Heighway said, "to trust the journey - that speaks volumes to what she's managed to achieve. "We knew that she would one day be Number One."England will face Italy on Tuesday at 20:00 BST for a place in the Euro 2025 final. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
England goalie Hannah Hampton visits former school ahead of Euros
Students and teachers at England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton's former school have been describing their pride ahead of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025. The 24-year-old, who has become England's number one for the tournament, went to school in Burntwood, Staffordshire, after being born in Birmingham and growing up in Studley, Warwickshire. Former PE teacher at Erasmus Darwin Academy, Emma Heighway, said it "feels like yesterday" that Hampton was a student. Children were left "speechless" last week, after a surprise visit from the footballing star who was given a tour of the school ahead of an assembly. Ms Heighway said: "She was incredibly talented across a lot of sports, she could have gone international at a lot of things. "She would play outfield against the boys, and she would run rings around every single person she came up against."It's amazing, obviously as an academy we feel incredibly proud of her journey, it's brilliant that we have this local hero.""We are all backing her here in Burntwood," she added. After her visit to the school, students said: "I didn't expect it, you wouldn't expect a professional footballer to come to this school"It's really special and we can see what our school managed to teach her and how far she got with it."The UEFA Women's Euro 2025 tournament starts on Wednesday, with England's first game on Saturday against France. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
