WATCH: From shooting with a camera...to on the pitch

Wednesday 13 October 2021

A university student and sports photographer from Jersey has been signed to play on the women's team of the oldest professional association football club in the world.

Lauren Trachy will be joining Notts County FC for their 2021/22 season.

A player for Wanderers and often seen holding a camera on Jersey’s pitches, Lauren has become a familiar face on the island's sporting scene.

Talking about to Express about the path that had led her to go beyond the island and play for Notts, Lauren remembered how as a child playing sport, she "tried to get stuck in as much as I could - swimming, netball, everything really!"

WATCH: Lauren shoots a goal in a friendly against against Chesterfield Development Squad.

"I think it was one of those Sundays at Springfield when I was about 14 or 15 where they got loads of kids down, and at the end of the session they introduced us to all the women's clubs on the island, a few of the girls from each team went down as well," Lauren said of the formative moment she decided where she wanted to become a full-time footballer.

Having been told about her options for if she wanted to play at this senior level, Lauren joined Jersey Wanderers as a 15-year-old, honing her skillset until she could play in the league aged 16, and continuing as part of their U-18s, U-21s and then women's teams, and playing for the JFA.

She also name-checked local players such as Natasha Keen, who got a scholarship from America to play football, and Megan Wood, who is currently playing with the London Bees, as people who have "inspired" her along the way.

On top of her efforts on the pitch, she's been immersed in Jersey's sport media scene too, both running her own sport digital media and photography business, Sportsplex Media, and working as the Marketing and Media Executive for the Jersey Bulls.

Pictured: When in Jersey, Lauren has played for Jersey Wanderers. (Sportscast Jersey)

When it came time for her to do her university Sports Management qualification with Loughborough College, she was determined to seize the chance to play football outside of an island context, looking at Notts County who were only a 20 minute drive from where she was studying.

"I got in touch with the manager of the first team on twitter, and said I'm really interested in playing in the UK, do you do trials etc? And he said he [did], and that I'd be welcome to come down to trials, because I told him I play for the JFA," she said.

However, she ended up staying in Jersey for the first two years of this degree, only getting the chance to move to Loughborough in third year - she hadn't forgotten the exchange from two years prior though, getting back in contact with the club, and going for two days of trials in June.

Describing the experience, she said: "The competition was very high, there was people who had played in Regional RTCs across the UK, for Derby, Nottingham Forest, players who have played football at a high standard their whole lives... so it was incredible for me to get told I'd be given the opportunity to play for them."

Pretty much "there and then", she was told she had the job, and that they'd love to have her play with them for the year, a feeling she described as both "really good" and "pretty surreal".

To support Lauren's football journey with her new team, Grant Thornton is sponsoring her.

Pictured: Lauren playing for Notts County Development side.

Since starting playing Wing for the team in August, she's played a friendly and two games with the team - discussing a highlight so far, she remembered her first time on the pitch.

"In that first friendly that I played for them, I came off the bench for the second half, and I immediately felt like I made an impact on the pitch, which was really nice," she said.

"I was playing on the wing, and I was adapting to the different situations, so we had a few corners which weren't quite going back post.

"So then I'd weaved in the front and scored a goal, a volley that went right over the keeper, and my dad managed to get it right on camera - which was probably the best part about it because I could watch it on replay!"

On where she'd like to see her future football career go, she again cited Megan Wood as an influence, saying how she wants to be "playing at huge stadiums in front of crowds, that's the dream really.

"It's a few steps up from where I'm playing at the moment, but I'd like to think it's possible in the future."

Pictured: Lauren playing against St. Joseph's Rockware of Worksop WFC.

On future career options within sports management and media, Lauren said she would "love" to work full-time for Jersey Bulls, noting that the future looks bright.

"I wouldn't like to say they could easily get promotion this year, but they're doing so well it could be possible," she remarked.

She added that it would good to have a women's Bulls team, giving young girls "something to aim for" on their own island.

For those wishing to follow a similar path, she recommended grasping every opportunity available, reaching out to people on social media like Twitter and LinkedIn, and getting as much work experience as possible.

"Just because you're not getting paid doesn't mean it's worth it - everything builds towards your CV, your career. Take as much opportunity as it comes and do as much as you can," she said.

But the key driving force for Lauren leading her to scoring this life changing opportunity, has simply been her passion, something she says is integral for anyone who wants to follow in her footsteps.

"I think anything's possible if you really want to achieve it. I started my own sports photography business because it was something I was interested in... just do something you enjoy - if you enjoy it, you can achieve it, as long as you put your mind to it and work hard."