'Just keep dancing' says Strictly star's teacher
BBC/PA"Just keep dancing with that smile," says the former PE teacher of England footballer Karen Carney as she waltzed into the Strictly Come Dancing final on Saturday.
Tom Seickell taught the athlete at St Peter's Catholic School in Solihull and remembers her "steady determination" even as a student.
"It's been just over 20 years since I taught her but she was a superb, lovely, hard-working and diligent girl. She put her heart and soul into everything she did and that has shown in the dance but also came to the fore when she was here at school," he said.
Carney and Carlos Gu led the way, scoring 78 out of a possible 80 points for their emotional Waltz and their Samba routines.
Speaking of her progress throughout the competiton, he recalls being in awe of her growth.
"Week one, who'd have thought that she'd have got to where she has but I think she's blown this all the way," Mr Seickell said.
'She'll lift the glitter ball'
Long before women's football was as popular as it is today, Mr Seickell described Carney's pioneering of girls' football when she was a student.
"She'll be the first to admit the opportunities when she was here at school... were few and far between.
"She was such a talented individual when it came to football, she was obsessed with it... she was obviously destined for greater things."
Carney is England's third-most capped player, competing at four World Cups, four European Championships and the London Olympics before retiring in 2019.
She also played for Birmingham City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Mr Seickell said her performances were proof her talents existed not just on the football pitch but the dance floor too.
"[Naturally], you you want all the dancers to get through and not mess up or put a wrong foot in place but she's been amazing.
"To see her growth as a dancer, who'd have thought Karen Carney would be a dancer, gracing national TV and looking not at all out of place doing it.
"Fingers crossed next Saturday she'll lift the glitter ball," he said.
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