Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor students Cadi Rodgers and Mared Griffiths have shared their experience of mixing with senior Cymru stars such as Jess Fishlock and Sophie Ingle.

They trained with the Cymru squad for the qualifiers against Croatia and Kosovo.

Rhian Wilkinson’s side won 3-0 in Croatia and beat Kosovo 2-0 to top their group and secure a seeded place in the play-off qualifiers for next year’s European Championship.

Cadi and Mared are regulars for Cymru under-17s, and were called up to the full squad for the huge double-header.

The students gained invaluable experience of training with senior stars.

Mared said: “It’s been an experience and a half playing with players of that quality and it’s really important that we learn from those players and develop together.”

Defender Cadi said: “I’ve enjoyed everything here. I’m learning from big players so it’s a great experience.

“It would be a dream for me to be able to play professionally. You hear from all these players how much they enjoy it, so it would be great to do the same.”

Cadi has just completed her first year of AS Levels in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s Dolgellau campus. Mared is halfway through her Level 3 BTEC in Business, also at Dolgellau.

Both students play for the FAW Girls Academy North, and are among a group of young Cymru players who have progressed together through the age groups.

Mared said: “We’ve been together through the age groups from the U15s to now, so I feel that we’ve all built a good friendship together. As we progress into the senior team, those friendships will help us be better on the pitch.”