Myles Lewis-Skelly’s rise from a prodigious school athlete to a celebrated Arsenal player has been noteworthy. Grant Cornock, director of sport at Aldenham School, recalls Lewis-Skelly’s prowess, highlighting his shot put record. Cornock said, “It’s where he belongs… That’s your level, this is what you’re capable of’”.
An Unforgettable Breakthrough
Lewis-Skelly’s impact extended beyond the school sports field. Cornock recounted Lewis-Skelly hanging onto a basketball hoop during a sport scholarship assessment day. “This kid isn’t just a very good footballer, he is a specimen at 10 years old!” Cornock exclaimed.
Last summer, Cornock was among those invited to celebrate Lewis-Skelly signing a five-year contract with Arsenal. Lewis-Skelly had a whirlwind breakthrough season, including a goalscoring debut for England in March last year. He also delivered a mature performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final the following month.
The Challenges of a Young Career
By the end of that campaign, Lewis-Skelly had played 39 times for Arsenal, won four England caps and was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He had been playing out of position at left-back. The season that followed proved more challenging, which is not uncommon for young players.
Despite regular appearances in cup competitions, Lewis-Skelly only started one Premier League game up until April and consequently lost his place in the England squad. The reaction on social media was predictable. Cornock observed the potential impact of these high expectations and subsequent challenges.
“I’ve said to Myles this season, if it wasn’t for what happened last year, if he hadn’t played for England, if he hadn’t made 30-odd appearances, and he’d then had this season, he’d probably be very happy sitting on the bench. But when you get put up there and everyone talks about you, and the crowd sing your name, it’s hard to have that comedown.”
Cornock makes the point that it’s easy to forget that Lewis-Skelly is still only 19 years old.