Grassroots Games 2016: Football
The Paralympics is under way in Brazil, and the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) is focusing on the sports that you will see, hear or read about over the next two weeks.
With 22 different disciplines on show in Rio 2016, EFDS takes a look at grassroots participation back here in Britain.
Today it’s Football, with Dan English telling us about the challenges involved in playing sport at any level.
I am loud on the pitch, louder than most of the other lads.
I am vice-captain, and it’s important to be loud and forceful, to give instructions to your teammates further up the pitch so they do what you want. You’re relaying tactics from the staff and the goalkeeper, so you have to ensure you’re team are following orders.
I have more than 75 caps for England, with 100 in my sights, hopefully.
The game has changed a lot since I first started playing – when I first began England’s was a mature squad, whereas now we have a lot of younger lads. Diet and fitness has changed – we train more these days and I go to the gym a lot.
I can’t see anything at all – I’m totally blind.
I was visually impaired until I was nine years old, and from the age I became totally blind. I have never seen football before, or at least I was too young to really appreciate it and was not as into sport at that young age.
The biggest thing that’s great about playing sport is the social side.
Seeing lads come out of themselves socially, and being able to interact with others and improve their self-confidence, is a brilliant thing. Sport increases your social interactions.
Sport and physical activity is hard at any level.
The hardest thing is taking that first step. You might not be brilliant but trust me, it will aid your self-confidence and your health. Six months or a year down the line you might feel confident enough to try another activity, and that then could be the sport for you.
