Blog: “Football has pushed me out of my comfort zone”
Activity Alliance features a blog post every Friday. This year we have been sharing experiences of disabled people involved in sport and exercise at all levels. Today we hear from footballer Azeem Amir, he tells us how being active has opened up a lot of opportunities for him.
Hi, I’m Azeem, I’m 19 years old, I live in Rochdale and I’m a blind footballer. I play in the National Blind Football League for Merseyside Blind FC and I have been playing for two seasons.
I started playing football when I was 15, after attending a local event for disabled people to try out different sports. I went along and was introduced to blind football, a sport I’d never heard of before.
I took to blind football quite quickly and picked up the basics very well. After some initial training in Manchester, I was put in touch with Merseyside Blind Football Club and began training with them. Soon enough, I was playing at a competitive level and then, when I turned 16 I was able to play in the National Blind Football League.
In October 2017, I was called up to train with the England senior squad at St George's Park and earlier this year, I became a member of the England Blind Football Team. An achievement I am very proud of!
There are two main reasons why I enjoy being active. One is the social element, without sport I would never have met the people I know now. They have all had a really positive impact on my life. Two is the opportunities it has given me, which I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t try blind football at the taster session a few years ago.
Football has pushed me out of my comfort zone at times. In 2016, I had to travel to Hereford on the train for an England Emerging Talent camp. I was really nervous about it, as I’d never been such a long way from home before. The journey was a bigger step than the football. From then on I learnt how to live more independently.
Being active has definitely supported me in my daily life. I’ve learnt that being involved in sport isn’t just about developing temporary skills, it is about building lifetime skills. I’ve learnt the importance of being on time, having self-discipline and becoming a role model. Football has made me want to be more independent and push through barriers to do things my own way.
I love the competitive nature of football. To play at a high level you have to be able to push yourself to train hard and do your best at all times. People don't often see the work that goes on behind the scenes and I’m not going to lie, it can be quite intense and make you question why you do it. But when you play competitively you realise you can cope with anything and there’s no better feeling than doing well and winning.
The support I receive is the biggest driving factor for my success in football. Having a network of friends, family, coaches, teachers and people I’ve grown up with wanting to see me do well is a big motivation for me. I’ve realised that I don't just play for myself, I play for them too.
My advice to other disabled people wanting to take up a sport or start an activity is that it is worth having a go. You might expect not to enjoy it but I've seen many people change their minds for different reasons. This can be from making good friends, enjoying the social side of things and the health benefits that come with being active.
For more information about blind football opportunities, visit the FA’s How to get involved with Blind Football webpage here. For more information about opportunities in your local area, please contact your local County FA.
