The Deeside junior football club champions idea that “every child should play”
Sport Wales has highlighted the fantastic work of Deeside junior football club, as part of Deaf Awareness Week.
Shotton Town FC was established with the conviction that “every child should play.”
The club’s commitment to inclusivity allows children of all hearing abilities to partake in and relish the joys of grassroots football.
Eight years ago, Brian Valentine and other parents established Shotton United Town JFC to offer a genuine grassroots football experience, accommodating children from various backgrounds and abilities.
The club’s coaches, including Brian’s deaf 13-year-old son Dylan, have undergone deaf awareness training to adapt their sessions for members who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Brian explained that before founding Shotton United Town JFC, they struggled to find a club that could fully cater to Dylan’s needs.
However, the club has since provided an inclusive environment where every child can have fun playing football.
Simple adaptations to communication styles, such as maintaining eye contact and ensuring clear lip patterns, make the football sessions more accessible to everyone.
Shotton United Town JFC recently received a £3,882 grant from Sport Wales’ Be Active Wales Fund, supported by the National Lottery, to purchase much-needed equipment and further coaching courses for their volunteers.
This funding has been crucial for the club since its inception in 2015, allowing them to continually develop their coaching skills.
Owen Hathway, Sport Wales’ Assistant Director for Insight, Policy and Public Affairs, said: “Everyone should be able to enjoy the benefits of sport so it’s great to see how Shotton United Town JFC are making sure that all of their participants’ needs are met and that no-one is left excluded.”
“This is the fourth year in a row that the club has been awarded money through the Be Active Wales Fund and we are delighted to be able to support the amazing work that they do.”
Brian added: “The Be Active Wales Fund has been vital for us as a club, from helping us to buy the equipment we needed to start up back in 2015, to paying for courses that have developed our volunteers as coaches.”
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