Morecambe deaf football team set for national finals

One of Morecambe’s newest junior sports teams have made it through to the national finals.
Morecambe Deaf Friendly FC under 13s.Morecambe Deaf Friendly FC under 13s.
Morecambe Deaf Friendly FC under 13s.

Morecambe Deaf Friendly FC under 13s beat off opponents from all over the North West to progress to the finals at the national football centre at St George’s Park this Sunday, May 3.

Vicki Galt was proud of her team that had started from scratch just four years ago.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “This is the first time ever that our side has won both the North and South regional groups.

“We’ve come an awful long way from last year when we hardly won a game.”

The side had football of a South American flavour to thank with the squad training with futsal balls.

Vicki said: “Once we started training indoors with the heavier futsal balls we didn’t have some of the problems we usually had outside like water getting in hearing aids and having to use sign language.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It worked wonders with a group of 10 or 11 who have committed to training every single week.”

Vicki set up Morecambe Deaf Friendly Football after seeing first-hand the problems her sons James, 14, and Damian, 11 experienced at mainstream football training.

With little infrastructure locally for deaf sport, the club and organisation have fought the odds to survive.

She said: “We receive no external funding so rely on the help of volunteers and friends.
Some teams from Scotland and Northern Ireland have some of the same issues we have had so we can only hope everyone gets to the centre and the finals go ahead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If the kids don’t get through to play in the tournament then they’ll still get the tour of the centre which will be a great experience.”

Vicki, 43, narrowly missed out on top honours in December reaching the final three in the Unsung Hero category at the Deaf Sports Personality of the Year awards.

She said: “Deaf sport has really started to expand with us branching out into cricket and getting England coaches coming together.

“We try and inspire them to put them on the pathway to success and would love to get more kids involved.”

Related topics: