I have been involved with the Derek Dooley Football Club in Sheffield for 15 years now.
We entered the FA People’s Cup this season, after I had the honour of seeing several of my team members represent Yorkshire and Humber at the Special Olympics National Summer Games in Sheffield last year.
The Games were the culmination of a period in their young lives where they had been witness to the devastating illness that befell their long-time and much-loved coach Steve Adams, who sadly passed away in March last year.
Steve was an inspiration to all of those he coached and he, himself, is a past beneficiary of the Disability Coach of the Year award.
I wasn’t sure how the boys from Derek Dooley would react after losing Steve, but they insisted on continuing in his memory and they really wanted to be part of the FA People’s Cup and the Special Olympics in his honour.
Steve was a former professional player himself, a winger for Doncaster Rovers and Scarborough where he worked under Neil Warnock.
At the end of his football career he became a coach who everyone quickly got to know, he had an incredible sense of humour and quick wit.
He was the funniest, bubbliest person ever and he inspired everyone at his Tricky Wingers FUN football sessions. His boundless energy and infectious enthusiasm soon put players at ease. He gave them all a sense of worth, and helped them to improve their skills, teamwork and enjoyment of the game. He was a well known disciplinarian who greatly valued effort, ambition and hard work.
The young men from the Derek Dooley FC have learning disabilities, together with other complex needs that affect their day-to-day lives such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
Despite their own individual needs they were determined to carry on with their weekly training sessions, their participation in the Ability Counts League and, their primary focus after the passing of Steve, the FA People's Cup and the Special Olympics.
During the period of Steve’s illness, the boys refused to let the enormity of his circumstances affect the weekly sessions and they repeatedly came together to help him, and each other, through what was a very difficult time.
When he was eventually admitted to hospital in October 2016, Steve was never short of visitors as many of the team attended on numerous occasions to sit with, and be with, their coach and mentor.
I witnessed these young people coming to terms with the knowledge that someone they respected, cared for and loved was dying. The resilience, maturity and determination of the players, in the face of such adversity, was incredibly powerful and has brought a positivity into their lives, of which they should all be immensely proud.
Their determination brought them an Ability Counts premier league title and ultimately, for those selected, a gold medal at the Special Olympics, when they won their final match with an unbelievable 3-0 victory over the Highlands.
With the support of one of our partners 'Sheffield United Community Foundation' who have helped with minibus hire to games, coaches and venue hire, we have now reached the semi-final of the FA People’s Cup this weekend.
The first round last month was played out in the true spirit of sport and it was stated on many occasions how other sports professionals could learn from the footballers. Their performances were outstanding, played in a very competitive, but sporting, manner.
All of the players conducted themselves exceptionally well throughout the competition and the Games gave them the opportunity to achieve, and to demonstrate, their football ability to the community.
After the final whistle of the first round of FA People’s Cup the players came together, embraced and raised their hands to the heavens, in memory of Steve.
An incredibly poignant and emotional moment for all of us who had endured the sadness of losing such a special person.
