Athena is tipped for the top
Being profoundly deaf doesn’t hold back 10- year-old Athena in her pursuit of footballing excellence.
Athena plays for the Manchester United under-10s girls’ team every Saturday morning. She loves every single minute of it and it’s thanks to the NDCS that she was given the opportunity.
Having been identified as profoundly deaf at 10 months old, Athena’s parents were determined she would be able to achieve just as much as her hearing peers. She attends a mainstream school and is a popular student who loves sport and is a member of the school swimming team. So when Athena was given the chance to attend an NDCS Activity Weekend , she jumped at the chance.
It was here that she was spotted by a football coach who told her parents she was a talented player with great potential. She was invited along to a deaf friendly football session at Manchester United, set up as part of the NDCS Deaf Friendly Football Project, where she was able to meet and learn with other deaf children, under the guidance of specially trained coaches. As a result, she successfully trialed for the mainstream Under 10’s girls’ team.
“It’s a massive confidence boost for a deaf child that for the half an hour they play they are no different from anyone else,” says Athena’s dad Tony. “She’s just another 10-year-old who loves the game … except that she’s amazing of course! It was only through NDCS that her talent was spotted, we can’t thank them enough.”
NDCS is passionate about encouraging and supporting children and young people in all areas of their lives and helping them to achieve their full potential just like their hearing peers. Your support helps the NDCS to run events like the Deaf Friendly Football Project that directly affects the lives of children like Athena.