Fantastic football sessions help children with DCD

In 2022, Sheffield played host to England’s Lionesses as they roared on to an historic victory in the European Championships. With two professional clubs calling it home and a history with the beautiful game that extends all the way back to 1857, the Steel City continues to stake a claim as one of the most exciting footballing environments in the UK.

To add to this excitement, we caught up with Reece Goodwin, an Exercise and Physical Activity Therapist, and Jason Paling, a Therapy Assistant and Lead Coach. Reece and Jason are currently based at our Ryegate Children’s Centre alongside colleagues Josie Hamilton and Laura Davies. This fabulous team have been working hard to deliver fun and accessible football sessions for children and young people with developmental co-ordination disorders (DCD).

DCD affects co-ordination, meaning that children with this condition often have difficulties with fine motor skills, generally activities that involve hand movements; and gross motor skills, broader movements often used in ball games. The sessions contribute to a larger aim to help children and families achieve important goals relating to functional motor tasks.

Additionally, DCD is often diagnosed in conjunction with other developmental disorders. In fact, 50%-60% of children and young people diagnosed with DCD also suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). With this in mind, the DCD Team ensure that the sessions are inclusive for all.

Jason said: “Some of our children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, so we don’t want a large group with large noises, or anything sensory wise, we want to keep it quite quiet and comfortable for the kids that we see.”

As a result, these sessions provide a safe space for children with DCD to get involved with team sports and develop a strong foundation for further footballing endeavours.

Reece added: “It’s all about getting them confident enough to participate in a group scenario. The kids love it, they don’t want the sessions to end! Their confidence has risen so much throughout the sessions”.

To help the team achieve their goals, the sports hall at Hillsborough Leisure Centre has been kindly donated for an additional 12 weeks by Sheffield City Trust. This is fabulous news for the team, who had received significant interest in continuing the sessions beyond their initial booking.

One parent backed that up, saying: “When we first asked our son about joining the football session, he wasn’t all that keen on football. However, he now absolutely loves it to the point he will now carry on playing football. He has met some good friends and [the sessions] have really helped him get out and keep fit. He gets so excited when he knows he’s going to football group and doesn’t want it to end.”

Reece’s role has been funded by The Children’s Hospital Charity, thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of Tobias Weller BEM. Tobias made history in November 2022 when he received a British Empire Medal (BEM), becoming the youngest person in British history to receive an honour.

We all want to say a BIG thank you to Reece and his team for their fabulous work!