Being deaf was overwhelming at first – now I have big goals for the future
AYOUNG deaf man is living his dream playing football for his country and working as an aircraft engineer.
Ifan Roberts, 18, from Caernarfon, played three European Championship qualifiers against Bosnia, Turkey and Sweden for the Welsh deaf football team.
The five- a- side team play futsal as Wales does not yet have a deaf 11- a- side team.
But, such is Ifan’s love for football he also plays for Everton’s 11- a- side deaf team as well as for Y Felinheli’s senior team and Caernarfon Town’s Under 19s – both hearing teams.
Ifan, an apprentice with Babcock’s at RAF Valley, Anglesey, said: “I have always loved football – it’s my passion.
“I’ve always played in a hearing team but playing for the Wales deaf football team is such a great experience. “Playing for them gives me confidence.”
Ifan’s journey to young football star and RAF apprentice was kick started with support from the National Deaf Children’s Society after his parents contacted them when he was six.
Ifan said: “My parents didn’t have any clue or experience with having a deaf child. It was a new world for them.
“I started to go on trips with the society in North Wales and my confidence grew. They helped me become the person I am today.
“Without them who knows if I would even have my apprenticeship as an engineer with the RAF.”
Before receiving the society’s support, Ifan was finding school challenging, an experience similar to many young deaf people.
He said: “I was struggling with learning Welsh and English at the same time in school. It was overwhelming at the start, but I learned to accept my situation and worked hard in school to catch up.
“The society made me realise that being deaf is normal and that if you receive the right support from the start, you can achieve anything. The positive mindset they instilled in me led me to have the courage to apply for an apprenticeship as an engineer with the RAF in Wales.”
Although he does not use a lot of British Sign Language, Ifan can lip- read and uses eye movements and body language as guides to help him play football for the deaf teams.
He said he has enjoyed the experience of attending Everton’s training ground at Finch Farm: “I signed for Everton when I was 16 and have had a few games, including a man- of- the match against Doncaster.”
Ifan can play in any position – including as keeper. As a youth, he played for Cae Glyn’s successful team which competed in North Wales as Under 7s and the North Wales Coast Cup as Under 12s.
National Deaf Children’s Society’s Jayne Dulson added: “Given the right support deaf children can achieve anything a hearing child can. Ifan is testament to this.”