BLAZING A TRAIL FOR DISABILITY FOOTBALL

THIS week Match on Tuesday caught up with the final People’s Award nominee Michael Hilland who is doing so much for disability football in Belfast and beyond.

Michael will join fellow People’s Award nominees Stanley Sheppard and Jimmy Waite at the Mcdonald’s and Irish FA Community Awards in Derry on November 23.

Online voting will shortly close for the illustrious award so get online and have your say today by visiting https://www.irishfa.com/communityawards.

I am Michael Hilland. I am from Belfast and I am the founder of Trailblazers Powerchair Football Club which specialises in providing a space for people with physical and learning difficulties to play football in a fun and engaging way.

My journey to football volunteering began because of my son. He has a disability and yet he was crazy to get out and play football but there was nowhere for him to enjoy the beautiful game.

So nine years ago I established Trailblazers Powerchair Football Club to offer an opportunity for my son and others to take up football using sports chairs. involved which would give the players the ability to play at a higher level.

I get a real kick out of seeing the excitement of kids with disabilities being given the chance to play football and seeing their confidence and self-esteem grow because of it.

I am excited for the future of disability football in Northern Ireland. It seems to be growing from strength to strength and that can only be a good thing for the kids who deserve to be able to play the cracking game that we love so much.

The People’s Award (for Lifetime achievement in Football) is part of the Mcdonald’s IFA Community Awards 2017. You can vote for Michael or the other nominees by casting your vote today at www.irishfa.com/communityawards.