NATHAN IS A HIT FOR KERNOW
THE Kernow Football Alliance is an inclusive international football team who participate in both domestic and international tournaments and promote Cornish culture around the world.
Among their standout players is Nathan Roberts, who has dwarfism and joined Kernow two years ago to continue his passion for football.
His journey with the team has not only seen him excel on the field but also witness transformative personal growth, forging lasting friendships and exploring new horizons in Tenerife and Belfast.
Reflecting on his experience, Roberts shares: “I’ve represented Kernow for nearly two years now and before joining I spent 16 years playing for another team in Cornwall. The tours to Tenerife and Belfast with Kernow were extraordinary and exploring new places to play while proudly wearing the Kernow jersey was an absolute honour.
“Being a part of Kernow is truly incredible; I consider it an honour and count myself lucky to be one of the individuals playing for this team. The camaraderie is exceptional; I’ve formed deep friendships with my fellow players, a fantastic group of local Cornish lads.”
Flourished
Roberts acknowledges the relentless efforts of director of inclusive football Simon York and head coach Jason Heaton in promoting Kernow and eagerly anticipates the upcoming trip to Belfast to defend the George Best Cup.
“Simon and Jason work tirelessly to put our name out there and attract invitations to tournaments nationwide,” he added. “Our motto is ‘We are Cornwall, we are Kernow, we are one, we are a family,’ this binds us together and propels us forward.
“We want to make Kernow and Cornwall known, and have everyone know who we are and what we represent, and to win everything as well.”
“This year coming up we’re going back out to Belfast, to play the George Best cup out there, we won it last year and got invited back to defend the cup again.”
Roberts has flourished at Kernow, and off the pitch has seen his and his teammates confidence grow.
“Simon wants us to play the best football we can and keep the game flowing, and stay in control of the game,” he went on. “I play either up front or out on the wing, I score a few goals, not overly loads, but a few.
“Inclusive football is very important, having lived with a disability all my life, when I was younger there nothing like today, it’s incredible to see how inclusive football is getting bigger, and discovered, understood more. We’re all players, we all want to get out and play football and have fun just like professionals.”
Connection
“Football helps my confidence, I love being part of it of a team and going out to play. It also helps a couple of the other lads in the squad feel more confident, they have gone out and got jobs, they got married and such.
“I’d like to say thank you to Simon and Jason from myself and the players, thanks for the opportunities and we look forward to the ones to come.”
A crowdfunder has been launched to raise money so they can continue their good work.
York commented: “We’ve cemented ourselves within the world of pan disability sport. We’re not just about players with cerebral palsy, or players that are deaf or blind, which is what a lot of the Football Associations concentrate on.
“We’re talking about all disabilities and really cementing that to say you can come and play, and join our family too.
“This money will not just change the lives of our players but the community as well.
“We plan to go into schools and other football clubs, building that connection to showcase Cornwall, break down barriers and really highlight what disability football is all about.
“We want to bring more players into the team, too. We’ve got 16, 17 and 18-yearolds that were on the cusp last year who are now joining our men’s team and we want to build on this.”