MY STORY | Frankie

Frankie has been a breath of fresh air since joining our drop-in sessions in Merthyr Tydfil back in October 2021.

He came to his first session as a shy individual, but quickly became a key part of the group.

Growing in confidence both on and off the pitch, a highlight during his time at Street Football Wales so far was his performances in the Memorial Cup in Swansea earlier this year.

Frankie recalls how he first got involved with Street Football Wales.

“The Occupational Therapy team heard of Street Football Wales online and thought it would help me,” he began.

“They brought me to a session back in October and carried on bringing me for the next three months.

“After that, I wanted to carry on going to the sessions, so I now make my own way to training every week.

“I always enjoyed the sessions even though I’d not played regularly before. It was good to be exercising every week and everyone welcomed me, so I felt accepted.

“That’s why I wanted to carry on with Street Football Wales. Since then, I’ve been playing in tournaments against other areas and I’ve really enjoyed that.”

Since Frankie came to his first session, we’ve seen a growth in him both as a footballer and as a person.

Coming to training every week has had a big impact, he explained.

“Since starting with Street Football Wales, I feel more confident playing football because of training every week.

“The sessions aren’t too intense, they’re always enjoyable, so I feel like I’ve improved as a player. The coaches and other players welcomed me, so I feel comfortable at the sessions.

“I was a bit scared going to my first training session, but they make you feel part of a team. I used to be quite shy and reserved, but because of how comfortable the training sessions are, I don’t feel scared to speak with anyone at Street Football Wales.”