Cerebral Palsy (CP) Football in the UK gives players the opportunity to develop individual skills within a team environment, encased in an impairment competitive structure. The football programme contributes to the development of the England Cerebral Palsy Regional and National Squads, through talent identification with the goal to provide player performance pathway for elite performers, and also to provide participation opportunities for players of all abilities.
Dr Osman Ahmed (@osmanhahmed) has a PhD in concussion & social media where his research was focused on the use of Social Networking Sites (specifically Facebook) in assisting the recovery from sports concussion. Since 2003 he has been involved with providing physiotherapy services to a range of disability football teams for the Football Association including CP, Learning Disability, Blind, Partially sighted and Amputee squads.
Jordan Raynes (@jraynes32) has been involved with England CP Football team for many years now as a goalkeeper and has travelled with the squad to various competitions around the globe (including the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008).
To discuss CP football and the medical issues involved with the sport with Osman and Jordan is Dr Liam West (@Liam_West). Liam is a Senior Associate Editor of the BJSM and a junior doctor in Oxford, UK. He also runs the “Undergraduate Perspective on SEM” blog series for BJSM, building on his passion for increasing awareness and opportunities in SEM for undergraduates.
See also:
http://www.thefa.com/my-football/player/disability-football/play
http://www.thefa.com/news/england/development/2014/mar/cps-world-cup-at-sgp-200314
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/get-inspired/26545892
Enhancing performance and sport injury prevention in disability sport: moving forwards in the field of football
http://goo.gl/l8sFs2