Football Athlete Adam Bennett
Location: Bishop Auckland, Co Durham
Coach: Steve Connolly
Steve, coach: “Adam is a midfielder who’s always dreamed of being a striker. He’s worked hard to prove himself. In Shanghai he’ll be playing centre forward.”
Adam is 18 years old. He is coached by Steve Connolly. Steve was first impressed by Adam’s football talent when he watched him play at the FA’s regional centre of excellence in Newcastle. Adam was already playing for the England Learning Disability Squad and Steve identified him as one of three players he wanted for a new Special Olympics team he was setting up. Steve says:
“Adam always works extremely hard on the pitch. He really scares defenders and has a definite eye for goal. But he is a flexible player with many skills and one of his strengths is how easily he adapts to any position.”
Adam has always played midfield but Shanghai will provide the stage for him to play out his real ambitions. Steve says:
“Adam’s dream has always been to be a striker. He was disappointed when he wasn’t allowed to play that position for the SOGB national games in Glasgow two years ago. But we had to look at the team as a whole and we decided he wasn’t big enough and was more suited to midfield play. But he was never deterred and I’ve seen him work hard to get where he wants to go. In a recent match I finally decided to try him out and he scored. Since then he’s continued to prove himself striker material. In Shanghai he’ll be playing centre forward.”
Adam is an all-round athlete and spends most of his time in training of some kind. He eats a very healthy diet with a lot of energy drinks. He’s always in bed early. And he has stayed off alcohol for the past 6 months in preparation for the ultimate fitness he wants to achieve for the world games. He is much more disciplined than most players Steve has ever coached and he says he is the fittest in his team.
Steve says Adam’s learning disabilities present a challenge mostly in terms of education. But he can find taking any criticism difficult and he has had to work hard at accepting it as a positive thing from his coach or team-mates. He has also worked on being part of a team, as he has had problems interacting with other people.
Most of the world games football squad come from Scotland which presents an extra challenge in being a team. Two players from Adam’s region who he knows well were in the squad but have had to withdraw because of fitness problems. But the couple of times the squad have come together to train Steve has seen a real bond developing. This has partly happened through the social events at training weekends.
Adam also trains with and plays for other teams and travels up to 30 miles to get to some of these. His dad takes him and is a big supporter of Adam’s football.
Adam is a fervent Newcastle supporter and goes to matches. His heroes are Alan Shearer and Michael Owen and at his own training sessions he is often wearing his Newcastle or England shirt. One of his most exciting moments was meeting Kevin Keegan at his football centre – a place for the public to try out their soccer skills on a training circuit. Keegan watched Adam play and gave some coaching tips, and even a personal tour of the centre.
Adam is studying a sport and exercise course in Darlington. He wants to be a coach or fitness instructor and is also looking at the possibilities to work for the armed forces. In the meantime he is working part-time at a local Macdonalds where he does the better-paid night and weekend shifts.
TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ATHLETES OR COACHES, PLEASE CONTACT THE SOGB NATIONAL OFFICE.
TELEPHONE: 020 7696 5569 OR EMAIL TO: pr@sogb.org.uk