Rowan is Awarded Man of the Match

Reaching Goals and Scoring Goals 

Rowan is 10 years old. For the last 6 months he’s had his heart set on joining his local football club. But standing between Rowan and the pitch were several obstacles that first needed to be overcome:

Rowan’s self-esteem is low and he’s also highly competitive. So, if anything went wrong on the pitch - a missed ball for instance - it came to Rowan as a deep personal blow. Whilst a strong competitive streak is healthy in sport, it was impinging upon Rowan's ability to concentrate and hold it together while in play.

When he dreamed of being a football player Rowan wanted to be the best, the top goal scorer and match-winner, celebrated in glory. This meant that when it came to the game, he needed to be the one to score the goals. His need to win was so great that he would break the rules: foul, dive and really struggle when decisions went against him. 

The challenge was to support Rowan to become a team player, not just someone who would pass the ball to his teammates, but someone who was happy to let others have their moment and to support his teammates both on and off the pitch.  

Over the last 6 months, Rowan’s individual worker with Blue Sky has been coaching him to help him reach his goal. His IW James Mitchell says:  

‘I’ve been blown away by his determination, patience, and commitment to working on all his challenges. One of the first signs that he was beginning to reach his goal was when I witnessed him coaching younger children and encouraging them with kindness and empathy.

This has led to the most amazing outcome where he has not only been accepted into the club but was also awarded Man of the Match at his first game for being a team player. He didn’t score and he didn’t get any assists, but he was recognised for being a great player and a great sportsman.’ 

James was at pains to explain that it wasn’t simply his input, but that of the wider Blue Sky support team in the West Country, as well as his foster carers that have contributed to Rowan’s personal success.

And let’s not forget that the main player has been Rowan, who has worked so hard to reach his goal. All of those around him agree that they are incredibly proud of him, and it’s a privilege to continue to support him on his footballing journey. 

You are fantastic Rowan! Well done!