Tyler Wraith-Kenyon – Pan Ability Football

Tyler Kenyon, age 12, Red Marsh School

 Meet Tyler, Tyler is one of our longest serving participants at the Pan ability football sessions. He is always happy and laughing, whilst making us all laugh and smile. Whenever Tyler is around you know it is always going to be a fun session. It’s not all plain sailing for Tyler however.

Geoff Kenyon, dad of Tyler told us:

“After what has seemed a normal pregnancy, my wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy Tyler Wraith Kenyon on 12th June 2009.

Though at 9 months we realised something wasn’t quite right with Tyler’s development. After numerous invasive tests and assessments Tyler was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy-severe pentricular leukmalacia and Dandy Walker Syndrome Variant

At 12 years old, Tyler has undergone a wide range of treatments from various child specialists, therapists and medical professionals to support his needs, and he also attends Red Marsh Special School in Thornton-Cleveleys”. 

On a daily basis Tyler struggles with his balance, coordination and has serious development delay. Despite this Tyler he is extremely happy and sociable, plus he absolutely loves taking part in any type of Inclusive Sport such as Pan Ability Tennis, swimming, adapted cricket/bowling/cycling and much more. 

With the challenges Tyler faces, being able to take part in any inclusive sport has been vital for him to keep physically active and for his overall health and well-being”

It’s great to see Tyler still be able to participate in different sports, despite the barriers he has faced. In the last three years, his footballing ability and confidence have grown, and he is now able to participate with limited assistance.

Geoff went on to say about the football session Tyler attends:

“The last few years on a weekly basis he has attended the Pan Ability Football sessions organised by Fleetwood Town FC Community trust along with other young people with varied disabilities. The sessions are just £3 and the ratio of coaches to children is always appropriate so the sessions are delivered with the upmost integrity and professionalism. Tyler and his new friends he met at Pan ability Football love taking part, it’s fun, gets them active, the coaches are great and they come away buzzing.

As a parent this is incredibly reassuring. Bringing up a child with additional needs presents a whole host of challenges and barriers when it comes to finding suitable sports activities to take them to. However, the community trust does an amazing job of providing numerous sessions for children and adults with disabilities. They also regularly speak to Parents and participants on how they can offer more or improve the existing sessions. I cannot commend them enough and we are lucky to have organisations like this doing the great work they do for the local community”.

We love having Tyler as part of our group. He is also a big Fleetwood fan and had the opportunity to be the 1^st ever live streamed mascot during the Coronavirus pandemic where he met the manager and players. We are extremely proud of Tyler as he keeps making the strides he does, keeps surprising us and always making us smile, as well as keeping us on our toes.

We wish Tyler all the best for the future and he keeps enjoying our sessions.