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A teenager with cerebral palsy who was constantly "left on the bench" at football games launched a disability team called "Adversity United."

Cameron Osburn, 17, joined a local football club when he was eight-years-old but said he was “never picked to play in the matches and felt excluded from all the other players.”

The teenager, from Harrogate, said he eventually began to play with a disability football team in York and at the age of 16, set up Adversity United.

“I discovered my urge to coach football and decided to set up and coach my own football club for young children with disabilities as I didn’t have any opportunity to play on a fair level playing field,” he said.

He explains that Adversity United is a “disability football club for boys and girls aged six to 12 years who have social, behavioural, physical or cerebral challenges.”

The team currently has roughly 14 players and they practice regularly.

For Cameron, he said he can see that the players have really benefited from Adversity United.

“The training sessions that Adversity United provides have had a huge impact on the players confidence, communication and their footballing skills. There has been a huge growth in all players since September which has been noticed by parents at home and in school.

“We hope to continue to give players the opportunity to have fun and develop their skills further.”

The sessions are a positive environment where the team members have goals such as “make a positive comment to a teammate” and “try to use your weaker foot.”

He was recently shortlisted for a National Diversity Award which he said is “a huge achievement not just for myself but for Adversity United.“

He added: “It can promote clubs that are giving opportunities to young people who struggle in mainstream sports and hopefully more people can get involved in disability sports from this.

“I have also been shortlisted for a West Riding FA Award for my contribution to disability football.”

In his spare time, Cameron goes into primary schools and talks to children about his story and how to raise awareness of people with disabilities.

Now that Adversity United has become a success, the teenager would like to expand it so that sessions are available to teenagers.

“I would say we need to create more opportunities in sport for young people with disabilities as there isn’t enough. I hope that I can inspire many others to help get more young people with disabilities involved in sport.”

Aside from coaching, Cameron is also focusing on improving himself as a football player through gym training and individual training.

He said he is looking “to take his football to the next level which is being in the England U21’s Cerebral Palsy football squad.“