Captain Emmanuel finds happiness and a future!
Wednesday 17 June 2009
Life was tough for 13-year-old Emmanuel before he found Greenhouse.
'Before I joined, I was always getting into trouble but I blamed the teachers for being racist. Since I started football, my coach has taught me to stop using racism as an excuse for my behaviour. He’s taught me how to respect myself and become a man. My parents and teachers can’t believe how my grades and behaviour have improved.'
His Greenhouse coach, Ben, laughs: 'You should have seen the state of this boy when he started with me two years ago. He was dishevelled, his attendance was erratic, he was antisocial and he had a hard time relating to the other players. But I saw he had leadership potential, so I made him captain. This year he was voted players’ player of the year by his team. He finished as their leading goal scorer, his attendance was 100 per cent and, to top it all, he’s been scouted by Charlton.'
At this, Emmanuel, now captain of one of Greenhouse Bethwin's under-14 squads, breaks into a broad lopsided grin and says:
'My mum sent me to Greenhouse to play football. But I’d never met someone like Ben. He’s ended up teaching me maturity and lots of other things and totally changing the way I feel about my life. I used to be always anxious and angry and bored; I had nothing to look forward to. Now I feel happier than I’ve ever been. Greenhouse has given me a chance to progress. It’s given me a future.'
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