Bryan Kilpatrick-Elliott

1. Tell us about yourself and how you got into CP football? My name is Bryan Kilpatrick-Elliott and I am 13. I have right-sided Hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy which affects my strength, balance and coordination. I first got involved In CP football at the age of nine when I joined a local pan-disability team. Since then, I have joined a CP specific team based in Manchester called CP United. My ultimate dream is to represent my country at the Paralympic Games. 2. What are the rules of CP Football and what are the classifications?

CP football is a seven-a-side game based on a seven-a-side pitch. There is no offside rule and the game is played for a total of 60 minutes (30 minutes per half). What teams do you currently play for and what do you enjoy most about playing? I currently play for CP United which is based in Manchester. I travel a 3.5-hour round trip every Saturday with Dad to play. I love playing for this club and the opportunities it offers. I also train 4-6 times a year with the Under 14s England Talent Pathway Squad which is an amazing opportunity for me to train with the squad and test myself against other CP players in the region.

3. You aspire to represent the UK in our Paralympic football team - what has inspired you to play for a higher level?

I would love to represent my country at the Paralympic Games. Like most kids, I would love the opportunity to play for my country. My journey has been slightly different but with clubs like CP United who have had players go through the talent pathway, this inspires me to work hard and hopefully one day play at the highest level.

4. You were the first Youth Ambassador for IFCPF (International Federation of CP Football), can you tell us more about that?

It was brilliant to be asked to be a Youth Ambassador for the IFCPF as this has allowed me to share my story and hopefully inspire more kids to get involved with disability football. I enjoy the media side of things and would love to do more in the future. The IFCPF has been great and allowed me to interview my favourite Para Lion and current England CP Under 21s Coach, Jack Rutter.

5. In 2018, you were invited along to watch a Para Lions training session, how was that experience and did you get the chance to meet any of the players?

Meeting the Para Lions was awesome! The whole team have been great with me and gave me loads of great advice and tips. Since meeting them, they have kept in touch via social media and they regularly check in to see how I am getting on. The England Captain, Matt Crossen, even came to my school to help me raise money for a CP sports charity and to help tell my school friends more about what it takes to be a Para Lion. 6. You and your father, Bryan Snr, started a Twitter account in 2016, what was the reason behind this and has this opened up any opportunities for you? Social media is a great way to keep up to date with the latest information on CP football and what’s going on. Once we had set up the account, we had a great response and we post regularly to share what I have been up to. Hopefully, it shows others what kind of opportunities are available for disability footballers. 7. What advice would you give to someone looking to join a CP football team?

I would encourage all kids and adults to get involved with disability sports; and not just football. There are great opportunities in all sports and I would recommend people to research their chosen sport on YouTube and search online for local clubs. Give it a try and you’ll meet a whole load of new people. I think most kids with disabilities know how awesome they are but for the ones who want to get more involved or do something different, I would suggest never giving up, work hard and take as many opportunities to try new things as you can. Just remember to find something you enjoy and HAVE FUN.

To stay up to date with everything this bright star is up to, I would highly recommend that you follow Bryan’s Twitter account: @bryanjunior2006