I am Jon Rosser, 26 years-old and have had type 1 diabetic for 16 years.
I’ve been involved with TDFC for around 18 months now, but have always played football in some form since I could walk! With my youth football I played at several youth development set ups and at Forest Green Rovers, before going onto play National leagues at university and still continue to play 11 a side in the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.
Getting involved with TDFC has really been a new sporting chapter for me, firstly in learning a different form of the game in Futsal which I am enjoying massively, and secondly it has opened up a whole new dimension to my sport where I can interact and find support in a group of players that also have to cope with the challenges diabetes can have on performance and also daily life. The way the squad pushes each other and instills the highest standards possible, whilst also encouraging greater control and openness about the condition is something I look forward to at every session we have.
After playing in Slovakia last year I am excited to once again represent the country and the condition, and to show that there are no barriers to participation, only hurdles – and with hard work and support these can easily be overcome!
