Chris Mcdonald

Christopher was born 10 weeks early and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and severe hearing loss. When he was 9 months old, his family were told that he may never walk or never talk. However, always the fighter, Chris defied all the odds, and at 8 years old started playing football for Northampton Town Football Club`s disabled team. In 2003, Chris underwent a major operation where both legs were broken in order to reset the bones. With a recovery time of at least a year, Chris was back playing football months before the doctors had foreseen. Chris` passion for the game is second to none, he is the captain of his team for the past couple years, something that he takes very seriously. Everyone who has met Chris is touched by his sheer determination to overcome his disability and play football as much as he can. Last year, he was invited to receive his Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Buckingham Palace from Prince Edward. With his cerebral palsy, 6 hour treks can leave him in pain, but he rarely complains. In 2011, he was scouted to play for the East Midlands disability team based in Nottingham. Earlier this month, at the Every Player Counts Awards, Chris won the Midlands Player of The Year. Chris then went on to win the top award, National Player of The Year Award. Over 10000 players were considered for the award, but Chris came out on top, labelled as `a great ambassador` and an `inspiration`. Chris pushes himself beyond his personal best every day, encouraging others along the way.