Story added: 24th March 2025

Joe's Story

Norwich City fan Joe has been a participant in various Foundation programmes since 2008 when he joined the disability football team as an eight-year-old. Initially shy and reserved, Joe has come on leaps and bounds since then and now, as he approaches his 25th birthday, simply cannot wait to see what his future holds.

In 2016, Joe was diagnosed with TCF20, a rare genetic disorder that causes weakness in the muscles and the bones, as well as additional learning difficulties and needs. Whilst TCF20 posed some obstacles for Joe, he didn’t let the diagnosis get in the way of his passion for football, and has hardly missed a session since joining – be it our pan-disability football training or our Realising Potential programme.

Joe first enrolled on our Realising Potential programme in 2023 and is now just months away from graduating – something he’s very excited about:

“I can’t wait to see what opportunities await me after Realising Potential! I would like nothing more than to come back at some point and volunteer with the programme and to help the new cohort to their goals.”

Joe was also keen to tell us about the impact the programme has had on his life, and why he opted to enrol in the first place:

“After I left college, I was looking to do something that would challenge me, and allow me to explore different career opportunities. I liked being alongside people with similar additional needs – we became a big football family.

“As well as boosting my confidence and team skills, Realising Potential has also opened up many pathways into different community projects and social action plans. I’ve worked on food banks, quiz nights and clothes collection points – and loved every minute!”

It isn’t just community action projects that Joe is involved with – he’s also attended numerous Norwich City match day clubs at Carrow Road, even being invited into City player Onel Hernandez’s executive box for one of this season’s home games! At full-time, the Cuban winger took the time to meet up with Joe and present him with a match-worn shirt.

Everyone on the Realising Potential programme is absolutely thrilled with Joe’s progress over the last few years, and despite it being a shame to see him graduate from his ‘big football family’, we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for him.