Conor Chaplin visits Frame Football session

Town forward and Foundation Trustee Conor Chaplin visited our Frame Football session on Sunday morning, the first since the sessions moved to Suffolk One.

Conor took the time to talk to the participants and the parents present, learning how the children utilise their frames to dribble. He took part in a number of activities throughout the session, before watching the participants take each other on in a game.

“I’ve honestly loved it,” Conor said, speaking after the session.

“Being here with the little boys and girls, it’s been inspiring.

“I’ve had a lot of fun, running around with them, chasing them, them showing me how to use the frames, how they dribble – it’s been really, really enjoyable.

“It’s something that should be expected of everyone,” Conor added, discussing the importance of the first team involvement in the Foundation’s work.

“Everyone should buy into it and thankfully we’ve got a dressing room that does – not all squads I’ve been in have done that so we’re very lucky.

“I think it’s crucial, the community is a big part of this Football Club and likewise football is a big part of the community.

“I think it goes hand in hand in terms of helping each other out and obviously when it’s going well with the first team the feeling in the community is a lot better as well.”

Frame Football offers children who utilise walking aids to reap the benefits of playing football.

The majority of children who attend utilise a walker that is open at the front called a ‘Kaye Walker’. Providing the frame allows them to play through issues with balance and co-ordination, also allowing them to run safely and make football accessible.

The group in Ipswich was set up in September 2021 by Eoin McNamee, a physiotherapist who moved to the area and noted that there was no provision of this kind provided locally, and who still delivers the sessions 18 months later.

Frame Football Suffolk previously operated under local grassroots club Coplestonians, and has now transitioned to working within Ipswich Town Foundation’s provision.

For more information on the sessions, please contact our Community Engagement Officer Leanne Smith at leanne.smith@itfc.co.uk.