Dave Clarke has scored over 100 goals for England yet very few who follow the World game would even know his name. He is the 41 year old captain of the Team GB five-a-side blind football team at the London 2012 Paralympics. This is his third Paralympic games.
When he started out in football the game was not organised at international level, so he played goal ball making the Atlanta games in 1996. As soon as football came under international rules he switched to the game and was finally selected for the Beijing games.
In an interview a few days ago he said “I’ve always worked to get my sport to a standard where it can be called elite and t be thought of that way by the public and the media. This is a fantastic coincidence that it all comes together in London.
It would be just reward for Clarke if Britain could medal at the London games, for although he may be blind he had a vision and he has pursued that vision. Should Team GB fail to medal one feels he should definitely receive an award from the Queen for his services to Blind five-a-side football. He is certainly more worthy than some of the higher profile higher paid athletes who have received such honours.
Make sure you follow the progress of the team affectionately known as ‘the Dave Clarke Five’ – after the band – as they continue to make one man’s dream come true.
