Football-mad David Davenport (shown above) is so keen on helping others enjoy the beautiful game, that as well as helping to referee and run the Norfolk Christian Football League, David spends most Norwich City home games commentating on the latest fortunes of the team for blind supporters.
David is one of Norwich City's five volunteer Soccer Sight commentators who aim to give an unbiased kick-by-kick account of the home matches.
David's commentary is broadcast through radio transmission equipment and headsets provided by the Soccer Sight project to ensure that blind and partially sighted supporters have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful game and enjoy the atmosphere, in the stadium, as it happens.
David says the main difference between normal radio commentary and the Soccer Sight commentary is that they have to try and be very zonal.
During the match David describes the tackles, the behaviour of the referee, the appearance of some of the players and why the crowd were reacting in different ways.
"You can't go off and have a chat about what the players had for breakfast, because while details like that might be interesting for a sighted person, the blind people listening have come for the game - they want to know where the ball is, not about the manager's car having broken down on the way."
Soccer Sight aims to bring quality football commentary to blind and partially sighted people at every professional football club in the UK. The project, run by Action for Blind People, recruits and trains commentators who improve access to football for thousands of fans every year.
For information on Soccer Sight, contact Susan Neale on 01792 366756 or email susan.neale@actionforblindpeople.org.uk
Story reproduced with permission from Network Norwich and Norfolk, your local source of Christian news.
