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JTL Apprentice Represents England in Football Tournament

JTL Apprentice Represents England
One of the leading work-based learning company JTL’s apprentices is in Crete representing England in a prestigious international football tournament.

Will Rolls is a 25 year old apprentice working with James Lee Electrical Limited based in Littleport, and he lives just down the road in Littleport in Cambridgeshire. He has been selected to play in the England Deaf Football team taking part in the European Championships in Crete between 1st June and 16th June. In the group stages Will and his teammates have been up against teams from France, Ukraine and Sweden.

Will plays for Littleport Town FC and is captain of Peterborough Deaf Football team. This was his first call up for the national team and he’s been training with the national squad since March after being spotted playing well in a game. He’s a die hard Liverpool fan and enjoyed watching them win the Champions League Final with his England team mates in Crete.

“We’re aiming to finish in the top two in our group so we can progress through to the finals and also auto-qualify for the World Cup next year in South Korea,” he says.

Paul Sharpe is his Training Officer and  says Will has been understandably excited by the prospect of representing England: “Forget the fact that he’s deaf – he’s a very impressive centre back and clearly doesn’t see his lack of hearing as an issue when he’s on the field.”

And the news so far is really good. England lost its first game against Ukraine but has since beaten Sweden and France, finishing second in their group which means they have qualified for the Deaf World Cup in South Korea next year, which was their main target!

The next obstacle is a familiar one for England – they play Germany in the quarter finals! (on Monday 10th June). Good luck to Will and his team-mates. Hopefully not a game that goes to penalties!!!

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