Football way forward on rehabilitation road
FORMER drug addicts are continuing their rehabilitation in a unique way — by playing in a six-a-side football team.
The Burton Addiction Centre (BAC) team, which plays in the Football Mundial Burton six-a-side football league at Robert Sutton School on a Thursday night, is made up of users of the service as a way of introducing themselves back into the community after battling their problems.
Speaking from Langan’s Tea Rooms, in George Street, the group told the Mail of the ‘huge help’ that playing in the team had provided to their recovery.
Stacy Sykes, 32, said: “It is great as it allows us to work on teamwork, build on this and our character after spending time in treatment.
“We have all played football in the past and due to our addictions, this obviously fell by the wayside as our focus was skewed towards other things.
“It is also great to play and meet other people who come from the town — it is a great way to make contact with others.
“One thing I hope comes from the this is that people who have played us and know that we were addicts will think twice before forming an opinion when they see an addict in the street.
“Playing against us, seeing what we have been through and what we are now doing will hopefully steer people in a different direction about their issues and what they are going through.”
Andy Lawler, 39, who also works in the BAC-backed tearooms, added: “It is something that allowed us to get out of the centre after treatment. It was a bit of break that we have all carried on being a part of.”
Danny Diamond, 21, revealed that the team played ‘more or less all year round’ with only a few weeks off.
Other team members Paul Witton, James McDermott and Lee Mullins agreed that the team had formed a ‘strong bond’ and hoped to continue playing football and reap its benefits.
The sport is one of the methods used by the BAC to help recovering addicts return to life in the community following treatment.
