Emily: “I can’t put into words how County in the Community’s mental health football sessions have helped me, without them I don’t know where I’d be.”
At the age of 12, Emily Edwards saw her life spiral out of control after suffering a traumatic experience.
The horrific ordeal totally changed her life and led her to go off the rails.
She said: “After the incident, I went off the rails for a few years and I didn’t go to school much. I got nine convictions and I was kicked out of everywhere I went.”
After joining Newport Girls U14s, football became an escape for Emily.
Her career very quickly progressed as she won Player of the Year twice and began to dream of representing her country.
She added: “It was my Dad that found out about Newport Girls U14s, so I joined them and started training twice a week and playing every Sunday.
“After what happened, football helped me shift my mind and block everything out. When I’m on the pitch I get into my zone and I feel like nothing could affect me.
“Everything in my football career was progressing well, I won Player of the Year twice and had trials for Wales U16s – I remember feeling so excited and ready to impress.
“And then I got the call-up!”
Two weeks later however, her dream fell to pieces when she snapped her cruciate ligament.
“I remember going to the hospital for my results after the MRI scan. I left the hospital and I just burst into tears – I was absolutely devastated.
“They told me I wouldn’t play football for two years.”
Unfortunately due to complications with her surgery, instead of having one operation, Emily over the course of two to three years, had to have three.
She was left bed bound and understandably, it all became too much.
“My life just spiralled again. When I was 19, I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and I was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. I spent 3 years in a locked facility to make my recovery.”
When Emily was released from hospital, she struggled with adapting to the real world.
“At the age of 19 I was 9 stone and fit as a fiddle, but when I left the hospital three years later, I was so unfit and had put on over 6 stone from comfort eating, medication and lack of exercise.
“I became so anxious to leave the house, I remember being scared of cars driving past and I would get panic attacks, because I just wasn’t used to all of the people.”
A call Emily’s Mum received shortly after from a friend about County in the Community’s mental health football session ‘We Wear The Same Shirt’ (WWTSS) may have been the most important call of Emily’s life.
WWTSS is a free unique pilot football programme designed specifically for adults with a mental health condition to play football and deal with their issues.
With physical activity being a proven factor to improving mental health, WWTSS serves as a lifeline for those in need of improving their wellbeing.
Emily added: “I remember ringing Norman at County in the Community on the Wednesday asking what footwear I needed to wear and I attended my first session on the Thursday.
“I can’t put into words how WWTSS has helped me. Without it I don’t know where I’d be. I probably would have been sectioned again to be honest.
“The injury still affects me and is on my mind when I play, but I can go at my own pace and there’s no pressure, still playing the game I have always loved.”
Emily, who is now 26, has developed a huge passion for coaching – gaining her UEFA C License in the process and becoming employed at County in the Community as a Football Coach and is now the Trust’s mental health champion and is involved in coaching the sessions that she used to attend
“I want to show everyone that all of those things that happened were in the past and I’m so determined now to better myself and use my experiences to help other people.
“I get up every day so happy to go to work because I enjoy what I do and helping others. If am able to help just one person with what I do then it will be so worthwhile”
“My life has a real purpose again and I can’t thank County in the Community enough for giving me a fresh start in life.”
