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When Lorna discovered the Rangers Charity Foundation’s Visually Impaired Football programme, she had no idea how much it would change her daughter’s life. Now, three years later, what began as a simple email has become a place where Isla – who has Nystagmus and Ocular Albinism –  grows in confidence and connects with people who truly understand her.

Lorna first read about the programme while browsing online. She knew football was something that lit up Isla.

“Isla is mad about football. The brilliant thing for us is that we live in Barrhead, so it is quite close by, and Isla is a massive Rangers fan. We contacted the Foundation and sent an email to Rachael. She told us just to come along, and we have not looked back since. Isla has been coming for three years now.”

That sense of accessibility was important to Lorna. She wanted her daughter to be among peers who faced similar challenges.

“I have seen how parents can be at matches with young people and I did not want to put Isla into a local team in case she was singled out or not picked because of her eye condition. I wanted her to come and try Visually Impaired Football with people who had similar experiences.”

The Foundation’s Visually Impaired Football programme gives children and young people aged 8–18 with any type of vision impairment the opportunity to play football in a safe, inclusive and welcoming setting.

Participants have the opportunity to take part in free football sessions tailored to meet their needs. Parents and carers can also join in and connect with others in a similar position to themselves.

Part of what makes the programme so effective is its understanding of visual impairment. Isla was diagnosed with Ocular Albinism and Nystagmus when she was very young.

“She was diagnosed at six months with Nystagmus, which means her eyes move from side to side.” Lorna explained. “When she had a brain scan at around six years old, they also discovered Isla has Ocular Albinism.

“That means that something which someone else could see clearly from a distance, Isla might not be able to focus on.

“She has had it since birth, so she has learned to live with it. She wears dark glasses; even darker ones in summer. She does not like people talking about it, but here others can relate, which helps.”

From the start, Visually Impaired Football offered more than just football training, it opened the door to new opportunities.

“Since she started coming here, she has joined her secondary school team, which has been amazing.”

That journey has not been without its obstacles. Before she began with the Foundation, Isla tried out for her school teams but was never selected.

“Isla has always been mad about sports, but she was never picked for any of her previous school’s teams. She tried out for netball and football, but they never let her join. I think sometimes people look at Isla or other young people with vision impairment and focus on what they think is a disadvantage rather than what they can bring to the team.”

Now, thanks to the support and training she gets through the programme, her confidence has risen, and she is thriving in school football, at home and in other extracurricular activities.

“She has joined her new school’s football team. She has played in a tournament, she is in the first team, and she is playing regularly which is amazing.

“The change in Isla’s confidence is like night and day. She is much more vocal now and does not shy away from playing. Even at home, she is a different person.

“When we visited the high school, the first thing she asked was whether they had a girls’ football team. She also does judo now, something she never did before.”

One of the most powerful parts of this programme, for Lorna, is that every participant has a visual impairment. That shared experience means a great deal to Isla.

“She is not afraid to come along to the sessions because everyone here has an eye condition. She does not like talking about hers to friends outside the programme, but here she does not have to pretend. She can simply be herself.”

For the family, the sessions are more than practice. After every session, Lorna says, the whole household hears about what happened at the Sunday session.

“After every session, the family all get calls about how she played, how many tackles she made, even how many bruises she has. She talks about the whole game. She just loves it. She would come here every day if she could. She has even made a group chat to see who is coming each week.”

Lorna emphasises how inclusive the sessions are, regardless of age or ability.

“There are different ages and abilities. It is completely inclusive. It does not matter what your ability is. Everyone gets a chance, and everyone is part of it.”

“The coaches are so friendly and great with the kids. On Isla’s first day, they made us all feel so welcome.”

She also points out how much peace of mind it gives her, as a parent. Meeting new people, going to a new place as those things used to be a worry.

“As the parent of a visually impaired child, you do worry. I get nervous about Isla going to new things or meeting new people. But here, I have no worries about her feeling out of place.”

The whole family is now invested in the programme. Lorna says everyone in the family understands how valuable it is for Isla.

“All the family know about the programme, and we all love to come along. My sisters usually come too, and we join in the games. They can see how good it is for Isla and all the other young people.”

Lorna, too, made sacrifices to support her daughter’s independence so that she could help Isla as she began this journey.

“It was hard for me to adjust at first. I used to work in a bank, and I took redundancy so I could go part time and be there for Isla, especially in the mornings to help her get ready. She is becoming more independent now, but we are taking it step by step.”

That support has boosted Isla. So much so that she feels empowered to talk about her condition, raising awareness and expressing what it means to her.

“She is much more confident now. She has even given a talk in front of her class explaining her condition and what it is like for her.”

To any other families in a similar situation, Lorna offered this message:

“For anyone in the same position as us, I would say definitely come along even if your child is not into football. They learn so many skills that translate to life away from the pitch. The whole programme is a 10 out of 10.”

And in Isla’s own words, the programme is something she holds close to her heart.

“I have been coming here for three years now, and it is really good to be able to play football at the sessions. I have met other people my age who are the same as me and I have become good friends with all of them.

“Since I have been coming here, I had the opportunity to be Jack Butland’s mascot at Hampden. Walking out of the tunnel with him for the Scottish Cup Final was really special.”

“I love coming here and I want to keep playing and keep it up because after a session here I always feel completely hyper.”

Visually Impaired Football runs every second Sunday at Super Soccer on Scotland Street, Glasgow and is free of charge to all participants.

It is open to children and young people aged 8 to 18 who have a visual impairment and want to play football in a safe, supported environment.

If or someone you know could benefit from attending our Visually Impaired Football programme, please contact us on: rangerscharity@rangers.co.uk

The Foundation would like to thank The Powell Family Foundation for their funding support of Visually Impaired Football.