Peter Dearle may look like he has every young boy’s dream job. Travelling across the world to play football, and able to make a living out of it.
Peter’s been playing football since he was six. Captaining youth sides at Derby County, Peterborough United and Notts County, before eventually turning professional at the latter for the 2017/18 season, it may look like Peter’s made his path into football look quite easy.
However, the last two years have been everything but for him; rupturing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament, which saw him sidelined from the game for nearly a year, being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and then last summer being released from Notts County, and being forced to uproot to America to try and maintain a career in the game he’s been brought up a part of.
Peter, who now plays for Charleston Soccer Club says, “I love the game. The game is my life. It’s taught me life lessons from early on: to be disciplined, maintained, well-behaved, the respect barrier, which is why I continue to play it. I love the game.”
Whilst it isn’t unheard of for a footballer to be diabetic, it is rare. A quick Wikipedia search on the subject shows a list of 15 prominent footballers past and present with the disability, not a lot.
So how hard is it for Peter to play football whilst suffering from the disease?
Well, during a game, Peter not only has to concentrate on his ability, making sure he implements his manager’s tactics best he can, but ensure he checks his levels as regularly as possible, to make sure he doesn’t drop below his level, and worse case scenario, collapse on the pitch.
Click below to hear how Peter manages to balance his diabetes alongside his football.
Even though he lives in America for the overwhelming majority of the year, Peter’s medication is covered by the NHS. He takes six months stock over with him twice a year.
It’s therefore no surprise that with Brexit looming closer and closer, Peter is concerned to say the least, that his stock won’t be readily available when he needs it.
Listen to the full interview below, where Peter talks not just about that, but how he needs to put in so much work to be just at the same level as his teammates, and how one day he hopes to reap the rewards of it, despite living with what he calls a ‘hidden disease’.
Cover Photo Credit: Notts County FC
ABOUT ME
Hello, I’m Adam Hassell, a Sport Journalist in my final year at Teesside University, due to graduate with a First-Class Honours Degree in BA (Hons) Sport Journalism and the NCTJ Level 3 Diploma in Journalism, including 60wpm shorthand.
COURSE
Sport Journalism, BA (Hons)
BIOGRAPHY
I have always been an avid football fan, however soon realised I preferred watching and talking about it than playing it. I received special recognition from the Notts County media team in a junior match report competition when I was just ten and have since always wanted to progress into a career in journalism.
I came to Teesside due to their strong links with surrounding sports clubs but also to gain the NCTJ accreditation, which I’m pleased to say I’ve achieved. During my time here, I have expanded my interests away from just football, and purposefully tried to produce content on other sports and other subjects.
Whilst sport is still a huge passion of mine, I now enjoy learning and producing content on other important subject matters such as politics and current affairs and enjoy both equally.
SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE PROFICIENCIES
I am an Adobe Certified Associate in Digital Video Editing using Premiere Pro. I am also comfortable using the Microsoft Office package and other Adobe software such as Audition.
EMPLOYMENT, WORK EXPERIENCE & VOLUNTEERING
I worked for Sky News for the General Election night in December 2019. I have worked as an audio descriptive commentator for Middlesbrough Football Club and volunteered as a matchday commentator for Spennymoor Town Football Club, I have also produced content for the MFC Foundation and Tees Valley Sport. I’ve had work experience with BBC Radio Tees, working very closely with their sports team, helping out with producing bulletins, editing packages and working as a Broadcast Assistant.
INTERESTS
Throughout my time at university, I have produced content on a range of subjects, not just sport, including current affairs, politics and disability.
In my personal life, I have been a season ticket holder at Notts County Football Club since 2006. I am also Grade 6 at the Alto Saxophone.
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