Albion Cerebral Palsy players Mason Dunbar and Corey Komorowski helped England to the IFCPF European Championship semi-final in Loughborough this week.
Left-sided defender Dunbar has played every minute of the Para Lions’ group stage games against Northern Ireland, Ukraine and Spain, scoring against their British opponents in the tournament opener.
Versatile attacker Komorowski was awarded with his first England start in the 10-0 win over Northern Ireland in Leicestershire, an experience he won’t forget in a hurry.
“It’s been really good, it’s been a work in progress,” Komorowski said. I've worked hard to get here, and I'm just glad to get my first caps now, so hopefully more caps to come.
“It’s been massive, because you can feel it here, all of the lads they talk about how good it is to play for your country. To get out there and play, it’s a really nice feeling.
“I was absolutely buzzing [when I saw my name on the team sheet], because it's something that you've worked hard for. When you've worked hard at it for so long and then eventually it pays off – it's nice to see.”
Aside from the competitive continental action, Komorowski is grateful to The Albion Foundation for aiding his development.
He said: “It’s massive, because they give me an opportunity to play football. They give me the opportunity to play football freely and enjoy playing football with my mates.
“Playing there brings out the best in yourself, obviously. I’ve got Mason in the squad too, he’s been good and he’s looked after me.
“He’s given me tips and told me what to do. All of the players have a lot of banter about the National League, but we all come together and we’re one team.
“It means everything to me, it’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. Having Cerebral Palsy, my abilities are very limited, so to be able to represent my country is amazing because it gives you an opportunity to show what you can do with your disability.”
Mason, Corey and their England teammates will take on the Netherlands in the semi-final on Thursday evening (18:30), and you can watch that match live HERE.
