Watch: Telford kickboxer kid's football skills make him a video star
A Telford youngster has become the star of a national video series thanks to his proficiency in two sports at once.
Kodi Slater, eight, only took up football a few months ago, after the devastating loss of the grandfather he helped care for.
He was a champion kickboxer, competing since the age of four, before discovering a new passion and joining the Street Kings football organisation, based in Telford.
Before long he came to the attention of the national Football Flick company, and last week they produced a video for their social media pages telling Kodi's story.
Kodi explained that his shift from kickboxing to football came naturally to him.
He said: "When I started kicking a ball my dad would challenge me at new tricks and shooting at targets. I would be patient and keep practicing until I accomplished each challenge/ trick.
"When I found myself improving at football I started to realise how much I enjoyed it. My kickboxing skills have come in very useful at some of the tricks I’ve learnt and it makes me extremely happy the more I achieve and the more fun I have.
"When my dad realised I had a talent for football he found out about Street Kings and started taking me to their weekly sessions. Street Kings are very professional, they make me feel really proud about myself and used several of my football videos on their Facebook media page, that made me feel very special.
"Again after realising my talent my dad searched for football equipment to help me develop my game. My dad’s first purchase was the Urban Flick ramp. He took me to a local park where we made a fun video shooting into the climbing frames as a target from a rebound off the ramp.
"Two weeks later my dad read on the packaging that Football Flick mentions to send them your videos of the fun you have using their equipment. My dad sent ours and the next minute I’m starring in my very own advert.
"It makes me feel amazing and proud of what I have achieved in the short time I’ve been playing football."
Kodi hopes to get back into kickboxing one day. He picked up football shortly after the death of his beloved grandfather, who Kodi and dad Phil cared for at their Telford home.
Phil said: "Six months ago we lost my dad, who we cared for, to dementia.
"Kodi was so good when my dad was alive, he would help look after him and sing songs with him. We were both devastated.
"When I realised Kodi had a talent for football I purchased some training equipment, I sent them a video of Kodi using the equipment and for the past six months he has been starring in adverts for them practically every week, each video averaging around 30,000 views.
"We have managed to turn something devastating into something positive. Kodi is becoming well known as the kickboxing footballer."
The video that details Kodi's story is available on Football Flick's Facebook page.
