JanineOne individual who is capturing hearts and attention across England is Jay Rosa, a talented football freestyler who has embarked on a nationwide tour attempting to perform freestyle tricks at every football league stadium in the country in support of Mental Health UK. This will help inspire, support and to help people suffering from mental health problems around the world.
He embarked on his EFL tour in January 2023 with a vision to showcase football freestyle tricks on the pitch at various Football League Stadiums during the half-time interval. Jay has done this to raise awareness for Mental Health UK a charity that helps support people suffering from mental health problems. Since the start of his tour, Jay has left a lasting impression, spurring on crowds across the U.K. of up to 50,000 spectators all in support of Mental Health UK.
Jay has performed freestyle tricks and showcases at some of the schools and academies across East Leeds to show the students that hard work and dedication pays off with attributes for the younger generation to aspire towards. He has a spirited approach to teaching the younger generation how to play football and the kids of East Leeds were no exception as Jay was left with a lasting sense of fulfilment through visiting schools across the region. Jay has taught football at high schools and academies and this is something he wants to pursue more of in the future. Jay wants to set up a new freestyle academy targeting students of all age groups and will be making appearances at schools around East Leeds to provide workshops for the younger generation. If you or anyone you know may be interested please follow his website, details below.
Jay’s tour has taken him to some of the most iconic football stadiums across the U.K. including Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest, and Coventry City and many others have welcomed Jay Rosa to showcase his talented football skills and dedication to making a positive impact on the world.
Something that sets Jay above the rest is not only his ability to showcase football freestyle skills but also how he uses his talent to help raise awareness for mental health problems that are present in the sport today. According to recent surveys footballers need more help with mental health problems that are present in the sport and this is something Jay has set out to tackle. Breaking down the stigma that is attached to speaking up about mental health and developing this into the modern game is beneficial for himself and the charity and makes him stand out from the others. It is a relatively new notion of opening up and talking more about mental health that fits only into the modern game, historically it may be quite difficult for football players to have such support with regards to their mental health and that is something this particular tour works well in highlighting. In the modern game around 72% of players suffering from mental health problems don’t feel like they receive enough support from their club according to a recent ITV news survey. Jay has received a lot in the way of support and recognition for his ability to captivate audiences at the half-time show and he leaves a lasting impression for the younger generation to look up to. His performances not only entertain fans but also promote meaningful causes that are of importance to Jay “Mental health is a topic close to my heart, which from experience doesn’t always receive the best treatment. I am one to understand how debilitating mental health difficulties can be through experiences with friends and loved ones, and how it can affect your life and the people around you”. Jay went on to say how it has become unnoticed in many people including sports fans and players alike and that it is an issue he would like to resolve as speaking about mental health is something that has been neglected in the modern game.
Recently there have been several high-profile footballers (Harry Kane, Ben Chilwell, Richarlison) that have started to break down the taboo of openly talking about mental health problems in the game and this is something that is very much needed in football. Jay has also taken a brave solo effort of bringing mental health awareness on to the pitch and perhaps this will help to break down the stigma attached to speaking up about mental health issues that players suffer from today.
With over 50 football clubs booked in for the 2023/24 season, Jay could be turning up at your favourite football stadium very soon so keep an eye out!
To follow Jay Rosa’s inspiring journey of raising mental health awareness and to witness his jaw-dropping football freestyle skills, you can follow him on Instagram and Tiktok (@jayrosa1_). To make a donation in support of Jay Rosa’s EFL Tour or to get involved in his workshops, please visit www.jayrosa.co.uk.To see Jay performing his skills at halftime visit his YouTube page: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pc537rmAYbI&pp=ygUISmF5IHJvc2E%3D
