Accepted Terminology

Often coaches as well as people involved in football require information and updating on what terminology is appropriate to use. Using the incorrect terminology has in the past served to disengage players and their parent / carers, but coaches should be aware that even if they are not sure of what term to use the player and the parent/ carer will not be offended if you explain the situation and ask for the correct term they wish to be used.

There are areas to be addressed before working with the player:-

What is acceptable?

What terms should I use to refer to the player with a disability?

If you are honest and state you are not fully informed as to the nature of the disability then you can ask how they wish to identified when passing on the necessary Health and Safety information to others in the club. Many people with a disability have an individual / personal way of referring to their own disability. If you perhaps feel that you or members of the club would feel uncomfortable with a term, discuss it with the player concerned, but never assume what is acceptable to one player is acceptable to another, even if they have similar impairments.

A number of terms which may have been used in the past, that are no longer appropriate these days in many countries, however some terms are still actively used in some countries. Such terms are:-

• Handicapped
• Cripple
• Afflicted by, victims of, suffers from….
• Brave, courageous,
• Wheelchair bound, Confined to a wheelchair
• Invalid
• Deaf and dumb
• Simple
• Not all there
• Normal (in relation to other players)

Terms that relate to various disabilities that are acceptable are:

• Non-disabled people/Able bodied people
• Blind/deaf people
• People with disabilities
• Wheelchair user
• People with a learning disability
• People who have….
• People with a visual/hearing impairment