3 days ago
EXCLUSIVE I'm the world's smallest football coach and most of the kids are taller than me.. the hate is never-ending - here's why I love it
Despite standing at just 3ft 7in tall, Connor Sanderson insists he is just like any other PE teacher.
The 21-year-old from Salisbury was born with sacral agenesis - a rare congenital condition which means he has no femurs and an abnormal pelvis.
Doctors told Connor's parents he was unlikely to survive for long and would certainly never be able to walk.
But the Arsenal fan refuses to let his disability define him and not only walks but plays wheelchair rugby, coaches football, and teaches PE.
Connor reckons he is 'pretty much the shortest football coach in the world' - with most of the children he teaches towering far above him.
He has always hoped to be an inspiration for young people and to prove 'if you've got your mindset, you can do anything'.
And last year, his dream came true when a video of him coaching went viral on TikTok.
The clip racked up more than 220,000 likes but also drew many hateful comments, with some viewers poking fun at Connor's height.
But the Arsenal fan refuses to let his disability define him and not only walks but plays wheelchair rugby, coaches football and teaches PE
However, the ambitious 21-year-old says the cruel remarks are 'English banter' and is just happy his message is reaching so many people.
He told MailOnline: 'Their (viewer's) engagement is the most important thing, even if it is negative.
'I just shrug it off. There's no need to worry about it, it that just gives me more publicity.'
The coach added: 'It's like English banter. There's no point being down from it, so I go along with the jokes.'
But, although Connor prides himself on his sense of humor, he admits that sometimes people 'take it too far'.
He said: 'When they try and sneakily video me without permission - and they're really bad at sneakily doing it - just because I'm different and small. I get frustrated.'
Connor started coaching football at his school when he was 16 and has always loved the sport.
But, he never thought he would be able to turn his passion into a career until his boss saw him in action and offered him a job.
Connor says his condition has not affected his ability to coach - or presented any problems he can't solve.
'There's there's no barrier you cannot climb over. For example, I can't skip because I've got no knees but as long as I put my mind to it I can still coach it.
'They say online, "well, you can't coach if you've not played and if you've got no legs or no knees".
'But I can because I've got my words and if you've got words, you can teach anything.'
Connor also said that although children often laugh and stare at him the first time he teaches them, they soon look past his differences and just see him as their coach.
'It takes about two, two sessions for them to understand my condition and then I'm their favorite PE teacher,' he said.
'They (students) definitely just see me as their coach. And they just let just get on with me and just I'm just I try and keep my lessons engaging,' Connor added.
The football fanatic thinks he developed his unwavering determination early on in his life, after having the odds stacked against him since birth.
'When I was born, I was told I was never going to walk.
'If I was told I was never going to walk and then all of a sudden I can walk.
'That just shows that if you put your mind to anything, you just give it a go you can do it.'
