Meet Bailey Head, Cranleigh’s rising football superstar

Ever since I can remember, I have loved football. I started playing when I was two and my dad coached me till I was seven. As a young kid, I used to love scoring goals for the glory and so would focus on playing striker or attacking midfield, trying to emulate heroes like Cristiano Ronaldo.

That’s all football was to me back then, scoring goals and winning games. Over the years, however, I have become more interested in broader aspects of the game, especially the importance of teamwork.

My competitive football life began in my home country of Australia and progressed further when we relocated to the Philippines. At the age of eleven, I was selected to play for and captained the Philippines representative U12 team that participated in the Barcelona Cup (which we ended up winning), Costa Blanca cup and eventually the Gothia World Youth Cup in Sweden. Those life-changing football events and experiences have continued to fuel my intense love and passion for football.

Since moving to Abu Dhabi six years ago, I have been coached by a number of different UEFA certified coaches at Manchester City Football School and now at Abu Dhabi Elite FC – an Academy team that plays in the UAE Academy League, where I am in my second year of captaincy.

Playing and learning under these coaches has continued to open my eyes to the bigger picture and to the need for technical skill, ability to read the game and cohesive team working.

Both family and education remain the keys to my journey. I am extremely grateful to my parents who encourage and support my ambitions. I am also indebted to my school, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which pushes me to achieve academically and has given me a great platform to build on through challenges like my Sports Scholarship award and my current role of Sports Prefect.

I know that with focus and the right attitude to work hard, I can fulfill my dream to become a professional footballer and to support others. I am tremendously excited to see what my future holds.

Bailey Head is a Year 13 student at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi School and a member of the school’s football team.