Reaching for the Top My Life

You ready?

My passion in life is football.

I love tennis.

But I don't want to just sit and watch my sport...

I want to be the world number one.

And I want to be playing in the Premiership.

We're facing our toughest season yet.

Can I score enough goals to keep my contract?

And can I win enough matches to keep my dream alive?

ADAM AND MJ: This is our story of reaching for the top.

My name is MJ.

My number one ambition is to be the greatest tennis player in the world.

I LOVE tennis.

If I don't play tennis three days in a row, I feel weird.

I just feel like I'm not a normal person.

My ultimate dream is to play at Wimbledon, the home of tennis.

My house is only 30 minutes down the road

and has been totally taken over by all my tennis stuff.

These are my tennis bags.

These are all my trainers and these are all my medals,

and I just... Sometimes, when I'm bored, I just listen to this sound.

MEDALS JINGLE

This is my trophy cabinet.

This was my first national I won, so I was really happy about this.

But it's not just me that loves tennis - there's also my mum.

I love tennis so much.

I-I think I love it more than MJ.

-Mum...

-Yes?

All the work my mum's gone through

and how much she's had to do for me to get here motivates me.

I'm Adam.

I'm 11 years old and I play for Stoke City Under-12s.

My team-mates call me Ports.

I've been a Stoke fan since I was born, really,

and it's all I ever wanted to do.

My dream is to play for Stoke at their home stadium

in front of thousands of people.

My house is just round the corner.

This is my dad, and there's my mum and sister, Molly.

They have to put up with a lot of football.

We have two TVs because all I do and all my dad does is watch football,

and because me mum and me sister don't really like football.

They're sick of watching me anyway,

so they go in there and they watch...whatever they watch.

If you haven't guessed it, I'm absolutely OBSESSED with football.

-SUPPORTERS SING

-It's Saturday.

Stoke are about to kick off against Hull and I'm on a bus with Dad

and me grandad.

'All of us are season ticket holders and we try never to miss a game.

'We're a noisy bunch.'

# ..Go marching in Oh, when the Reds go marching in

# I want to be in that number when the Reds... #

It's really good fun seeing the first team.

I could be playing on that pitch one day.

'Adam Porter on the ball.

'He's past one, he's past two,

'shoots, what a goal!

'That's 1-0 Stoke City.'

All that's a long way off.

This year, my goal's to play well enough to get my contract renewed.

I'm a massive tennis fan.

Every year, I go to Wimbledon, where all the biggest tennis stars

in the world come to compete.

One of the charities that helps me has given us special passes

so we can go onto Centre Court before anyone else.

It'll be nice to see myself here one day, just looking back

at the videos and saying, "Oh, I just won Wimbledon."

It's amazing to be able to touch the grass on Centre Court.

I want to pull one of them off.

It's overwhelming, but in a strange way,

I feel like I belong here.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Before the matches start, I want to try and get a picture of some

of my heroes, so my mum and I are waiting by the practice courts.

The player I REALLY want to meet is Serena Williams.

She's the best female tennis player in the world.

-MJ GASPS

-Here's Serena!

-Hi, can I have a picture?

-Sure.

Oh, my days!

Good luck today.

MJ HYPERVENTILATES

Andy, Andy!

Oh, my days, oh, my days!

'Wow, that's Andy Murray, Britain's best tennis player!'

He won Wimbledon.

-This is so amazing.

-There you are.

I think that YOU have to calm down, Mum. All you do is scream!

You should've seen your face when you were taking the photo.

You were like...

Today has been so inspiring, but I know

if I want to play at Wimbledon someday, I have to win matches now.

And the biggest tournament is coming up at the end of the season.

I'm starting a new season at Stoke Football Academy.

A football academy is a special school that takes the most

talented kids and teaches us to become professional footballers.

So if I want to get to the top, I've got to make sure

I keep my place here, but it's never guaranteed.

We have a review every six weeks just to see how you're doing,

what you can improve on, but the big review's in April.

And that's where you're told whether you'll be kept on at the club.

If I want to keep my place at Stoke,

I'm going to have to work really hard.

This is what I do.

I train seven days a week and even take a full day off school

every Thursday to spend at the academy.

Well caught. Well done.

We come out of school to predominantly play football,

but while we're here, we do schoolwork.

It's education, so we know it's got to come first,

but, really, we just want to play football.

Back on the pitch, we have a practice match

and then do some training drills.

This is the bit I love the most.

By the time I've done all my drills, I've kicked a ball over 2,000 times.

But there's more to training than just kicking a ball.

We study football psychology and match tactics.

Into the gym for some strength and conditioning.

The day's not over yet.

We watch old matches to work out where we can improve.

I had a good game, I think.

If you ever get tired,

you've got to think about what you're doing it for.

To become a professional footballer is the main goal.

That makes you do your best.

If I'm going to be ready for this tournament,

I've got to train really hard as well.

-Are you ready?

-Yes.

Put your trainers on.

Every day, I get up at 5am and have my breakfast in the car.

Everything's always such a rush.

I go for a 15-minute run.

Unlike Adam, I don't have a big team behind me.

I have one person who masterminds all of my training -

that's my mum!

OK, sprint, sprint, sprint!

-'It's like her full-time job.'

-Good girl!

What's next?

Oh, yeah, ball training.

Then more fitness training.

Up, up, up, up, up, up!

Yeah, it is as painful as it looks.

Then I play with the local tennis pro.

This is all before school.

And back home to get changed...

second breakfast...

Let's go!

..then finally off to school.

Oh, no, I'm late again!

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

After school, I always do some sort of training.

Today, it's with some of the best junior tennis players

in the country.

Go! Hup, change direction. One point for you, MJ.

I want you to exaggerate on the finish, MJ. That's it.

Come on, exaggerate. Good.

By the end of the day, I've hit a tennis ball over 600 times.

I'm feeling quite tired, but my day's been very, very good.

OK, let's go and eat now.

'As you can see, my training is exhausting.

'But when I DO get some time off, I like to hang out

'with my friends from school.

'Today, we're at Alisha's house.'

So do you find it hard sometimes when you miss school and stuff?

Yeah, cos I missed out a lot, didn't I? Like, trips.

Yeah, you missed our trip to the art museum. You missed that.

Yeah. I sacrifice my time with my family, friends...

It was such a shame that you didn't get to come to my sleepover.

I really wanted you to be there.

I was in Romania for ten days and I hated it.

On the last three days, I hated it cos I missed England so much.

Does it sometimes just get boring, like, doing all this tennis?

Well, if there's parties and stuff, it can really hurt.

Although this is a crucial time for my football, I have to remember

I still have to keep up with my schoolwork.

Should we put something about that?

I try to keep my football life and my school life separate.

I don't want it to sound like I'm showing off.

I don't particularly like talking about Stoke just in case

I do get any people that don't really like me for it.

Ah, yeah, cheers, mate.

'At school, if I ever get tackled or anything or I lose the ball,'

they just take the mick.

I learn to let it go and I laugh with them, really.

'But, if I'm being honest, it is a challenge

'managing football and school.

'So I'm meeting up with my friend Josh,

'because he's the one person I talk to about how difficult it all is.

'Whilst playing a football game, of course.'

Are you coming out...?

Erm, no, I've got training in the morning and, erm...

..got to get some rest.

-(Yes!)

-How are you beating me?

-Just scored two goals with Messi.

-Oh, God.

Cos my mates don't have the commitments that probably I do,

they go to parties, they go to youth club,

they can meet up more together.

Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Ah, he's coming straight through us.

When I get in school in the morning, all my friends are talking about

what happened last night

and it's almost like you're always catching up on what's happened.

10-9. Close.

Do you ever wish, like, you could hang around more

and come out a bit more?

Yeah, I do miss it a bit.

What a goal!

'But there's no time to worry about that now.'

The season is under way.

I play matches in Manchester, Derby, Birmingham, even Spain,

but I still haven't scored a goal.

It's getting closer to our contract review day,

so it's a nervous time for me and my team-mates.

What do you think's going to happen at your review?

Have you done anything to do with your targets?

Yeah, I've worked on some footwork.

Port, what do you think you've done well?

I started checking my shoulders more, I know that.

-Hasn't changed one bit, though, has it?

-Thanks(!)

-Jokes!

It does become a bit more tense between the team because, obviously,

'everybody's fighting for a contract and not everybody can stay on.'

Best and worst part of football, if I'm honest.

The best bit, telling a boy he's got a contract, it's fantastic.

You see the smile on their face.

You see the smile on the parents' faces.

It's a great feeling for a coach. But then the flip side of that,

to tell them there's no contract there, it's very difficult.

It's probably the worst part of being a coach because,

almost, you're bringing a boy's world crashing down.

When somebody does leave, it's almost like you're losing a brother,

because you spend so much time with everybody,

it's just a hole that's been left.

It always keeps you on your toes

because you don't want to be the person that gets released.

At the start of my season, I play in Scotland, Huddersfield and Leeds,

then Russia, Czech Republic, Spain, Romania and France.

But I still have my biggest tournament coming up.

The season is going well, but my mum is really worried about money.

It is very expensive.

The cost is travelling for tournaments, booking hotels...

you have to pay for one-to-one coaching.

It's even harder for my mum because she's doing it all on her own.

My dad died three years ago and even then I was playing tennis.

I didn't know what I was doing because of how upset I was.

-Do you still want to be a tennis player?

-Mm-hm.

-Yeah.

So you've got to work very hard.

But we do get a bit of help from the LTA, the Lawn Tennis Association.

They're the people in charge of British tennis,

but they only fund me if I keep doing well in tournaments.

That's a lot of pressure.

And it's done.

-You know how important this year is.

-Mm-hm.

This is a time where most girls, they just wake up and say,

"I don't want to play."

So it will either make you or break you, so it is very, very important.

The LTA is going to check you out.

-They don't even give you funding or anything.

-Really?

-No. They don't.

With all the focus on my tennis, things are starting to

get on top of me, and keeping up with my schoolwork is a struggle.

I do my homework if I can, if I'm not too tired.

I get work done slowly,

I lose books because of my tennis.

I may say to myself,

"Oh, this is getting too tough, I want to stop,"

but I know that I really want to carry on playing tennis.

No matter how hard it gets, I just try my best.

It's not just me that makes sacrifices, it's also my family.

My whole family revolves around me, in a way.

My dad gives up a lot and he has to leave work early.

My mum works. She has to give up things.

My whole family, really, doesn't really have a proper social life.

Are you going to come to the match on Sunday, to watch Adam?

-Yeah.

-Yeah? We're going to have to get up really early.

Our lives, really,

are based around what's happening at the academy, where he has

got to be, the amount of sleep he's getting,

what he's eating, when he's eating...

So we fit in with him.

My mum's right. I'm really lucky with my parents.

My dad is always having to wait around in the car.

It is a massive challenge.

I've seen lads come in for trials

and the coaches have gone to their parents,

"We want your child Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday,"

and the parents have just turned round and said, "No, I can't do it."

So that stops that child having that opportunity to go

and play in the academy.

My place at the academy is never guaranteed.

I'm constantly being assessed by the coaches to see if I deserve to stay.

If ever a time came when he was released from the academy,

then I think he would find it really, really hard,

because this is what he has known since he was five years old.

He's not used to any other kind of lifestyle,

so I think he'd find it really, really devastating.

You're not even...

Ah, right, this is the nightmare of kids' football -

the ball gets stuck under the car.

'It's true. I can't imagine not playing for Stoke.

'I know I've got to improve parts of my game

'if I'm going to keep my place.

'Final review day's in six weeks' time, and that's when

'I find out if I get another contract.'

I am a bit nervous.

I still think maybe I can tackle a bit more...maybe.

-Need to score some goals.

-Yeah, I know.

Practice, practice, practice.

Oh, Dad! You always say that!

I've come to the LTA for some extra training

because the big tournament is only weeks away.

I'm feeling really nervous, but my mum has a surprise for me,

to give me a boost.

Mama, why did we come here so early?

-You've got to meet someone.

-Who?

It's Judy Murray.

-You're lying to me.

-I'm not!

-Morning. How are you?

-I'm good.

-Well...

-'If you don't know, Judy Murray is Andy Murray's mum

'and she's been on Strictly.

'She's also one of Britain's top tennis coaches.'

Last night, my mum told me,

if you were to choose somebody, who would you choose to see?

And I said, "The Murrays," and then it came true and I'm meeting you.

Ah, that's nice! Well, it's great fun for me to meet you as well

because I was hearing that you're doing very well with your tennis.

What's your best shot?

I'd say my forehand attacking is my ultimate best, but...

'Judy gave me loads of advice on how to improve my game

'and I made sure I took in every word.'

The important thing, I think, at your age,

is to experiment with lots of different kind of shots.

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

-Five.

-Thank you.

-Five, Mum.

I don't know if I'm more excited now or before.

After meeting her or before meeting her, I just don't know.

Meeting Judy Murray was an incredible experience,

and now I feel really fired up for my tournament.

Back at the academy, we're training hard.

On the way back to the dressing room, my coach tells me

I have the chance to meet my hero - Stoke's captain, Ryan Shawcross.

So what do you think players like me

should expect in the years to come, to become a professional footballer?

The main thing, when you're a young lad like yourself,

is to enjoy it, and then if you come into a good club like Stoke City,

there's obviously the facilities here to turn into a top player.

So, if you're good enough, you'll get a chance.

You've just got to work hard in training and hopefully improve,

and then, as long as you enjoy it, that's the main thing.

-Good luck in your career. Hopefully...

-Thank you.

-..I'll retire in a couple of years and you take my place.

-Thank you.

It was a great experience getting so close to somebody like Ryan.

He's really good.

It was great to meet my hero, but now it's time to focus,

cos I've got a match tomorrow.

'I still have to earn my place at the club and I'm running

'out of chances to impress the coaches before the final review.'

-Here you go.

-Cheers.

I'm sure you've got more than me!

'Tomorrow's game is against Nottingham Forest.

'They're a good team and this is a vital match for me

'to impress the coaches.'

It should be a close game tomorrow, really.

-Last few games have been close, haven't they?

-Mm.

-Quite a big, physical team, aren't they?

-Oh, I don't know,

they are good on the ball as well.

'I do have certain rituals.

'I've just had my chicken and pasta,'

which is my night before match meal that I have every week.

The other thing I do is packing my bag that I would take to the game.

My towel, shin pads and a spare pair, just in case.

Here's my rain jacket.

Boots... So, that's my bag ready.

In the morning of the game, I usually have a bagel

and then some fruit for my breakfast.

I had it one week and I played really well,

so I kind of stuck with it.

And then I always watch Match Of The Day.

It kind of gets you into that football brain for the game.

As soon as I get into the car, I put my headphones on.

I start to visualise the match.

I think through everything I've learnt in my training.

I know how important this match is.

A good performance here could mean securing my future at the club.

I NEED to score a goal.

In the changing room, the whole team stays focused.

'Just before we go out, the coach offers some final

-'words of encouragement.'

-Work hard.

You don't get nothing in this life if you don't work hard on it.

TEAM: Go!

-The whistle goes.

-WHISTLE BLOWS

My whole family's come down to watch.

Both teams get off to a good start.

We go tackle for tackle, pass for pass, shot for shot,

but no-one breaks the deadlock.

Every moment that passes makes me more anxious to impress.

I have to do my best.

Finally, I get a free kick near their goal.

I saw an opportunity, so I took it quickly.

I waited to cross the box

and Jordan got on the end of it to score our first goal.

Well done, Ports, quick thinking!

Forest fight hard to get back into the match.

We need another goal to give us some breathing space.

We get another free kick.

Everyone can feel the tension.

Well, not everyone.

I whip in another curling right foot.

It bounces off the keeper and Tom finishes it off.

We score another goal!

APPLAUSE

It feels great because the team is doing well.

But time is almost running out and I still haven't scored a goal.

We may be two goals up, but I still have a point to prove.

With five minutes to go, I get my chance.

It felt like the entire season rested on this one opportunity.

I smash a sweet right foot...

Goal!

Right in the top left-hand corner.

It's the most incredible feeling.

APPLAUSE

FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS

I've given it absolutely everything.

Played well. So, hopefully, I've impressed.

Well done. Played well, mate.

'But have I done enough to get my contract renewed?'

I'm here in Sheffield for one of the biggest junior

tournaments of the season.

I have to do well to keep my funding which allows me

to carry on playing tennis.

I've moved up an age group,

so some of these girls are almost two years older than me.

I just HAVE to do well.

They are big girls and they hit hard.

That is why you train hard nowadays and I am so proud of you.

So I just want you, when you're on court, to relax,

take one point at a time.

OK? Let's go.

I get off to a bad start and Caitlin takes the lead in the first set.

I'm feeling the pressure.

When I went 2-0 down, I was just like, "What am I doing?!"

When I got to 2-all, I was like, "I have this."

Then I went 3-2 down, I was like, "No!"

And then I went 3-all and I was like, "Yes, I have this!"

I went 4-3 down, I was like, "No!"

Then I went 4-all and I said, "Yes, I have this!"

And then I got 5-4 and I was like, "Yes, I have this!"

And then 6-4 and I was like, "Yes, I got the set!"

She has won the first set 6-4.

After a shaky start, I'm on a roll.

I comfortably win the second set and I'm through to round two.

Well played. Oh, nice finish.

Well done, baby. Well done. Mwah!

It feels great to be through to the next round,

but my mum wants to talk to me about something important.

I am thinking about taking you out of school.

When you finish year 6, you can't balance school and...

-Tennis at the same time.

-..and tennis at the same time.

I don't know what to say.

I'm not sure what to do.

I love tennis, but do I really want to give up school

and all my friends?

So before my next match, I meet up with Kylie,

one of my friends on the tour, to talk about it.

I know she'll understand.

I train every morning and some evenings,

and it's, like, kind of hard to get to school every day.

The teachers and the headmaster kept e-mailing my mum

-and everything, so it was like, can't keep missing this.

-Yeah.

In my old school, I had to miss lessons, but now, at private school,

I can get out of lessons and I don't feel like I'm missing school.

'I win the next two matches and get through to the quarterfinals...'

Yes!

'..only to find out that means I'm playing Kylie.'

Can you believe we're playing each other today?

It doesn't feel right.

We're friends off court and in doubles

but I really want to win, so I probably won't hold back.

Neither will I.

I'll still be friends with you, no matter what.

-OK.

-Hug.

I can't reach!

But now we have to put our friendship aside.

This is an important tournament for both of us.

Neither of us want to lose.

The quarterfinal gets off to a bad start.

Kylie was my toughest rival last year and has been playing at this

level for a year longer than me, and today she's playing amazingly.

I try everything to beat her but my frustration gets the better of me.

And in tennis, if you lose your focus,

it makes it so much harder to win.

Kylie beats me in straight sets and I am heartbroken.

Getting knocked out at this stage makes me realise

I am not at the level I want to be.

If I don't win tournaments, I may lose my funding.

I have a lot of decisions to make about my future.

Oh, baby girl!

Today's the day that could either be the best or the worst of the year.

Will I be able to stay in the academy and continue on the road

to the Premier League?

-Hi, Ports, you ready?

-Yes.

-Come on then, upstairs.

I've been called in to the coach's office for my final review.

I just hope I've done enough to keep my place.

OK, so we'll just have a brief recap of the season.

Look at your objectives here for the Burton Albion game.

Not one of the best of games, against Burton.

Nottingham Forest game, scored really highly.

'My coach goes through all my matches,

'telling me where I can improve, but all I want to know is...

'have I got a contract?'

Having said all that,

we'd like to extend your contract for the next two years. OK?

You've done fantastically well. You've justified it.

The club thinks a lot of you.

Happy with how things are progressing. Keep it up.

Have a good preseason and come back fighting fit

-and ready to do well again.

-Yeah.

-OK? Good lad. Well done.

-Cheers.

'It's been a couple of weeks since I lost to Kylie, but my mum and I have

'made a decision about my future, and I've come to tell my friends.'

-So how are you guys finding school? Enjoying it?

-Yeah.

-Not really.

Well, I really love mine. What about you, MJ?

Actually, I'm not going to secondary school,

-I'm actually getting home-schooled.

-Really?

-Really?

-Yes.

It helps me because I can go abroad with my work

and I can play tennis in the mornings and stuff.

The reason why I'm doing home schooling is

cos I want to take my tennis to the next level

and I want to become a better Serena Williams.

Who teaches you? Is it your mum or...?

Who is it that, like, is your tutor?

It's my mum and two other boys' mum.

If you're being home-schooled,

does that mean we're not going to see you?

Actually, we can see each other a lot more.

ALL: Whoo!

It's been a really tough but great season for me,

and I didn't do as well as I wanted in the tournament, so me

and my mum have decided that home schooling's the best thing for me.

So I hope next season's going to be even better.

This last season's been exhausting, but it's been a great season

and I've got a new contract,

so now I'm going to work twice as hard next year

and hopefully get a contract at the end of next year.