Ron Dearing UTC student Oliver Liddell is forging a blossoming career in sport after being selected to play for England’s under-16 Futsal team.

Year 11 student Oliver has earned his place as a goalkeeper in the national squad after progressing steadily through the sport since being introduced to futsal at a young age.

Often described as a faster, tighter version of football, futsal is played indoors with five players a side. The ball is smaller and has less bounce, which forces players to rely on close control, quick passing and sharp movement.

Oliver discovered futsal at just eight-years-old through his initial love of football, after a coach spotted him during a match and invited him to a futsal trial.

Since then, Oliver has continued to progress as a goalkeeper, playing for East Riding Futsal while also being involved with England at under-16 level. His call-up came after national trials, where he was competing against players several years older in an under-19s environment.

Oliver said: “I didn’t really expect to get picked because I was competing with players three years up, so I was quite shocked but also really happy!”

Oliver now attends England training camps every two to three weeks as part of a longer-term programme, with the team working towards future international competitions. He is hoping to be selected for the England team competing at the UEFA European Under-19 Futsal Championship in Kazakhstan in 2027.

Alongside futsal, Oliver is currently preparing for his GCSEs and is studying maths, English, science, engineering design and creative media. Juggling training with school means planning his time carefully, and he says staff at the college have been understanding and supportive, helping him stay on top of his work while competing at national level.

After finishing sixth form, Oliver is considering spending a year in Portugal, where futsal is well established and played at a high level. The move would give him the chance to challenge himself in a more competitive environment and to find out whether the sport could become a long-term career.

Asked what he would say to other young people thinking about trying futsal, Oliver said: “You’ve just got to stick with it. I wasn’t the player I am now when I first started.

“If you listen to your coaches and stay committed, it becomes easier over time. It also helps your football technique as well, so it’s worth giving it a proper go.”

A budding rugby player from Ron Dearing UTC has taken a significant step towards a professional career in the sport after being promoted to train and play with Hull FC’s first team.

Rio Kassim has secured the prestigious opportunity to join the first team’s pre-season preparations after impressing head coach John Cartwright in the club’s academy system.

The 18-year-old, who is in Year 13 at Ron Dearing, began playing rugby at the age of 10 after excelling in football and demonstrating skills which would be beneficial on the rugby pitch.

After quickly realising he enjoyed the physicality of rugby more than football, Rio joined Skirlaugh Bulls rugby league club before progressing onto Hull FC’s Scholarship programme and later the academy.

Rio, who plays as a forward, is one of just two young players selected to train with the first team during their 2026 pre-season training camp.

He said: “I changed position from second row to centre last year and everything just started to click. I started playing much better and impressing the coaches but I didn’t expect to get such a great opportunity so soon.

“I was really shocked when I found out I was going to be training with the first team. When I got a message saying the coach wanted me to train, it was a really proud moment.

“My family are all proud of my achievement. My Dad has always been a big football fan but since I started playing rugby, he’s got much more into it and has been really supportive.”

During pre-season, Rio also made his first-team debut in a friendly against Huddersfield Giants.

He added: “The experience has already been really good for me. Training and playing with so many experienced players is helping me to develop, not only as a player but as a person.

“My first game gave me a real feel for the level I want to be playing at. I wasn’t nervous until we got into the changing rooms, but overall, I really enjoyed it and it’s helped me to see areas I want to improve.”

Alongside his sporting commitments, Rio is studying A Levels in Maths, Chemistry and Engineering and is preparing to take his final exams in the summer. Since joining Ron Dearing in Year 10, he says staff have been supportive in helping him balance his academic studies with his rugby commitments.

He said “When I joined the Hull FC academy I sometimes had to train during school hours and the staff helped adjust my timetable straight away.

“When I was promoted to first-team pre-season training, they knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, and helped me fit in my school work around training.

“I know several players who had to leave the academy system because their school or college wouldn’t support their training, so I’m really grateful to have teachers who want us to succeed both in and out of school.”

Looking ahead, Rio hopes to pursue a professional rugby league career after finishing his studies, with the long-term ambition of playing in Australia.