By Nick Parry BBC Wales News Online

The league is aimed at players from all ethnic groups

Here,a young player/coach speaks about the growth of Swansea's Zebra League, and his experiences as a young Asian keen to play.

One of Dalwinder Bal's early memories of playing schoolboy football in Swansea was being one of very few Asian players on the field.

He started at the age of seven and cannot recall coming up against any other youngsters from an ethnic minority background.

By the time some of his Asian friends shared his interest in the sport he says they did not have the confidence to join a club - and used to make do with kickabouts in the park or school yard instead.

But that is now changing thanks to a multi-racial league launched in Swansea that is still only halfway through its first season.

I think I was the only Asian player in the league Dalwinder Bal

The Zebra League was launched in September with the aim of giving players from all of the city's communities a chance to play regular 11-a-side football and to break down racial barriers.

It now has 10 teams playing each Sunday and the success has prompted organisers to look at forming a junior league next season.

Dalwinder Bal says the standard of football is improving

Interest in the players is spreading to more established teams, with Morriston Town reportedly looking at several youngsters playing for the Zebra team Morriston AK Knights.

The Knights have also persuaded Swansea City star striker Lee Trundle to become their club president.

Mr Bal, who plays for and helps coach one of the league's teams - the Swansea All-Stars - said it was long overdue.

"I started playing football at the age of seven after watching it on TV," he said.

Basic skills

"I said to my dad I wanted to play and he asked around and got me into a football team called Landore Colts. I think I was the only Asian player in the league.

"Once I made friends it was OK. I played for them up to under-16s and they treated my really well. It was really good there."

Lee Trundle is backing Zebra League team Morriston AK Knights

He said some of his friends also wanted to join a club but added: "They did not have the confidence. I started young so had the basic skills but they were worried they would be laughed at."

He said thanks to the league many who had not played before were now getting the chance.

"When I first went to the All-Stars they were not much as a team," he said.

"Individually they all had their own skills. But I think there was only one player there that had played for another club for a bit.

"After getting use to playing 11-a-side football the games are getting a lot tighter and the players are getting to know each other.

"It's quite shocking how big it's got just half way through the season. We are hoping to get more and more players and more people watching as well."

The league is the brainchild of Hamid Hicham of the Swansea Bay Race Equality Council.

He said there were now players from just about every race and culture living in the Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot area involved, including Welsh and English.

He said: "The whole idea behind the Zebra League was to bring the whole community together and it's going very well."