By: Ming Sun
Walking soccer is exactly what it sounds like — it’s soccer, but instead of running, you walk. This simple sport is going to change the lives of thousands, if not millions, of people. In the following article, I will describe how.
It is common for people to lose the ability to engage in vigorous activity as they age or sustain injuries. For example, George Gorecki, a 62 year old man, found himself slowed by arthritis in his left knee and right hip, thus affecting his soccer playing (The Washington Post). Similarly, Gary Clark’s soccer career was cut short when he had his knee replaced at 48 (The Washington Post). For soccer players like these two, it is inevitable that at some point in their life, they will have to give the sport up due to its exhausting nature. During regular soccer, a single player could cover up to 7 miles in a match that usually lasts over 90 minutes (The Washington Post).
Walking Soccer was created in 2011 by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust in Derbyshire, England. The rules are simple and are a scaled-downed version of actual soccer. Players can’t run or jog, with or without the ball, and one foot must always be in contact with the ground. Additionally, the ball must never go over head height (The Washington Post). With these modifications, players like George and Gary can play without having to worry about sprinting for an hour straight.
Other than providing older players with a less physically demanding alternative, walking soccer has also been proven to improve the mental and physical health of older adults. A 2015 study found that 12 weeks of walking soccer, in the form of a two-hour training session per week, significantly reduced body mass and percentage of body fat in 10 older men (The Washington Post). And in another study in 2022, 7 men with mental health issues were put through hour-long games and opportunities to socialize afterward, and showed positive results of improved mental health (The Washington Post). These results show how the sport may change the life of the older population for the better.
Currently, there are 600 walking soccer clubs in England alone, and the sport is growing in countries like Italy, Nigeria, Australia, South Korea, and India (The Washington Post). A Federation of Walking Football Associations has been established. So, if you, as the reader, are an older adult, or if you know an older adult that may benefit from the new sport, give walking soccer a try, it might make your life just a bit better.
Link to article: https://eb18600f7bb2916037f5ee8e636ce199.cdn.bubble.io/f1690134838548x129056601873389400/What%20are%20the%20rules%20and%20health%20benefits%20of%20walking%20soccer_%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf