By: Corry Luo
Ever since age 7, soccer has been the love of Gary Clark’s life. He played for four decades and represented his home country Canada at the international level. After his knee replacement surgery at age 48, the doctor advised him to never play soccer again. Unable to give up on his love, he played a pickup game, resulting in a torn cartilage in his other knee. The fact that he could no longer pursue his passion gave him heartaches.
Soccer is indeed a vigorous sport, with its rapid running, turning, and halts, it can be really punishing on the players’ joints. Is there a way to keep away injuries, while still enjoying the fun of kicking a ball around?
When the idea of “walking soccer” was first proposed in 2011, many thought it was joke–it was not. Little did they know, walking soccer would grow in popularity among the world.
Walking soccer is a variant of soccer where no running is allowed. There are other slight changes in its rules, including that there is only a maximum of 6 players per team, the field is smaller, and the ball should never go above one’s head (1.83m). All these rule changes serve the same purpose, to make the game more accessible for everyone, especially for seniors who are no longer physically capable enough to play traditional soccer, which may be too intense.
The first recorded walking soccer game/program was launched by Chesterfield FC Community Trust in Derbyshire, England, in 2011. However, it’s more recently been claimed that the first game was played during the interwar period, also in England, between two railway towns. Nowadays, there are more than 600 walking soccer clubs in England alone, with other clubs scattered throughout the US and Canada. It even has its own equivalent of FIFA and World Cup, named FIWFA (Federation of International Walking Football Associations) and World Nations Cup respectively.
The reason for walking soccer’s popularity is clear: it brings both physical and mental benefits to players of all age groups. Playing this game is a nice way to get people walking, as most players scale 3,500 to 7,000 steps per game, and more enthusiastic ones, like Gary Clark, could walk more than 10,000 steps. “I have lost weight playing, so I think that’s a good sign,” said Clark.
Gary’s statement was also proved by a study done in 2015, in which 10 seniors suffering from comorbidities completed a 12-week walking football program. As a result, the body mass and percentage body fat of all participants significantly decreased. Researchers conclude that walking soccer is an effective public health intervention. The mental benefits of walking soccer are also undeniable. A recent TIME article states that one in three seniors suffer from loneliness. Walking soccer is just the right way to forge strong bonds of friendship. According to Rod Noble: “Walking football has brought people together, but it’s the people themselves that have created such valuable friendships. When someone doesn’t show up for a training session, we have everyone asking about them and if they’re okay. They’ve even got their own WhatsApp group and go on holidays with one another!” A review in 2019 shows that participation in sports enhances life satisfaction, social life and personal psychological status for seniors. Also, all community members can benefit from casual team sports like walking soccer, not just the seniors. Shaun Sherrick and his team not only gather up for matches twice a week, but also go out for trips and meals together, and even participate in community service. “Walking football has become an important part of our lives with our training and matches, but we never forget we are a community team,” he said. “Play to stay fit, play to laugh, and your football family will grow.”
Getting started with walking soccer is easy. Read through the rules, gather up some friends, book a soccer field, and have fun!