Walking Football Club Name: Tameside Striders (Denton Walking Foootball Group) Player, Secretary and Co-Treasurer + The Nash Amblers at Curzon Ashton F.C.
(Player, plus Walking Football ‘Co-ordinator’ for the Vanarama National League North club) who now have another walking football team for competitions – The Nash Bees!
How long have you played Walking Football? Eighteen months.
2) Why did you first get involved with Walking Football?
I had long contemplated the development of a minimal contact veterans style of football for people aged sixty plus.
When I heard this ‘walking’ game was available locally I was curious to see if playing was possible, and suitable for me after two total hip replacements.
Retirement helped a lot. Work got in the way and I was delighted to be done with it.
As a retiree I had time to devote to the organisational side, when the opportunity soon arose.
4) How many times a week do you take part in Walking Football sessions?
Up to three times – usually twice as I also Referee now.
3) What one or two things do you currently do in your training sessions that you think are important to avoid injury?
A warm up is essential – we place emphasis on this and most players are keen to take part. Just need to learn to make time to take part myself !
5) Have you played competitive Walking Football, if so which tournaments / leagues?
Wigan Indoor tournament’s and GMWF League, plus Over 65’s Cup.
6) Has your diet changed since you have started playing Walking Football? If so what is different?
No
7) Do you feel fitter and healthier since you have started playing Walking Football and if so in which ways?
Definitely fitter. I am often in Wales and cycling to the local village would leave my legs feeling like jelly and the rest of me a bit out of puff.
No more – over the months I have noticed the difference and that’s a good way to gauge it. I’ve ‘lost’ half a stone too.
8) Have you had any injuries playing and if so what were they?
Thigh strain early doors – you must give them adequate time to heal.
Strained ankle ligaments – also needed a four week lay off and still not quite right.
9) Do you always have a club member present who has had first aid training at your games and training sessions?
Yes, some first-aid training was a priority for at least two committee men, both of whom attended an F.A. ’emergency’ course.
10) Has your social life changed since you started playing, and if so in what way?
I’m more connected with others. I now have more male acquaintances and friends of a similar age than I have had since my schooldays!
We tend to avoid ‘the pub’ (shame) which is probably down to the times we play.
We always enjoy a brew and a chat after our internal games.
There have also been a few social evenings – I’m up for those too, especially when curry is NOT involved.
11) What are your best and worst memories of playing Walking Football?
Selfishly? A double hat-trick once, other goals I have scored, like a couple of headers, before we changed our rules last year !
Some good passes to echoes of ‘good ball Alan’ – I just never thought I’d do this EVER again! It’s like reclaiming a slice of my youth! An away trip to Barnsley was memorable, entertaining Derby County C.T.at home too.
It’s great when plans you yourself originate come together, and are enjoyed by others. I like ‘friendly’ games.
At our age we should play with a smile not a snarl and always have a shrug of the shoulders at the ready.
League’s and Competitions are far more intense but can still be enjoyable.
Worst memories? apart from mis-placed passes and plenty of scuffed shots, I have none to speak of…yet (give it time).
12) How else has playing Walking Football affected your life?
I have spent a lot of time online in the last 20 years but ‘social media’ has taken on a new dimension now.
As I also organise and co-ordinate both groups, there is always something going on, something to relate to the players or to consult our committee, who are very supportive and involved.
It’s almost an unpaid part-time job. Coming up with new ideas , plus trying to perfect old ones, fine tuning etc.
Managing money in the case of Denton Walking Football Group , and always trying to make our group sustainable whilst improving the sessions.
I also started the ‘Tamestriders’ WF website eighteen months ago and this takes time to edit and report whilst filling Flickr.com with in excess of 1,000 photo’s also takes time.
It’s a new hobby and I know others appreciate it.
The site’s been far more successful than I’d expected and certainly remains worthwhile.
I like to think a lot of those photo’s might mean a lot to some people one day.
13) What do you like most about Walking Football?
Playing an approximation of a game I have loved for sixty years.
The feel of the ball. The anticipation. The camaraderie is good too. Being involved with a ‘proper’ club at Curzon (The Nash), albeit on the periphery is good too.
Packing the gear before a Denton session, seeing twenty plus players arriving in all weathers, eager for a game of walking football gives me a buzz.
Also the men involved are almost exclusively nice guys you’d want to have a pint with, if we ever make the pub!
14) What do you like least about Walking Football?
People who confuse it with the traditional game – it is VERY different when you take a close look.
Walking Football is more than a ‘bit of fun’ but it should NOT be taken ultra-seriously – in my opinion anyway.
15) What are your goals for the future when playing Walking Football?
To play for as long as I can , or for as long as it is enjoyable.
Then to perhaps concentrate on organisation and Refereeing for such time as I want to still be involved.
16) Anything else you’d like to share?
Yes, photography is great for this game. I’d encourage every group to record their internal sessions as well as their competitive games.
For some of us this is our last hurrah before health begins to fail and age starts to win. Record the memories for yourself, and for others.
The game will outlive you, and for future generations the evidence of the early days of walking football could prove interesting.
If not just stick ’em in your own album to look at in your dotage !
Author: The Walking Football
You create the memories; we help you relive them forever!
