1) Background – England Nominee and upcoming Goalkeeper Trialist
Name: Terry Robson
Age: 52
Location: Middlesbrough
Walking Football Club Name: Middlesbrough FC F.F.I.T
How long have you played Walking Football? 9 Months
2) Why did you first get involved with Walking Football?
I Received call to play off a fellow team mate to play at a tournament at Derby in December 2016.
3) How many times a week do you take part in Walking Football sessions?
Only 1 which I miss some weeks because of work commitments and hopefully do the another session that has just been organised.
4) Describe the buzz you get having the opportunity to play a team sport again at your age?
Its a brilliant feeling doing the sport again I did when I was much younger & still have that hunger for success in training sessions or tournaments.
5) What one or two things do you currently do in your training sessions that you think are important to avoid injury?
I do a few stretches and a little jog to loosen them muscles otherwise I will suffer next morning as its worth doing it to avoid any pulls or strains.
6) Have you played competitive Walking Football, if so which tournaments / leagues?
I have played in 5 tournaments in total which are as follows
- 1, DERBY COUNTY (December 2016). 2, YORK CITY (February 2017) York Foundation.
- 3, DERBY COUNTY (July 2017 – Runners Up) in the community Trust.
- 4, Middlesbrough (July 2017 – Runners Up) The Bobby Moore Foundation.
- 5, Middlesbrough (August 2017 – Runners Up) MFC Foundation.
7) Has your diet changed since you have started playing Walking Football? If so what is different?
I ate most foods before I went along to the MFC Foundation FFIT in January and was there for a total of 12 weeks and now I eat more healthier and feel great for it.
And on that FFIT course we where told all about different foods and what there contain also done various exercises.
8) Do you feel fitter and healthier since you have started playing Walking Football and if so in which ways?
I surprised myself how fitter and healthier I feel as I have lost almost 2 stone since I attended FFIT (Football Fans In Training).
9) Have you had any injuries playing and if so what were they?
Thankfully no pulls or strains on the legs yet but had a slight injury on my shoulder at training.
10) Do you always have a club member present who has had first aid training at your games and training sessions?
Yes.
11) Has your social life changed since you started playing, and if so in what way?
Not as yet but not to far away I hope Lads.
12) What are your best and worst memories of playing Walking Football?
The best has got to be playing the beautiful game again and the worse is most definately losing the 3 finals in our last 3 tournaments.
13) How else has playing Walking Football affected your life?
I have met some new friends playing walking football.
14) What do you like most about Walking Football?
Its got to be the bond the team has in tournaments.
15) What do you like least about Walking Football?
There is nothing really I dislike about it.
16) Do you find it difficult NOT to run and what advice could you give someone in how to remain at walking pace?
I am in goal mostly but have played out on different occasions and try not to run but sometimes I roll the years back and chase the ball which is played into space.
At first its hard to master walking pace but ball to feet for the pass is ideal and walk into space hopefully for a team mate to find you.
17) What are your goals for the future when playing Walking Football?
To be Selected for England would be a dream come true and to win our first tournament.
18) What advice would you give to someone who would like to play but is nervous about approaching a club or attending a Walking Football session for the first time?
We have new players coming to our training session nearly every week and even though some are younger there all love it and happy there tried it because in the future the younger lads will be old enough to enter tournaments and will be ready.
And because walking football is quite new in certain areas and it will be a big thing in the future .
And for those who are nervous I recommend to try it out because we were in in that situation before and wondering what it would be like and remember what I said earlier about getting a call to play at Derby?
We got shot in at the deep end not knowing anyone or anything about walking football and us lads hit it off straightaway and are still friends and feel fitter & healthier than before we started.
19) What do your friends and family think about you playing a sport again at your age?
There are happy for me again to play the game I have loved all my life.
20) What are the costs involved in order for you to play Walking Football?
£3.00
21) Anything else you’d like to share?
Never think your football days are over!
Author: The Walking Football
You create the memories; we help you relive them forever!
