Could you start by telling us a little about your background such as if you were you a sporty person when you were younger, and how long you had a break from playing sports before you got involved with Walking Football?
I played for the school team aged 10, and then in the secondary school, when leaving school I played for numerous teams until I was about 30 when I took up refereeing for about 10 years.
How long have you been involved with the running / management of the club?
Been involved with the running of the football for about three and a half years.
Why did you first get involved with helping run your Walking Football club?
As above, I was asked to go to the first Walking Football session and there was only my friend and I who turned up.
When was your Walking Club formed?
Three and a half years ago.
How many hours per week do you spend on club related matters?
Good question I would say about 4 hours a week sometimes more when we enter tournaments, phoning around e-mailing etc.
Is your club funded in any way and if so, how did you achieve securing these revenue streams?
We are run by Age UK where the players pay £3 for one hour.
Does your club follow rules of the game created by any official body / association? If the answer is yes, why did you decide to follow those association rules?
By Cheshire FA, in which I was involved in putting the rules together.
How many regular players attend each session and how quickly have numbers grown since the club was formed?
When it was formed there was me, but now we have approx. 25 on the books with a regular attendance of 15.
If your club plays a competitive game, rather than one of the weekly Walking Football fitness sessions, do you see any change of attitude in respect of competitiveness in the players?
Yes, in some ways, however we stipulate on the enjoyment rather than the winning, having said that we have won a few.
Do you feel fitter and healthier since you have started playing Walking Football and if so in which ways?
Very much, plus my weight is better too.
Have you had any injuries playing and if so what were they?
At the start yes, 2 hamstring and 2 groin injuries, very important to warm up before starting and warm down afterwards.
Do you always have a club member present who has had first aid training at your games and training sessions?
Yes always, and because we play in an arena they have first aiders too.
Has your social life changed since you became involved with Walking Football, and if so in which ways?
Yes I organise at least 2 social evenings, and we are just about to start a breakfast club, so the people who cant play anymore can attend and not feel left out.
What are your best and worst Walking Football memories?
The best was winning the Cheshire league for the first time (won it 3 times) and making new friends.
The worst was the injuries.
How else has playing Walking Football affected your life?
Feel good factor.
What do you like most about Walking Football?
The friends you play with, and scoring goals, its still a great feeling.
Do you find it difficult NOT to run and what advice could you give someone in how to remain at walking pace?
Very difficult at first but not to bad now, the advice we give is to really really try not to run, but we have a referee who keeps us in check and they soon get the message.
What are your goals for the future regarding your Walking Football club?
To get more players, and give the message on how good it is and the health benefits.
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?
Give it a go, I meet them for the first time and have a 10 minute talk to ease them into it.
What do your friends and family think about you playing a sport again at your age?
They say good for you and they can see a difference in my appearance and my attitude.
What are the costs involved in order for you to play / run your Walking Football club?
We pay £3 for 1 hour.
Anything else you’d like to share?
This is a fantastic sport for people of our age and I would encourage anyone to give it a go.
Author: The Walking Football
You create the memories; we help you relive them forever!
