'Walking Soccer' initiative kicks off in Geelong with a bang!
A NEW football initiative aimed at encouraging senior men to lead a more active lifestyle, was launched on Wednesday night in Geelong, exceeding all expectations set by the organisers prior to the event.
Walking Soccer, a social, modified version of the game aimed at keeping men over the age of 50 active in their community, was officially launched at the Leisuretime Centre, by Leisure Networks with the endorsement of Football Federation Victoria.
According to FFV Zone Development Officer for the Wimmera/South Coast region, Foddy Kyprian, a total of 19 individuals turned up for the inaugural event, far outstripping pre-Launch expectations.
“It was a big hit. We certainly didn’t expect that sort of a turnout,” said an ecstatic Kyprian.
“We had 19 guys turn up, but the most important thing was that they all had an absolute ball. I was officiating the match and I had to stop the game, on numerous occasions, because we were all just having a right royal laugh! It was hilarious and so much fun.”
According to Leisure Network’s Melanie Thomas, “It’s a concept that provides opportunities for men who may have never played the game before and want to get more physically active. With funding from VicHealth it has allowed us to stage a trial program here in Geelong,” she said.
“It’s been hugely successful in the United Kingdom and we see no reason why it should not kick off here,” she said.
The key difference with Walking Soccer, as opposed to standard soccer, is if a player runs with the ball, they concede a free kick to the other team. This restriction, together with a ban on slide tackles, is aimed at safely promoting overall cardiovascular fitness whilst producing the least stress on the body and avoiding injuries.
Walking Soccer will be staged weekly on a Wednesday morning between 10:00 and 11:00am and Wednesday evening between 7:00pm and 8:00pm at the Leisuretime Centre’s outside futsal court on Anakie Road in Norlane West.
For more information about Walking Soccer, please contact Melanie Thomas on 52224 9932 or email melanie@leisurenetworks.org
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