Walking Football is an evolution of football that enables us to continue playing as our physical capabilities change. We don’t grow old at the same rate, there are plenty of very healthy 70 year olds and some very old 50 year olds, but in general you are playing against your own generation.
As with youth football, where the pitches and competition gets bigger as you get older until you reach 11 a side at 14 years old. Walking Football is there for the other end of your playing cycle.
Most players drop out of 11 a side in their 30s, a few make it to 40. Vets football has never really caught on in the UK, unlike places like Australia where age groups run into the 80s. Vets football starts at 35, and it is rare to find over 50s playing.
Players seem to drift away into other sports, maybe play 5 a side indoors or 6 a side outdoors with friends.
So walking football is an opportunity to get back into full competition mode, as there is a national league structure on highly competitive competitions between people of a similar generation.
There is also the recreation side or the sport where people play just for fun, exercise, banter and comradely.
All the basics are the same for any form of football, the unique characteristics of Walking Football are basically intended for greater safety:
- No running, or technically, no non walking !
- No tackling from behind
- Minimal contact – there is inevitably contact but it is illegal to physically challenge
- No high balls, the cross bar is roughly 6 foot, so it’s not head height.
- No heading of the ball at any height