A team affiliated with Sporting Clube Farense wants to kick off Walking Football, a type of football suited to active aging, which encourages socialization and combats sedentary lifestyle.
It started with four enthusiasts, on the eve of the pandemic, and today, it has more than 30 elements. Paulo Horta is one of the first. He’s been on the team since the beginning. What attracted you?
“In my case, I played 11-a-side football for many years. Now I have the possibility to continue this passion, until my legs can take it. Furthermore, this is an opportunity to socialize and even to travel».
In fact, at the time of the report, on Sunday, January 9, Sporting Clube Farense Walking Football was supposed to be in Bilbao to participate in a tournament that was canceled due to the current context.
«We were not, but we were registered and we already have other invitations» for 2022.
Luciano Viegas, 46, learned about the sport through social media. Came to try it, liked it and stayed.
“Instead of being a game of passing, this is a game of passes, much more cerebral. It is a sport that has been designed to avoid the possibility of injury», taking into account the age of the practitioners. João Reis, one of the team’s organizational leaders, corroborates this.
“It’s similar to futsal, the head has to think faster than the body can move. It’s a much more tactical game and that’s why it captures the interest of those who come to try it out», he explains.
In the Algarve, this is the only Portuguese Walking Football Cup team that plays mainly with the British counterparts that exist in the region, at least since 2015. In fact, it cannot be said that it is entirely Portuguese, as the current squad has a Spanish player. , one Frenchman, five Englishmen and the coach is French. In terms of organisation, it is divided into two age groups (+50 and +60). And both have already shown what they are worth.
In October 2021, the captains of the teams at each level delivered to João Rodrigues, president of Sporting Clube Farense, the trophies won. In last year’s Eurocup Algarve tournament, the +60 team took second place. They were only runners-up due to bad luck in the final. In the Algarve Walking Football Cup tournament, the +50 team was ranked third. In the squad are all members of Farense, which lends its name every time they wear the jersey.
«This is also born from the love for the Faro club and the desire to be able to represent it as athletes over 50 years old», underlines João Reis.
One of the main difficulties is that this modality is not yet officially recognized. The Farense team will soon try to raise awareness of the Algarve Football Association (AFA).
«There are already several teams all over the country and there is a significant number of players», he says.
Official recognition would give other conditions to practitioners, such as the possibility of having access to sports insurance, and would lead the organization to new championships.
On the other hand, so that there can be growth and critical mass, «we would love to show this to other clubs in the Algarve like Olhanense, Louletano and Portimonense, for example» to follow suit.
«It’s easy, just gather elements that want to have fun. We are available to share our experience with any team that requests it», guarantees the player.
Another problem associated with non-official recognition is the lack of uniformity of rules. There is a standard, but still the rules vary from tournament to tournament.
In principle, the field must have a maximum dimension of 60 by 40 meters (half a conventional football field). The goals can be smaller, for example, like hockey. The game is played by two teams of six elements and a goalkeeper (seven by seven, although it can also be five by five).
Tournament matches are divided into two 10-minute halves. The most important thing is to control the urge to run after the ball.
“You can march, but you can’t jump. You can’t have both feet in the air, it’s a lack», says João Reis. Attacks from the back, or stealing the ball from the sides is also not worth it.
For now, each player pays a monthly quota of 12 euros for access to eight training sessions per month, equipment and other expenses of the team that has already won sponsors.
French player Sylvain Laurent, 37, is the coach and the youngest. He was invited to the position (volunteer, say) by his friend Paulo Horta about a year ago.
«The team grew and we began to feel the need to have someone to guide the physical, technical and also the discipline», says João Reis.
Heard by the windward, Laurent spares no praise for his players. «It is a very united group, which wants to work well, we have some players who are rigorous. Some, despite their age, have stamina. And for me, which is very important, there is an excellent collective spirit. It is a five-star team», he underlines.
And do what you tell them? “Sometimes no. They don’t like the stretches», he jokes. «The conviviality that exists between teams, even adversaries and the social exchange is wonderful», says Reis.
The socializing part «is almost like a second family», says Luciano. «We get angry on the field, but then we make up in the third part of the game», says Assis Gonçalves, who is made in front of the usual steaks and imperials to recover energy.
At this time, all workouts are open. They take place in two spaces in the municipality of Faro, on Thursdays at the Polidesportivo in Santa Bárbara de Nexe, starting at 8 pm, provided by the Parish Council. And on Sunday morning at the Clube Desportivo do Montenegro field.
Anyone who wants to come and experience Walking Football is welcome. The only requirement is to be over 45 years old. The team can be contacted by email ([email protected]).
play well without running
The main rule of Walking Football is the prohibition of running, and one of the player’s feet must always be in contact with the ground. Physical contact is not tolerable, and the ball cannot be played above head level. Three is the limit number of consecutive touches that each player can make. Matches are played by teams consisting of five, six or seven players, the number of participants varying depending on the size of the field on which the game is played, or the specific rules of each tournament. It is also not allowed to violate the space of the goal area by field players. Although the rules are not yet standardized, the Farense team uses those established by the English Football Federation.
Modality with legs to walk
This type of game emerged in England in 2011, created by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust and quickly became popular in the United Kingdom, which currently has more than 400 active clubs in the sport. In Portugal it was introduced in 2015 by the British community residing in the Algarve, which, for this purpose, created the East Algarve Walking Football association. Since then, more teams have emerged from north to south of the country, including, in 2019, Sporting Clube Farense’s Walking Football.
The objective of the modality is to be attractive to a population aged 45 and over, open to all those interested in having a physical activity. Another important component is social relations, to combat the problem of isolation of the senior population.
Sporting Clube Farense Walking Football currently has 30 athletes divided into the two categories of +50 years and +60 years. The 50+ age group is what has most aroused curiosity, and currently houses 16 athletes. The 60+ age group with 14 athletes is a big surprise for the membership, and the one that has grown the most in recent training sessions.
Future is federative associativism
From the perspective of Sporting Clube Farense Walking Football, the future of this aspect of football must pass through federative associativism. There are more and more teams in the country, some from clubs federated in the main Football Leagues, similarly to what happens with Sporting Clube Farense, and as such, the organization of a football championship for the over 50 age group , through the regional associations, with the recognition and integration in the Portuguese Football Federation, is a proposal to put on the table of the entities.
Sponsors
- Parish Council of Santa Bárbara de Nexe
- casemiro fruit
- Remax Market
- PREDIMED – Faro
- Events in the Algarve (Facebook group)
- Visacar
- Garvetur
- Lxmax design
- Herdade dos Salgados
