WATSAL? WOULD THAT WORK?
For the past year a new type of football has been growing alarmingly fast. That phenomenon is of course Walking Football which has seen participation numbers up and down the UK soar. So what happens when you mix that with a technically challenging activity like Futsal?
I should probably explain what Walking Football is... It's pretty simple really, Just football with the same rules and restrictions but you're not allowed to run. It is stereotypically targeted at older people and has had many proven benefits. These include increased social interaction, health benefits and overall increased confidence. This is as well as receiving a monumental amount of praise from the FA.
If you've had a chance to read some of my previous blogs then you may well be aware of what Futsal is and what it's about. It's fast paced, exciting, competitive and arguably requires a high amount of skill to be successful. So is it possible that both of these sports can be fused together into one session?
I wanted to find out if this was possible... So I went to a session in Bristol to analyse and observe how both Futsal and Walking Football can work side-by-side. The session was run by Nick Dewfall and Martin Coles who are determined to implement a Futsal emphasis on their current Walking Football sessions. The sessions receive average attendances of around 15-20 participants per week and are played a friendly environment. Perfect for trying something different.
How would it work? Well the sessions as they progress are becoming more Futsal orientated in terms of movement, degree of skill, first touch and generic ball control but at walking pace. This as a result creates a more challenging and relaxed way of playing football. It is though fantastic for ladies and gentlemen who are looking to develop their football skills.
While I was their I asked a few questions to participants including...
I should probably explain what Walking Football is... It's pretty simple really, Just football with the same rules and restrictions but you're not allowed to run. It is stereotypically targeted at older people and has had many proven benefits. These include increased social interaction, health benefits and overall increased confidence. This is as well as receiving a monumental amount of praise from the FA.
If you've had a chance to read some of my previous blogs then you may well be aware of what Futsal is and what it's about. It's fast paced, exciting, competitive and arguably requires a high amount of skill to be successful. So is it possible that both of these sports can be fused together into one session?
I wanted to find out if this was possible... So I went to a session in Bristol to analyse and observe how both Futsal and Walking Football can work side-by-side. The session was run by Nick Dewfall and Martin Coles who are determined to implement a Futsal emphasis on their current Walking Football sessions. The sessions receive average attendances of around 15-20 participants per week and are played a friendly environment. Perfect for trying something different.
How would it work? Well the sessions as they progress are becoming more Futsal orientated in terms of movement, degree of skill, first touch and generic ball control but at walking pace. This as a result creates a more challenging and relaxed way of playing football. It is though fantastic for ladies and gentlemen who are looking to develop their football skills.
While I was their I asked a few questions to participants including...
"Do you think Futsal and Walking Football can be linked together?" and some of the responses I received were...
"Absolutely, but maybe at a slower pace"
"I don't see why not, although I'm not too familiar about what Futsal is"
"I think they work together really well and require a lot of skill and quick thinking"
(Yeah, I'm kinda new on this interview thing... I did forget to take not of who said what. Rookie mistake really but hey!)
Another thought that floated through my head was "could this be implemented at a youth level?". Before I went to the session I was a little bit unsure and hesitant on this. However, by the end of the session it was crystal clear to me that it can help young players massively!
It was evident that this type of football can help develop their first touch, composure, make them relaxed on the ball and teach them to be stronger it holding the ball. Also a great way in enforcing your team to get the ball to do the work.
I then asked another question...
"Could walking football be beneficial to young people as it is currently aimed at a older age group?" Some of the responses I got were posted below.
"I don't think it is as much as it benefits the older guys, Kids just want to run"
"I think it teaches a more relaxed style and would give the not so good players a chance to play not under pressure"
"it helps young people who want to learn how to hold a ball up and be stronger"
"As a young person I really enjoy playing walking football much more than normal 11 a side"
(You would have thought I learnt by this point but apparently not. Clearly a rookie to this.)
I've also implemented some similar games to this with age groups that I already coach which received some positive responses. If you're a coach out there and you're stuck for ideas for an end game. Please feel free to use this. It's simple but so so much fun!
So yeah, To sum up and close the case on this blog, Walking Football is a brilliant way to keep active and if done correctly can link in with some elements of Futsal. Keep an eye for Walking Football sessions in your local area and if you would like details of how to get involved in this type of activity then please contact your local county FA.
Thank for reading!
@ChippKG
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