Football fun at a slower pace

SOCCER usually isn’t a low-impact sport, but Ballarat Walking Football is bucking the trend.

On Mondays from 1pm to 2pm, at Selkirk Stadium, people are invited to use their round ball footy skills at a lower intensity and slower pace.

“We have a kick around, we can develop skills in people who haven’t played the game in any form before, and it’s a good fun, fitness, and social event for us,” Ballarat Walking Football co-ordinator Alan Clark said.

“We generally play a futsal style of game on a hard court.

“I’m a footballer from the time I could walk, and this is a great way of staying involved in the game when my competition football days are well behind me.”

Ballarat Walking Football has been running for years, previously at Morshead Park, and is targeted at men and women over the age of 50, but younger participants aren’t turned away.

“It’s under the auspices of Football Victoria, but we run independently of them,” Mr Clark said.

“We have our new home at Selkirk Stadium, and we’re looking to keep that as a home venue, especially when we host visiting teams.

“We don’t charge fees and we try to keep costs down to nothing.”

Some members of Ballarat Walking Football formed a team for the 2023 Australian Masters Games in Adelaide, where they won a silver medal.

“That’s not our principal aim; we’re a social group playing social football, rather than hard-edged competition football,” Mr Clark said.

Anyone interested to take part is welcome to drop into Selkirk Stadium on Mondays at 1pm with their athletic clothes and trainers on.