With Football Canterbury's Walking Football program continuing to be a success, the association is now appointing Nick Bron as Walking Football Convenor to coordinate delivery and grow the game.
The Walking Football program is still in its relative infancy, often welcoming new players who are unsure of the rules and with different standards of play.
Bron's role as Convenor will include helping new players ensure they have a positive experience from the outset.
Bron has played football since he was five. A serious injury around the age of 40 meant he had to find an alternative to running around if he was to continue playing the game he loved.
Now, he has the opportunity to enjoy Walking Football himself, but also introduce the concept to others looking to get involved.
"My role is to ensure we're creating a program that's incredibly inclusive and safe," Bron explains.
"It's something that anyone can turn up to and feel that even if they've never kicked the ball in their life, they have an opportunity to get involved, give it a try and have fun.”
“We also want to create opportunities for ex-players to find a good standard of football without the danger of collisions as it is non-contact, so we’re careful how we mix the two sets of players.”
Bron praised Technical and Game Development Manager Andrew Morris for giving him the freedom he needed to run the program.
"Andrew has been brilliant at recognising that the people playing Walking Football need to have input. Because of that, our games at Rudd Park have been played with great success, and everyone has a smile on their face.”
“When, in the past, organisers tried to shoehorn the game into competitive formats similar to normal football, it didn't work. I now have a few years of experience seeing where Walking Football can go right and go wrong, so I really appreciate Andrew’s trust in my knowledge.”
“Equally, Andrew’s input, support, ideas and feedback has really helped us grow the sport in Football Canterbury. We’re excited to see how big this will get, and we’re ready to welcome more players.”
Football Canterbury's Walking Football program continues into spring and beyond. Morris believes it's a great way for people further along in their footballing careers and to stay involved.
"We are really pleased with the uptake of our Walking Football program, and Nick has done a great job so far," Morris said. “That's really coming through in how people are enjoying it."
"Walking Football is a low-impact, fun way for members of our community to continue to play and maintain their fitness and movement without having to train and play full matches each week. It’s all the fun of football, without the pain of muscle and joint soreness."
How to get involved in Walking Football |
- Summer Sixes - Wednesday evenings 6:00-8:00PM 10th October till Dec 14th. Details
- Gala Day tournaments - one day events at Rudd Park (Saturday, 23rd September, time TBC) and Tempe (Saturday, 10th February, time TBC).
- Summer Walking Football at Rudd Park - Thursday's, February through March.
- October 12-14 Adelaide Masters Games, Football Canterbury representative teams attending.
Keep an eye out on information on how to be a part of any of these opportunities.
