The beautiful game - just a bit slower!
Following a successful pilot of Walking Football in 2018, Okehampton Community and Recreation Association (OCRA) has continued with regular weekly sessions on Tuesdays at 6.15pm until 7.15pm, on the All Weather Pitch.
The OCRA Walking Football Club is going from strength to strength with regular attendees enjoying the game they love in a friendly and sociable atmosphere.
Walking Football, a slow-paced version of the beautiful game aimed at the over 50s, arrived in Okehampton with the support of Active Devon and has proved to be a hit with all ages. The sport was originally devised in 2011 by Chesterfield FC Community Trust. Subsequent TV coverage of the game by Sky Sports has led to a swift increase in its popularity, with clubs and groups starting up all over the country.
As the name suggests, Walking Football is non-contact and anyone that is deemed to have moved too fast while the ball is in play will be penalised with a free-kick. The ball should not be played above hip height and slide tackles are banned - the style of the sport helps minimise injuries while also helping to increase cardio-vascular fitness.
The Okehampton Walking Football Club competed in their first friendly match over the summer and following the support of Okehampton Argyle, now have a kit to wear. The group have also extended their socialising beyond the pitch by adding a regular team social at OCRA’s Pavilion in Simmon’s Park.
OCRA is a charity based in Okehampton and provides the community with sporting, wellbeing and recreational opportunities for Okehampton, the Hamlets and surrounding areas.
For more information regarding Walking Football or about the sporting opportunities provided by OCTA, visit ocrasport.org.uk