At WaiBOP, we enjoy opportunities to celebrate movement, fun, friendship, and joy in various forms of football. 

Nat, our Football Development Officer in Rotorua, recently had the chance to introduce a Green Prescription (GRx) group to Walking Football. 

Together with colleagues from SportBOP on Matariki Eve, Nat and a GRx Walking Group met on the Rotorua lakefront for a friendly game of Walking Football.

The Green Prescription (GRx) initiative is a six-month program designed to help adults become more physically active and eat healthier as part of an overall health plan. It aims to support, inform, and empower individuals while fostering community connections to encourage a healthy lifestyle. The focus is on promoting behavioural change by establishing sustainable physical activity and nutritional habits.
Felila Simanu, Green Prescription Advisor from SportBOP said the GRx walking group had a great time playing Walking Football. 

She said “Our walkers have a wide range of abilities so Walking Football was a great level for everyone to be involved in. A lot of our walkers hadn’t touched a football in years. At first, they were hesitant but once they got into it, they really engaged in the game. And some of our walkers’ competitive sides came out, which made it very entertaining.”

Simanu’s goal this year for the GRx walking group has been to explore different ways of being active. Walking Football showed the walkers another great way to stay active and is a game they can engage in with their whānau. 

Members of the group shared some great feedback, telling us:
“I really enjoyed the game and look forward to more.”
“It was so much fun and filled with laughter. I didn’t realise I could do that let alone kick a ball.”
“I told my grandson I played walking football and now we planning to head out in the weekend.”

Walking Football is a variant of traditional football, primarily aimed at older adults or those with limited mobility.

Characterised by no running, walking football has smaller teams, a smaller pitch, and lower, smaller goals. It allows participants to engage in the sport without the intensity and physical demands of running, and promotes physical activity, social interaction, and enjoyment of the game in a more accessible and less strenuous way. 

For more information about GRx:
https://www.sportbop.co.nz/green-prescription-programme-grx/
https://www.sportbop.co.nz/green-prescription-programme-grx-201718/

Article added: Monday 15 July 2024