Encouraged by the participation of the girls of the Brazilian national team in the World Cup, the municipality of Itapevi is promoting, starting at 11 am next Monday, the Women’s Football Festival, which targets players over the age of sixty. The tournament will be held at the headquarters of the Centro de Convivência do Idoso (CCI), at Avenida Cesário de Abreu, 915, Bairro dos Abreus. In all, 40 women will participate in the competition.
The contestants will be divided into four different teams during the festival. For those who don’t know, walksport is a type of traditional football that was also born in England. This method allows older men and women to be included and opens up the possibility of a more active, healthy and long-term life, even for those who have never been physically active.
The method arrived in Itapevi in April of this year, in partnership with the social organization Walking Football Brasil. Both men and women participate in the initiative. In general, the teams are mixed and allow the inclusion of elderly people with chronic diseases and people with disabilities.
Classes last up to two hours and are held in a decentralized manner, in the gymnasium, in the CCI and in the Sports Training Center. The project is still open for registration via the link https://forms.gle/UtaRQeiFUMokKZt29.
The realization of the project is the result of the support of companies such as Mercado Livre, Centauro, Machado Meyer Advogados and Engie Brasil, which, through the Fundo da Pessoa Idosa do Município, have raised money to fund activities and even to pay for transportation of elderly people living in remote neighborhoods.
About walking football
Walking soccer is a form of soccer, and is found in more than 16 countries, allowing for more inclusive exercise for all people, as well as significantly improving health and well-being indicators for active longevity.
According to a survey by Datafolha published in 2017, older people no longer play football over the years in Brazil. This is due, in our view, to the fact that practicing sports in their traditional way increases the risk of injuries and fractures, in addition to not keeping up with the pace of people in this age group.
In this new method, running is prohibited and physical contact is reduced, which makes sports more comprehensive and accessible. It appeared in the UK to engage the population over the age of 50, where it was an important public policy measure, resulting in a significant increase in the levels of physical and emotional well-being of its participants.
