New hips new knees new friends The Social

New hips, new knees, new friends: The Social Capital of Walking Football: A case study of The ‘Gentlemen of Glossop’. Richard Cheetham Senior Fellow in Sports Coaching Department of Sport and Exercise University of Winchester

Putnam (2000) “People like us”

Qualitative Research

Findings: Key Themes Health Inclusion Camaraderi e Support Connected

Ottensen, Jeppesen & Krustrup (2010) Social Capital and Health – “often overlooked” “these people turn up with new hips, new knees…. new hearts, - and it takes a lot of effort to get out there initially - (but) people are non-judgemental (and) just incredibly supportive”.

Coalter (2007) “Playing with Mates” “it’s like being a teenager again …… you are back with the lads”. It has restored “a bit of pride” into (my) life.

Puttnam (2000) “…reciprocity and trust based upon ties of familiarity and closeness” “meet new people and to talk” especially about having survived bowel cancer. “You can tell other people” and, having overcoming the challenges faced they feel able to say to others “I have done it, so can you”. Walking Football has allowed a ‘space’ and an opportunity to talk through concerns that are associated with retirement days.

Puttnam (1993) “(sport) achieves certain goals not achievable in its absence” “I try and welcome people before we start, it can be difficult walking into something new. If you are not very good (we) tell them they will improve, it will get easier …… I feel it is part of my job to help ‘break the ice’”.

“Better together” Their meeting place is a football pitch and such coming together as people “left the places they hide” to a social gathering that “might not happen elsewhere”.

The future? “The beauty is in it’s informality, not owned, not governed but participant and community led ……hands off, there should be no battle to win the soul of walking football”

References q Coalter, F. (2007). Sports Clubs, Social Capital and Social Regeneration: ‘ill-defined interventions with hard to follow outcomes. Sport and Society. 10 (4). 537 -559 q Ottensen, L. , Jeppesen, L. S. & Krustrup, B. R. (2010). The development of social capital through football and running: studying an intervention program for inactive women. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 20 (1). 18 -131 q Puttnam, R. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community. New York. Simon and Schuster.