Former cardiac patient Paul Lapham believed his days of playing football were long since gone but thanks to a walking football scheme at King Alfred Sports Centre in Highbridge he can now enjoy playing a sport he once loved as a teenager.

Paul, who’d always enjoyed sport and fitness, developed Angina last year which led to two operations to fit stents and an eight week programme of rehabilitation at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

His fitness and heart rate was monitored before Paul decided to take on new exercise to fully regain his health.

Paul now plays five aside walking football at King Alfred Sports Centre every week which is aimed at the over fifties age group.

As the name implies, walking football is a slower version of the game and it is designed to attract older players back into the sport. Any player caught running concedes a free kick to the opposition.

Paul says although football is played at a slower rate the game has lost none of its excitement for the players involved.

“Within ten minutes the natural competitiveness kicks back in, you can have all the pleasure of the game without the pain, scoring a goal, or blocking a shot you still feel part of a team and the excitement of wanting to win and enjoying the sport.”

“The camaraderie has been great, I haven’t played football since I was a teenager and I thought I would not have been able to take it up again but this scheme has proved me wrong, there is a fantastic team spirit and it is a great work out for 60 minutes.”

Walking Football sessions are available at King Alfred Sports Centre on Wednesday evenings at 6pm. Call 01278 786868 for details.

Pictured: Paul Lapham is pictured second from right in back row

 
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