Playing football regularly can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience.
At New Directions, we have already formed a group of 6-8 people who come together to play football. Our group is united by a clear goal: to have fun. While we do get quite competitive during our games, the focus is always on enjoying ourselves and improving our skills.
The sessions are the brainchild of one of our amazing members of staff David Blanchard. Each session incorporates some technical and fitness aspects alongside the fun element.
David told us “We start with a warm-up that includes stretching exercises, followed by general shooting practice. We then engage in a bit of sprinting and jogging to enhance our fitness levels. The duration of our session’s ranges from one to two hours, depending on the number of participants. We adapt the game format based on the attendance, playing 2-a-side, 3-a-side, or 1-on-2 matches using small goals and our actual goal.”
Some members of the Richmond community have expressed interest in coming to watch the group play. They plan to bring camping chairs and cheer them on from the sidelines. We encourage all the people we support to go and watch, support the players, and even join in the cheerleading if they’d like!
Engaging in regular football sessions offers numerous benefits, particularly for the service users at New Directions. It provides them with an opportunity to participate in physical activity and improve their overall health and wellbeing. Football is a great way to stay active, burn calories, and build strength. It also enhances cardiovascular health, coordination, and agility.
Beyond the physical advantages, playing football can also have a positive impact on mental health. Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can boost self-confidence, improve mood, and foster a sense of achievement.
Additionally, football is an excellent platform for developing teamwork and communication skills, which are valuable both on and off the field.
New Directions takes great pride in its commitment to fostering an environment that encourages and supports our staff members in bringing forward fresh ideas and innovative approaches to better support the individuals under our care. We firmly believe in the power of embracing new perspectives and ideas, as they play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of support we provide. By nurturing a culture of creativity and empowerment, we enable our dedicated staff to explore and implement novel strategies that ultimately benefit the people we support, ensuring their overall well-being and satisfaction.
We can’t wait to see the next match. Come on Richmond United!!
To find out more about how New Directions can support you click here.
To find out more about how you can join New Directions click here.