Nicolas Baxter-Moore will be hitting the pitch this month to play the game he loves on the global stage — albeit at a slightly modified pace.
The sport? Walking soccer.
In this version of the game, being played at the upcoming 2025 Federation of International Walking Football Association’s (FIWFA) World Nations Cup in Spain, it’s against the rules to run, jog, push, tackle from behind or have the ball travel higher than players’ heads.
“But it’s fundamentally the same game, because it’s still all about passing, ball control, shooting, tackling, covering and marking — and encouraging fitness,” says the retired Associate Professor of Communication, Popular Culture and Film.
Baxter-Moore plays for the Team Canada Men Over 70 and coaches the Men Over 60 squad. Canadian teams are also competing in the Women Over 50 and Men Over 50 categories later this month.
Team Canada Men Over 70
Although walking soccer is slower-paced than its running equivalent, Associate Professor of Kinesiology Sean Locke says the sport is no stroll in the park.
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“If you’ve ever seen speed walking as an Olympic event, that’s similar to some of the players are doing,” he says. “Even recreational leagues are faster-paced and a bit more competitive than you might expect.”
He says the walking version of soccer has been modified to accommodate changes to older adults’ cardiovascular system, breathing capacity, movement of joints and other body functions, making the sport more accessible.
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Alterations to mainstream sports should be fun, he says, but “still preserve the essence of the game,” especially for those who previously played soccer but couldn’t continue for different reasons.
A large group of people in soccer uniforms pose for a group photo outside on a sunny day. Canadians heading to the 2025 Federation of International Walking Football Association’s World Nations Cup in Spain later this month held a special send-off event at Cherry Beach in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 4. Retired Brock Associate Professor Nicolas Baxter-Moore (sixth from left, front row) is playing and coaching in the upcoming tournament.
That was the case for Baxter-Moore, who had given up his involvement in soccer following multiple knee surgeries. He then discovered walking soccer in 2023 and and will now join Team Canada at the World Nations Cup…
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