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Walking football team 'like having 20 sisters'

Georgia EadieSomerset
News imageBBC A women is smiling at the camera. She is standing on a football pitch with players in the background. The pitch is lit with floodlights. She has brown hair tied back and is wearing an orange patterned football top. BBC
Goalkeeper Becs Flicker-Sanchez said she initially had reservations about walking football being 'boring'

The number of women's walking football teams has increased by more than 50% in Somerset in just a year, the county's football association (FA) has said.

One club in the county, Winscombe AFC, has doubled its player numbers since starting a women's walking team 18 months ago, involving many who have never played football before.

The rules for the Somerset league stipulate that all players must be over 35, there can be no physical contact and - most importantly - no running is allowed.

Winscombe AFCcoach Nick Palmer said it had been "amazing to see the growth of the game, not just in the village but also around the region".

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In 12 months the number of teams in the Somerset league has increased from 10 to 16.

Winscombe AFCgoalkeeperBecs Flicker-Sanchez admitted she had her reservations before giving walking football a go.

"I thought maybe it [was] going to be a bit boring," she said, but added that the club has become " family" and like having "20 other sisters".

"The hardest part of it is getting to grips with the walking", Flicker-Sanchez added.

"The rotations of the ball stays the same, so your instinct is just to sprint after the ball."

News imageA women is smiling at the camera, she has blonde hair tied back and is wearing a blue football shirt with 'Winscombe AFC' logo on it. She is standing on a football pitch which is lit by flood lights.
Zoe Barker joined the team after watching her daughter play for years

After spending years on the side-lines watching, Zoe Barker now shares kit and football boots with her daughter.

"She comes to watch me and I go to watch her, it's great," said Barker.

Ali Ledbury joined Winscombe AFC after seeing an advert through her son's football team.

"I thought 'fantastic - football without running - I could do that,' and I'm really glad I did," she said.

"Fresh air, a good laugh and 20 girls that I really enjoy seeing each week."

News imageA women is smiling at the camera. She has brown hair tied back in a ponytail. She is wearing a black jacket and is standing on a football pitch.
Rachael Lawler-Edwards, from the Somerset FA, says walking football is a "slower game but more technical and tactical"

In November 2025, Somerset FA was given the Women and Girls Award for their work in women's walking football at a county FA award ceremony at Wembley Stadium.

Rachael Lawler-Edwards, from Somerset FA, said she was "really proud" of what the the organisation had created, adding that the programme had "evolved from social events to a competitive league".

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