Kerrin Hands – Founder of the Toronto Walking Soccer Club
Photo courtesy of Kerrin Hands
A Facebook group in Torrox, Spain – by the Mediterranean Costa del Sol – introduced Kerrin Hands to the world of walking soccer.
Many years ago, his father moved to Spain. In 2023, while planning a visit, Hands was doing some pre-vacation research when he read about a walking soccer club in the town. On the trip, he joined-in a game on the local semi-pro team’s home pitch.
“Even though I'm quite an experienced player, I was still pretty nervous to play there,” Hands recalled, but it didn’t take long for him to get in the flow of the game. “I was hooked immediately.”
“It didn’t feel like a compromise on the running game because of the very tactical passing.”
A native of London, England, Hands brought walking soccer back with him to Toronto, where he has lived since 2006. He founded the Toronto Walking Soccer Club (TWSC) in May 2023 with an initial core group that had been playing soccer together for years.
“We started with eight to 14 players for the first eight weeks,” Hands said. “People invited friends they though would be interested.
“Word of mouth has been powerful and a feature on CBC Radio generated interest.”
Hands is always keen to talk about the game’s health benefits.
“Compared to running, there’s less pounding on the joints,” said the 56-year-old. “It’s a lot more gentle on your knees, while still building muscle, and it’s a robust cardio sport.
“Even my upper body gets a workout as my arms pump through the racewalking motion.”
Hands played competitive soccer from age 8 to 38 (when his son was born).
A graphic designer, he created the distinctive TWSC “Loons” badge for the club’s tournament uniform. Back in England, that skill opened the door for him to some famous pitches.
He scored at Wembley Stadium, for the staff team while working there, designing matchday programmes. The Wembley squad played against similar teams at other stadiums, and Hands even wound up playing at Old Trafford, in front of Sir Alex Ferguson.
For his weekly game, Hands played at Old Manorians FC in North Wembley.
“In the 90s, the first team was one of the better amateur sides in London,” Hands said, while noting the club had room for players with a range of skill levels, including an eighth team.
“At Manorian, as players got better and better, the could keep going up,” he said.
That range leads Hands to see players on a spectrum, rather than a polarization between recreational and competitive.
With TWSC, he is building a club where there is a place for everybody in twice-weekly practice games. The occasional intramural tournament and matches against other clubs provide more competition.
“Our competitive games are against other clubs, but they're always friendly competitive,” Hands said.
Regardless of skill level, the players all take the game seriously.
"Even though we are a recreational soccer group, everyone plays to the best of their abilities, and we compete in a friendly manner, creating a wonderful environment to enjoy the walking version of the beautiful game,” he said. “It's all in your mind whether you are competitive – more than how good your game is.”
Hands works walking soccer into his vacations, having played in the UK, Morocco and, after that first time in Torrox, with several more clubs in Spain. This gives him a benchmark for the Toronto club’s quality.
“On the Loons, we have some very, very good players, and if we were to go Europe or England for tournaments, we would compete for sure,” Hands said.
Building the right culture is Hands priority.
“Whether you're a better player, or you’ve never kicked the ball before, everyone gets along well because we have a very positive and welcoming atmosphere,” he said.
Hands is passionate about the benefits of walking soccer for an aging population. “This is how we are going to keep people healthy, engaged in the community, and out of hospital,” he said.
While his focus is on building TWSC, Kerrin has a broader vision for the game’s future.
“My aim is to grow the sport the best I can, at least within Toronto, and hopefully it will continue spreading across Canada,” he said. “Walking soccer is not just another sport, it's a movement.”
Hands advanced the movement by successfully organizing the first competitive walking soccer tournament in Ontario history, part of the Good Games, at the University of Guelph on July 6.
His work brought eight squads from four clubs together for an unforgettable day and contributed to the sport’s growing profile.
Story by Mike Winterburn
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