Football Therapy

1.

xxxxxxxxxxxx
FOOTY THERAPY
Could learning to play football as an adult be a game-changer
when it comes to improving your mental health?
Writing | Ellen Manning
W
hen Joe Kibble moved
to a different part
of London, midway
through his doctorate training
as a clinical psychologist, it was
tough. Recognising signs of
stress, he was looking online for
some kind of activity that would
help him cope when he stumbled
on adult football training
sessions aimed at beginners,
and decided to give them a go.
Fast-forward nearly six years
and the sessions, organised by
Experience Footy, are not only a
highlight of his week, but a nonnegotiable part of his self-care.
“I was training to be a
clinical psychologist, which is
notorious for being stressful
and demanding,” the 34-year-old
reflects. “I’d also split up with a
partner a few months before and,
having moved to north London, a
lot of my friends were still in the
south, so I felt a bit isolated. In
the past, I had used running as a
way of coping, but actually found
it pretty boring. Football was
something I enjoyed watching,
talking about, and every now
and again playing, but didn’t feel
particularly confident with. When
I was a kid I didn’t play, and only
got into it when I was a teenager.
By that point, all my friends were
better than me and I felt a bit
intimidated.”
Unlike other groups he’d seen,
Experience Footy seemed to be
more structured, teaching the
basics to help gain confidence,
and offering the chance to join
in one-day tournaments where
people wouldn’t feel intimidated
by better players – which was
exactly the aim founder Raphael
Kopel had when he set it up
in 2018 as the first-ever social
enterprise providing football
coaching sessions for beginner >>>
happiful.com | Issue 87 | 73

2.

Head to experiencefooty.com to find
out more and how you can join in.
Images | Experience Footy
74 | Issue 87 | happiful.com
adults. Like Joe, he decided to
start playing football as an adult,
but realised it was virtually
impossible – with most leagues set
up for people with experience. So,
he persisted until he learned, then
took his own coach’s qualifications
so he could help other adults start,
and, in 2020, created a league of
his own aimed at beginners.
His initiative, which organises
weekly five-a-side football leagues,
as well as tournaments and
dedicated events for business
people and children’s charities,
hasn’t just provided adults across
London with a place they can
learn and practise a new hobby,
but also provides much-needed
support for many.
“I had my own mental health
struggles during the pandemic,
which may explain why I am so
aware of the mental health of
my members,” explains 45-yearold Raphael. “I got Covid in the
summer of 2021, which resulted
in a bout of insomnia and very
low mood for a few weeks. It could
have been a lot worse, but going
to football every Sunday really
helped me get through it.”
Since he set it up, Raphael’s
group has flourished, and is full
virtually every Sunday. It’s become
a community where people meet
outside football, doing everything
from grabbing a drink to going
backpacking together. All of this,
plus the initiative’s WhatsApp
group, has proved invaluable for
many, says Raphael, with some
members telling him it’s been vital
to their mental health.
It’s certainly something Joe
experienced. “My football ability
gradually got better, but it also had

3.

the full picture
a big impact on my wellbeing and
mental health – it quickly became
an important part of my week.”
The sense of community, of
familiar faces to ‘check in’ with,
was something that provided
comfort, he says. Now a qualified
clinical psychologist, he’s also
confident of the well-documented
positive effects exercise can have
on mental health, citing 2024
research published in The BMJ
supporting the idea that exercise
can be as, if not more, effective as
antidepressants for depression.
“The exercise they looked at in
that study was more solitary, but I
think there are added benefits to
playing team sports. We know that
for a lot of people struggling with
depression, or general stress and
anxiety, loneliness and isolation
can be a part of that. Having
that added layer of being around
people, feeling even just a small
sense of connection with another
person, can have a big effect.”
The fact that football involves
strategy and teamwork is also
helpful, in Joe’s view. “You’re very
mindful when you’re playing
football. You’re in a bit of a flow
state, because you’re having to
think about so many other things
– where your teammates are,
what you’re going to do with the
ball, where you need to be, who
you need to mark. You’re in the
moment, and less focused on
other worries or stresses.”
Additionally, the communication
involved can help people struggling
with confidence or socialising,
whether due to their mental state at
the time, general awkwardness in
social settings, or a hangover from
the isolation of the pandemic.
“Playing football in a group can
be a good way of allowing people
who are not feeling confident
socially to just be around people.
You don’t have to engage in
small talk, but maybe talk about
the exercise you’re doing or
the football at the weekend,”
says Joe. “Then there’s another
layer of communication when
you’re playing – you’re having to
communicate verbally and nonverbally and, as humans, we get
something from that. Even if we’re
not talking about ourselves or
our lives, or having that ‘normal’
conversation, there’s a positive
feeling that can come from
cooperating with another person
or team. And that might feel a
lot more manageable for people
who feel social conversation or
interaction is difficult.”
The positive impact on mental
health is something Raphael
sees as hugely valuable. His
group of aspiring footballers may
change, due to being at different
stages of their lives, or moving
geographically, but its popularity
remains proof of its importance.
“One of the things that is special
is it’s for people of any age, colour,
gender, any background,” Raphael
says. “It’s such a mix – we’ve had
people who are depressed, or
people who are fine and just want
to learn. It’s very eclectic.”
With several years’ experience
as to how this kind of activity can
help people, Raphael has some
words of wisdom to those setting
out on their journey. The first is
to take things easy – and resist
the urge to want to be as skilled
as top-flight footballers. “People
often compare themselves to the
professional players they watch,
then get disheartened.”
On top of that, the benefits
of committing to something
regularly are clear – and that
means showing up even when
you don’t want to, whether that’s
because you’re tired, it’s raining,
or any other number of reasons.
“When you’re in the same place
at the same time, on a regular
basis, this is when you notice
certain things, and is the good
thing about committing yourself,”
he says. “It doesn’t have to be
football – it could be yoga, it could
be anything. But if you commit
yourself then it becomes part
of your routine and you feel the
benefits, you build up a bit of
resilience, and that can help.”
happiful.com | Issue 87 | 75