The Whittlesea Lakers mixed social 50 plus walking football (soccer) team won gold at the recent Australian Masters Games in Canberra.
Team members consisted of participants from Lakes Entrance, Whittlesea U3A and Whittlesea City Walking Football programs.
The team lost their first game 7-1 and only won one game, and had two draws
in their six preliminary games, scraping into the semi finals narrowly.
But that’s when they began to peak, winning 3-2 in the semi final and backing that performance up with an exceptional grand final effort, winning 3-2.
Lake Bunga resident Con Constantinou was top scorer for the national competition with 12 goals.
“Many of our participants played against younger opponents with us having two in their seventies,” a delighted Constantinou said this week.
But it was the side’s never-give-up approach, which made them stand out
from the rest.
“The group’s positive approach, team work and spirit shone through in the end, beating the two Canberra home teams,
which left us wearing our medals with pride,” Constantinou said.
The Lakes Entrance Walking Football Program operates
at the Lakes Entrance Youth and Recreation Centre in Carpenter Street every Tuesday at 10am, a great opportunity to exercise, have fun and play.
