Dads v Dads: how weekly kickabouts are boosting fitness and mental health

If you fancy a friendly kickabout and an even friendlier chat, a weekly sporting session founded by a Rotherham football fanatic could help you achieve that goal.

Dads v Dads is aimed at those over 30 who want to get fit and have fun, while also offering a safe space for talking about mental health — and despite the name, it’s not exclusively for dads.

Organiser Kyle Wright (32), of Kimberworth, said: “I found this Dads v Dads thing on the internet.

“They didn’t have one in the Sheffield area, and I was soon approached by them to organise the Sheffield games and get it up and running.

“We had only six weeks or so before the first 2020 lockdown, but then when we came back Monday nights became massive.

“Since we began in Firth Park Academy, we’ve created some 1,198 hours of exercise for over 150 people.”

Signing up is pretty straightforward — Kyle sends a link a few days before each session in a WhatsApp group, and the race to get in starts.

It is a first-come, first-served arrangement, and spots filling up pretty quickly. To get on the list, visit dadsvdads.com and click "Matches" in the top banner menu to find your nearest venue.

He said: “We've got up to about 30 dads playing on Mondays now but we’ve got only 18 spaces so that's why we're setting up Wednesdays, too.

“We’re doing this because we've got one night at Firth Park Academy, which is one side of Sheffield, whereas Sheffield Park Academy, where we’re starting soon, is much more central.”

Kyle said he had met people whose mental health had been poorly affected by the pandemic but were now are comfortable having a chat in a pub after a good game of football.

He said: “The other dads often joining us for a drink after games.

“We try to be mental health friends by offering a safe space for anyone who wants to chat about life, really.

“This initiative is not solely for dads, though.

“Some haven’t got a kid but still want to get back into playing and making friends.

“There’s one dad, for example, who’s been having a rough past few months and he came to me to speak about it.

“It’s a good thing that he chose to speak.

“This is one of the main reasons why we're doing what we’re doing.

“It’s important to listen to each other when they’ve got something to say.

“Maybe this is the environment where people are the most comfortable talking.”

The Monday games kick off at 7.30pm at Firth Park Academy and the upcoming Wednesday games run from at 8pm at Sheffield Park Academy, just off the Parkway, from April 27.