In The Spotlight: Extra Time

Avid Norwich City fan Roger Smith is one of Extra Time‘s long-time members, attending his first session over 12 years ago. We recently caught up with Roger to find out what the programme means to him and why he feels it’s important for older people like himself to stay involved in sport and physical exercise.

You’re clearly a big fan of our Extra Time sessions – but what does the programme actually mean to you?

RS: It really is something that I look forward to every week, it’s great to meet up with like-minded people from a similar age group and get involved in physical activity. People my age stereotypically don’t get involved in sport so it’s good to break that stigma. As well as the sport element, we also engage in a social hour, which is just as important. We occasionally get special guests from the football club, which is something I really enjoy being such a big Norwich fan!

You’ve been a regular attendee since 2012, but why did you first come along to the sessions?

RS: I was looking for a way to get regular exercise into my life whilst also having people to talk to about the football! I heard about Extra Time, attended my first session and was hooked from the off. There were so many kind people and the variety of sports we took part in meant that every session was exciting and different.

There must be a lot of moments that stick out to you from your many years attending our programme – do any immediately spring to mind?

RS: I’ve been lucky enough to play football and other sports not only at Carrow Park and The Nest but also at the (Avant) Training Centre and at Carrow Road during the off-season. These definitely stick with me as memorable moments simply because of how awe-struck I was of my surroundings! It was great to do it with such a kind, caring and supportive group of people as well.

A lot of older people feel they don’t stay active enough in their later years – how important do you think sport is to both their physical and mental health?

RS: I can’t even express how important it is. Both physical and mental health go hand in hand, and Extra Time offers a broad range of sports and activities to us participants to choose from. This is always exciting, as it allows us to play sports that we haven’t been involved in for years, as well as trying out new activities. In recent times, I’ve played football, hockey, handball, basketball and cricket – and that’s just naming a few! There’s always a real buzz in the social sessions afterwards and it’s nice to see so many happy faces.

What would you say to anyone looking to get involved?

RS: I would say don’t hesitate – there’s a real stigma that the older generations are ‘too unfit’ or incapable of doing simple tasks but sessions like Extra Time really prove that getting involved in weekly physical exercise can help make a massive difference. I remember one lady saying that when she first started that she ‘felt too unfit to even run a bath’ but has since expressed how surprised she is with her own capabilities. I really couldn’t recommend Extra Time enough; it really is the perfect club for senior people.

Want to find out more about our Extra Time sessions? Click here.