The women’s ‘walking football’ team in Seville that faces cancer (and many other things)
When Mercedes studied teaching of Education Physics at university, the application of WhatsApp was not intuited. Nothing could make him presage that several years later, a mobile phone application would allow him to reunite several of his classmates on a weekly basis. Much less to practice a sport called ‘soccer walking’ that is practically unknown in Spain.
It consists of playing soccer, but without being able to run. You can barely tap the ball three times. Mercedes, or Dede, as everyone knows him, came to him almost by chance. The founding of Betis promoted this modality thanks to a grant from Europe and a contact, Alfredo, proposed to enter one of the last groups. Furthermore, Dede had spent a couple of years in a “difficult” separation process, in his own words.
He tried and liked it despite the low presence of women. This made him contact girls from Portugal who were already practicing it, but the displacement on a regular basis was not feasible. However, one of the photos he shared received a response. She was an old colleague who, precisely, encouraged her to comment on it in the university group. “We started moving it and we stayed in October 2023,” he says. lavozdelsur.es.
A beer in Triana did the rest although the majority comment was ‘what is this? Several teams left the Betis Foundation, but all of them male, so Dede managed to convince Alfredo to start shaping a team that is now a club. The Íberas Sevilla Walking Football. The negotiations arrived and in just a few months they embarked on the first great adventure: a championship in Portugal. “We flipped with the connection between a group of women who were former college classmates and decided to stay on this,” Dede says at 53. And it is that one of the characteristics of the team is that they are all over 40 years old and most are over 50.
Mercedes Malaver, who is currently 55 years old, was present in that Triana beer. She was also a college classmate of Dede and during her youth she practiced sports such as futsal nationwide. However, in 2020 he was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. “The first two years I couldn’t do much,” he says. However, in 2023, when the proposal arrives, it is one of those who leads the project.
“The most beautiful thing for me, that I have had healing experiences since I was diagnosed, has been meeting a group that has come from outside, the union of giving us positive energy to motivate us,” confesses Mercedes. After many years competing, this Sevillian comments that laughter and having a good time is what has helped her the most. In addition, it is a sport where health is not brought into play by the rules that govern it.
A few months ago, Mercedes was diagnosed with a new cancer. This time of pancreas. The disease has her away from the playing fields, but she is still linked to the team and with great enthusiasm. “I want the oncologist to tell me that I can play,” he says to lavozdelsur.es. The team has become a family and their case is not the only one. “I have brought colleagues who have accompanied cancer patients. There are not only patients on the team, but also caregivers who vent. We are women who feel clothed by a group, “he says.
One of Mercedes’ friends is María José. She was not a partner to the rest in college, although she knew one of the club’s founders. María José began to feel bad in 2019, but it was not until 2022 when she was diagnosed and operated on for ovarian cancer. She could barely exercise and her life became very lonely.
A day in the Virgen del Rocío
However, in May 2024 he attended with Mercedes a conference for survivors in the Virgen del Rocío. Although he had already heard of the Iberians, he saw it impossible to practice sports. However, that day Dede appeared in the club jersey. That made María José think, “I am 45 years old and I am in the cancer shirt while they are in sports shirts.”
Dede insisted everyone try. María José did not see it at the beginning, but she continued taking steps in her life. She asked for discharge to avoid disability and soon after she found another component of the Iberians that also encouraged her. He convinced her and went to try. Before, he had tried sports like canoeing, but he did not convince him. Since September it is one of the Iberians.
“My life has completely changed both physically and psychologically. You come upstairs because the team gives you energy and vitality. I am someone else, before I did not find this in any space “, like many other footballers in this club, he is looking forward to Wednesday to train. But the key to this club is not only what happens on the pitch. “They do not stop doing activities and proposing activities. I am very happy and under no circumstances do I consider leaving it. “
In a few months, María José will have to go through the operating room again. “As long as I can go, I’ll keep going even to see them train. The energy there is is very positive and constructive for both people who have had illness and those who have not. “
Dede was also the reason Diana decided to join the club. They had met in triathlon and were united by a great friendship. “I came in because I know how it is and how it moves people. While she was going to create a good atmosphere, “he says. Diana was looking for a place to share with different people. “From a certain age it is difficult to find collective objectives. If you want to play team sport at this age, this sport allows you to, “he says, referring to the responsibilities of an adult person.
Although the Iberas has become an integration site, Diana is clear that it is a club for everyone who wants. “Everyone goes through processes. The one who has more or the least something at certain ages. In my ear of life, sport is integrated and comes in handy for many physical or mental facets. It goes beyond a certain moment. “
María Eugenia is a military man and at one point in her life bad news accumulated. Her father died of cancer, her mother suffered a stroke, and her partner was also found to have cancer. All this made him fall into depression. “I was carrying it as best I could with psychotherapy.”
On any given day he saw a publication by Mercedes and became interested in the club. Eu, as they know her on the team, had performed half marathons, but her personal situation made her stop the sport. Walking football has changed his life. “It has made me resume the sport.” After talking to Mercedes, she was welcomed as one more. “My best psychotherapy is every training because it is a shot of energy and they all bring you something.”
First published at https://www.lavozdelsur.es/ediciones/sevilla/equipo-femenino-walking-football-en-sevilla-hace-frente-cancer-y-muchas-cosas-mas_331275_102.html