Our Sporting Life
Grassroots and amateur sports magazine
Proud Sponsors of the Saddleworth 3Ds U9 Whites
We’re over the moon to sponsor the kit for an under 9s football team this season. The Saddleworth 3Ds U9s Whites are playing their football in the East Manchester Junior Football League!
Good luck, 3Ds!
4 Tips for Staying Active While Working from Home
Work from home has been an immense change since Covid enabling flexibility and much more convenience than a daily commute. But many remote workers note it means they move less. So how can you stay active while working from home? Here are some tips.
7 Reasons to LOVE Winter Hiking in the UK
Winter hiking can be brutal. And for those of us (erm, me) who particularly love hiking on warm days with loads of long daylight hours, winter might not be our favourite season. But here are 7 reasons to love hiking in the UK in winter.
Hiking Time Calculator using Naismith’s Rule
Here’s a handy little hiking time calculator based on Naismith’s rule! How accurate is it? Well, as ever, these things depend on your own fitness and so forth. But I’ve always found Naismith’s rule to be a handy benchmark to aim for in terms of time for any given route.
Best Portable Charging Banks for Hiking
Traditionalists may not like it! But personally, I don’t like to risk being stuck on a hill or mountain with a dead phone or head torch battery. So I like to carry a portable charging device (or 2, or 3) with me. Here are the best portable charging banks for hiking that I’ve used. (And I’ve used a lot, by the way).
6Alternatives to Snowdon if You Don’t Fancy Queuing at the Summit
If you hike mountains for the solitude, then the Snowdon summit’s well talked about queues might be a reason to skip Wales’ highest mountain in favour of an alternative. So here are 6 really great alternatives to Snowdon within North Wales.
20 Gift Ideas for Hikers – Under £10, £20, £50 and Big Budget
Knowing what to buy for the hiker in your life who seems to have everything already is no mean feat. But we’ve got you covered with 21 hiking gift ideas in 4 budget ranges – under £10, under £20, under £50 and big budget indulgence!
Two Strikers That Could Steal the Show at the Upcoming Africa Cup of Nations
While the eyes of the world may very well be on both Europe and South America next summer for their continental showdowns – namely UEFA Euro 2024 and the Copa America – Africa has a tournament of its own. And you won’t have to wait until summer to experience it.
Why Coaches Should Concentrate on Development Over Results
Coaching kids is both rewarding and challenging. We all know, as coaches, that the result is by far NOT the most important thing. But here’s the case for a development first, results later approach
What are the top apps for sports fans?
We use our phones for everything! And sports watching, tracking and researching are no exceptions. Let’s take a look at the best types of sports mobile apps available.
Our Writers and Editors
It’s really important to us that our content is created by people who know and love their topics. So we source contributions from external experts as well as having our own in house writers who cover their own areas of expertise. If ever we’re offering up health or fitness advice, we want to know it’s coming from someone qualified to give it. So we work with doctors and personal trainers as well. Some of our writers and listed below.
Stacey MacNaught
Hiker & football coach
Stacey is a keen hiker and mountain ridge walker. She’s also a grassroots football coach for an U8s team.
Christopher Czermak
Tennis player & coach
Christopher is an enthusiastic tennis player and qualified coach. He’s been playing since the age of 6 and now shares his love of the sport with other aspiring players.
Dr Andres Maldonado
Doctor
Andres Maldonado is a a doctor currently located in Venezuela and working at the country’s International Unit of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery. He writes for us on anything health related.
Melanie Gilder
personal trainer
Melanie Gilder is a qualified personal trainer and dance teacher who specialises in female fitness. She works with clients to achieve improved fitness as well as weight loss. She writes for us on fitness tips and advice
Football. From 6 year olds running around on a Sunday morning to the mighty England women’s team selling out stadiums, football has a special place in our hearts. Here’s where we share articles, features and news on football.
Hiking. From gentle flat trails to mountain ridges, getting out on foot can be the most relaxing or the most exhilarating way to experience the scenery around you. We love a good hike. And in our hiking blog, we share trails, reviews, hints and tips on all things hiking.
Our Statistics and Research
Women’s and Girl’s Football Statistics UK
The momentum behind women’s football is phenomenal. But how many women play football? How many played as children? And what are the audience sizes like? We take a look in our 2023 round up of women’s and girl’s football statistics.
Everything You Need to Know About Under 10s Football in England
There are specific rules, set out by the Football Association, that must be followed when playing football at under 10s level. “Mini Soccer” is played by all children up to the age of 10. All you need to know about the sport for children at this age is set out below – from how many players on a team to the size of the pitch, goals and even the size of the ball that is used.
Everything You Need to Know About Under 9s Football in England
Football at under 9s in England follows the laws of Mini Soccer. These laws entail the maximum playing time for children, how many players can play in a match and even the size of the ball that should be used. If you want to get your child involved in Football and they are in this age group, here is all you need to know.
Everything You Need to Know About Under 8s Football in England
Under 8s football adheres to the FA laws of “Mini Soccer,” which determine the age of players, time limits on games and other things too. Got a child going into under 8s football or considering it? Here’s everything you need to know about football at this level in England.
Everything You Need to Know About Under 7s Football in England
Under 7s football follows the laws of “Mini Soccer,” which determine the age of players, time limits on games and other things too. Find out everything you need to know about getting started with U7s football in England.
American Football Statistics: UK Popularity 2022
American Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, but exactly how popular is it over the pond in the UK?
Karate Statistics: How Popular Is Karate In The UK In 2022?
Karate is a Japanese martial art which is popular in many countries around the world. It is a popular martial art in the UK too
Skateboarding Statistics: How Popular Is Skateboarding In The UK In 2021?
Although many people may not think skateboarding is a sport, it was actually approved to be a sport in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This
Squash Statistics UK: How Popular is Squash in the UK in 2021?
Squash is a fast-paced racquet sport where players compete against each other by hitting the ball against the wall to rebound towards their opponent. These
Badminton Statistics: How Popular Is Badminton In The UK in 2021?
Commonly, badminton is played in singles or doubles while players hit the shuttlecock over the net. It’s played in the Summer Olympics and needs a
Gymnastics Statistics: How Popular Is Gymnastics In The UK In 2021?
Gymnastics is popular around the world. People perform the sport in many countries and events, such as the Olympic Games. But how popular is gymnastics
Skiing Statistics UK 2021: How Popular is Skiing in the UK?
Skiing is an exhilarating sport where people can travel at fast speeds down icy slopes. While the UK may not be well known for Skiing,
Swimming Statistics: How Popular is Swimming in the UK in 2021?
Swimming is one of the most popular methods to stay active in the UK, with large numbers of the population engaging in the sport. This
Walking Statistics UK: How Popular is walking in the UK in 2021?
Walking is an activity that everyone can get involved with. It allows you to explore the great outdoors, maintain your health and take in the
MMA Statistics: How Popular is Mixed Martial Arts in the UK in 2021?
Mixed martial arts has become much more popular in recent years, with the likes of the UFC gaining traction and notorious fighters such as Conor
Tennis Statistics UK 2021: How Popular is Tennis in the UK?
Tennis is a very popular sport in the UK, with exciting fast paced action throughout. These tennis statistics explore exactly how popular it is as
Golf Statistics: How Popular Is Golf In The UK In 2021?
Golf is popular around the world for many different reasons. It allows friends and family to get together to play a relaxing sport, allows colleagues
Rugby Statistics UK: How Popular is Rugby in the UK in 2021?
Rugby is one of the UKs favourite sports, evolving from football in the 19th century, Rugby still remains a popular sport in the country, with
Basketball Statistics UK 2021: How Popular is Basketball in the UK?
Basketball is typically associated with America as they seem to play it more professionally than over here in the UK. However, this doesn’t mean that
Darts Statistics UK: How Popular is Darts in the UK in 2021?
Darts is one of the most popular sports in the UK and is widely played both at home and often in pubs across the country.