WFFL Round 4: Rain, Resilience, and a Massive Result at Caulfield Park

On Wednesday, 27 May, everything was in place for our fourth edition of the Walking Football Friendship League (WFFL). We were ready to welcome over 30 players across two Caulfield venues. The teams were set, captains assigned, bibs sorted, and refs ready. But as the old saying goes: man plans and God laughs.

By 9:00 AM, just 90 minutes before kick-off, the skies opened. A light drizzle quickly turned into a heavy downpour, leaving us with a tough decision. Yet, the WFFL spirit is hard to dampen. Players began arriving at Caulfield Park anyway, standing together, looking up at the skies, and refusing to let the weather win.

With about 20 dedicated players huddled together and others safely turned back, we used the rain delay to hold an impromptu WFFL town hall. The numbers speak for themselves: with over 32 players eager to play today and nearly 20 apologies from those who couldn't make it, we have a passionate community of 50+ players driving this league forward.

The consensus from the meeting was clear—everyone loves the WFFL in its current form, but its incredible growth means we need more structure and collaborative planning to ensure its long-term success.

Then, right as the meeting wrapped, the rain stopped.

While one field was unplayable, the other was good to go. We quickly pivoted, breaking into three teams of seven, and hit the pitch. Not only did we "give it a go," but every single team got four games in—totalling a massive 80 minutes of game time! It was an absolute triumph, proving once again that our walking football community just can’t get enough (though we’ve agreed a monthly format is the sweet spot!).

Next month, the journey reaches new heights as Football Victoria hosts us at the prestigious Home of the Matildas.

The WFFL is growing, evolving, and getting better every single month. It all comes down to a powerful little phrase made entirely of two-letter words: If it is to be, it is up to us.

KOW!