Football, Fellowship, and Faith | Meyu Changkiri

May 15, 2025, marks my father’s 95th birthday. Both he and his elder brother, Chachuba Changkiri, underwent training at the Assam Regiment Training Centre in Shillong at different times shortly after World War II. My Abazumba (Uncle) was not only a soldier but also a footballer. Though quiet and humble off the field, he brimmed with energy and confidence whenever he stepped onto the pitch. During his time with the Assam Regiment, his seniors affectionately nicknamed him “Bird” – perhaps for the way he would dive and soar between the goalposts. He served as the goalkeeper of the 3rd Assam Regiment Football Team, and a photograph captures a proud moment from Pathankot in 1950, showing his team with strength and camaraderie.

While I didn’t grow up with organized sports or equipment, I also enjoyed and grew up with a deep sense of joy and community through football.

Football in the Streets of Kohima
As a child, I wasn’t part of any formal football team. Life was simpler, rougher, and more imaginative. What I clearly remember are the footballs we made ourselves – plastic bags stuffed with paper around a stone, wrapped and bound tightly with jute thread. We would kick these makeshift balls around the streets and empty spaces beneath the Kohima Ao Baptist Church area, also known as Midland, in Kohima. My elder brother and I, along with our neighborhood friends, played with all our hearts. We would sweat and run, fall and rise, sometimes laugh, sometimes argue over goals or fouls – ending in silly but harmless scuffles that taught us resilience, teamwork, and the early joys of competition.

Back then, football was more than a game. It was a connection – a way to build friendships, express ourselves, and create memories that would last. There were no kits, no cleats – just dusty ground, our bare feet or worn-out slippers, and an unmatched enthusiasm for the sport. We didn’t realize it then, but those moments shaped our character. Football gave us something to look forward to after school or church. It filled our days with energy, our friendships with depth, and our hearts with passion.

Finding My Team in Shillong 
It wasn’t until I moved to Shillong that I became part of an actual football team. My journey back into the sport began when two friends – Dr. Surajit Debbarma, a compassionate doctor friend, and Rev. Vemuriyi Avi Vadeo, a fellow minister and close friend – invited me to join the Phileo Football Club. This wasn’t your typical competitive league. Phileo is a fellowship – a gathering of friends from diverse professions: pastors, doctors, professors, businessmen, and professionals from across the country, united by a shared love for football and friendship.

We meet every Monday for an hour of play. There’s no formal coach, no trophies to win, no league points to chase – just the joy of running, kicking, laughing, and occasionally gasping for breath. The fellowship is refreshing. We joke, encourage one another, and enjoy being ourselves. It’s more than a game – it’s therapy, accountability, and a breath of fresh air amidst the busyness of adult life. In that one hour, we are not defined by our designations, workloads, or responsibilities. We are simply teammates. Brothers. Friends.

That single hour each week is just enough to recharge us for the responsibilities ahead – in our families, ministries, professions, and personal challenges. It reminds us that we’re not alone. We’re running this race of life together.

Football and the Body
At 50+, staying physically active requires intentionality. Our bodies no longer rebound as they used to. Fatigue lingers. Belly fat clings stubbornly. Muscles shrink. Bones weaken with disuse. Sedentary routines – whether in ministry, office, or home – become silent enemies.

Football is a total workout. It’s great for the heart, strengthening the cardiovascular system and reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. The running, kicking, stopping, and directional shifts activate multiple muscle groups and improve stamina.

An hour of football can burn hundreds of calories – especially the stubborn ones around the waistline. For those of us who sit for long hours or enjoy food a bit too much, football is an enjoyable way to stay fit. Unlike gym workouts that can feel repetitive, football engages the entire body in a dynamic, enjoyable way – it doesn’t feel like a chore.

It’s also good for the bones. Aging reduces bone density, especially in the legs and hips. The jumping, sprinting, and kicking involved in football help strengthen these areas. It also improves balance and coordination – critical to preventing falls and injuries as we age.

Flexibility is another gift. Quick changes in direction, sudden sprints, and unexpected passes keep joints active and improve mobility. And as every middle-aged person knows – staying limber is a true blessing.

Football and the Mind
But football isn’t just physical – it’s mental and emotional therapy too.

It sharpens your thinking. Every moment on the field requires decisions: Pass or shoot? Defend or press? Who’s unmarked? What’s next? This constant alertness keeps the brain active and improves focus. Studies show that regular physical activity enhances memory, reduces cognitive decline, and lowers the risk of depression and anxiety.

For me, football often feels like therapy. After a week full of ministry, family duties, or leadership decisions, running around the field clears my mind. The endorphins – the so-called “happy hormones” – lift my mood and bring emotional balance. By the end of a session, the burdens feel lighter.

There’s also a deep satisfaction in simply showing up and playing your best – even if you’re no longer the fastest. At this stage, it’s less about proving yourself and more about honoring your body, staying active, and modeling consistency. These small victories build self-esteem and mental resilience.

Football also gives a rhythm to the week. It’s something to anticipate. This anticipation itself becomes a source of motivation and mental well-being. The act of moving, sweating, engaging in friendly competition resets our emotional and spiritual compass.

The Gift of Fellowship 
As we grow older, maintaining friendships becomes more difficult. Responsibilities increase. People move away. Life speeds up. And often, loneliness creeps in unnoticed.

Football fills that gap beautifully. Being part of a team fosters connection. It builds routine, encourages commitment, and creates a circle of support. Whether you’re chasing the ball or cheering from the sidelines, you feel like you belong.

In our Phileo Football Club, this sense of belonging is powerful. We play for joy, not trophies. We cheer each other on, laugh at our mistakes, support slower runners, high-five good goals, and carry each other’s burdens – sometimes silently, with just a smile or a presence.

This becomes especially important in midlife – a season often marked by silent struggles: career pressures, health issues, family transitions, losses, or an undefined longing for purpose. Having a space where you’re seen, accepted, and celebrated makes all the difference.

Football gives us that space. It’s a sanctuary on the field, a brotherhood in motion, and a space to re-center.

Football and Faith
When you play on a Christian or values-based team, football becomes more than sport – it becomes a spiritual classroom.

Football teaches humility. Sometimes, you miss an easy goal or fumble a pass. It reminds you that you’re human. But it also teaches grace – because teammates don’t mock. They lift you up. They show that we’re all learning.
It teaches teamwork. No one wins alone. You must pass, trust, defend, and support. Likewise, in the Christian life, we’re called to carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and build each other up.

Like a football team, the Church consists of many parts – pastors, teachers, helpers, encouragers – all working toward one goal (1 Corinthians 12:12). Every role matters. No one is insignificant.

Football teaches discipline. Good teams train, follow rules, and respect the referee. Similarly, our spiritual lives require discipline – prayer, Bible reading, worship, and obedience to God. As Paul wrote, “Train yourself to be godly… for godliness has value for all things” (1 Timothy 4:7–8).

Football also teaches us to win humbly and lose graciously. Not every match goes your way. What matters is how you respond. Do you blame? Or do you learn and grow? The Christian life is the same – victories and losses alike call for humility and maturity.

Every match has a goal. Likewise, we press toward our spiritual goal: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Our true victory is not in earthly trophies, but in eternal purpose.

Recent Joys and Intergenerational Unity
Recently, the Naga Elders of Shillong were invited to a friendly match against the leaders of the Naga Students’ Union Shillong during their Sports Week. The game was more than a competition; it was a bridge between generations. The young players brought energy and speed. We elders brought positioning, calmness, and strategy. It was a beautiful scene – elders and students, pastors and scholars – sweating and smiling on the same field.

Just last weekend, another joyful moment came when the Naga Research Scholars from NEHU and Phileo FC played a friendly match. These intergenerational fellowships through football aren’t just fun – they’re formative. They nurture respect, mentorship, and camaraderie beyond the church walls.

Final Whistle
To play football after fifty is not to reclaim lost youth – it’s to embrace life with joy, health, and humility. It’s to honour the body God has given, to nurture friendships that refresh the soul, and to learn lessons that deepen our faith.

And if you, dear reader, have not touched a ball in years, maybe it’s time to lace up your shoes, gather a few friends, and step onto the field once more.

Let football bring laughter to your lungs, sweat to your brow, and joy to your spirit. Because sometimes, the best way to stay young… is to keep playing.

~ Meyu Changkiri