John in protected fingers at MAN v FAT West Palm Seashore

The blokes concerned with MAN v FAT Soccer at West Palm Seashore in Florida may solely be coming towards the tip of their first season, however they’re all in on the MAN v FAT expertise.

They’ve already shifted over 150lbs within the first 9 weeks of being on this system and have shaped a powerful neighborhood below the tutelage of their coach Leah Mraz.

One of many gamers main the way in which is John Gerken, whose exhausting work has seen him lose 23lbs on the time of writing this text.

58-year-old John advised us: “I began enjoying soccer slightly later than most, on the age of 10. That first season I performed goalkeeper, and in some way I ended up there for the remainder of my profession! At 6’4”, who would have thought I’d be goalkeeper! That mentioned, I’ve all the time thought of myself a disgruntled ahead!

“I performed goalkeeper in faculty and was a four-year starter. After faculty, round 1995, I met a gaggle of Brits in Miami and performed with them for about eight years. They launched me to Manchester United, and I’ve been a fan ever since.

“I began teaching once I was 25 years previous and have coached gamers from age 4 all the way in which as much as the faculty stage—and all the things in between. Teaching has all the time introduced me an incredible quantity of enjoyment. I like giving again to the sport that has given me a lot.”

Father of two John – who has two kids (Jack, 21 and Leah, 19) had discovered himself struggling along with his weight and handed 350lbs earlier than discovering MAN v FAT.

Nonetheless, the mix of soccer and neighborhood has been an important think about him rediscovering his sporting mojo and he’s all set to construct on his early successes on this system.

He added: “I bought married in 2002 and moved to Pennsylvania. I divorced in 2018 and my weight was one of many points that contributed to that. I’ve struggled with melancholy at occasions all through my life, and when issues aren’t going properly, I are usually a stress eater.

“At my heaviest a couple of years in the past, I weighed 355 kilos. I wasn’t exercising, I wasn’t socially lively, and I had misplaced quite a lot of my confidence. However via all of that, I nonetheless had soccer. Soccer has all the time been the love of my life, but at that time I didn’t really feel like I might play anymore due to my weight and my age.

“Then sooner or later I noticed an advert on Instagram for MAN v FAT. I instantly thought, this league is for me, and I signed up immediately. It’s among the finest selections I’ve made in a very long time.

“I’ve all the time had a tough time making new mates, however the league has launched me to individuals identical to me – individuals who perceive the journey and might relate to what I’m going via. I’m making mates, and we even meet up exterior of the weekly classes simply to play and spend time collectively.”

For anybody who has adopted MAN v FAT’s story for some time, the peer to look accountability and camaraderie is vital to this system’s success and John has discovered that to be actually vital for his personal buy-in to what takes place every week.

“One of many issues I like most about MANvFAT is the accountability,” he continued. “Previously, I struggled to carry myself accountable for my weight—not for myself, not for my spouse, not even for my children or household. However now I discover myself making higher decisions due to my teammates – guys I had by no means met earlier than becoming a member of the league. I don’t wish to allow them to down.

“I’m additionally a aggressive individual by nature. The construction of the league, and the way in which your off-the-field weight reduction helps your group on the sector, matches my persona completely.

“So yeah – I like the league and all the things it stands for!”

Need to be a part of John in motion?

You may join the West Palm Seashore league on our MAN v FAT Soccer web site. There are new leagues being added all the time, so have a look round!