First off, I must start this article by letting you know that I always have and always will be an advocate of sports in general. I believe that sports, whatever sport that may be, are a great tool to round out the education of young minds. I also think Soccer is a great sport for kids to play and here is why.
Continuous Play
Some sports that your child will play are stop and start sports. The ball goes into play, then everyone stops, then the ball goes into play again, and so forth. Kids get distracted (especially young ones). It is hard for some kids to focus on a stop and start activity. Soccer is continuous. The ball is rolled out into play and the game moves along until half time. I think this is easier for some kids to enjoy.
Your Child Will Be Active
You must be active to play soccer. Maybe it is just me, but I like knowing that players must run to play soccer. It means to me that my child is running around and getting exercise out on the field, getting them in shape, and making them healthier. There isn’t much standing around.
Teamwork
Learning to work with others is a life skill. Players must learn to work with their coaches and with each other in order to succeed in Soccer. It is not just about you, it is about the team. This is a very powerful concept for children to learn. Soccer is one of the many sports where one can learn about team work.
Hard Work Pays Off
Kicking a ball around with your feet isn’t as natural as picking something up with your hands. Soccer is a skill that must be practiced. When a child first starts to practice it isn’t easy or natural and can feel awkward. As they continue to practice and work, they will see and feel improvement. This is a powerful message. Practice pays off, hard work pays off. Not everything is easy, but if we practice consistently, we will get better.
Competition
Another life skill that soccer teaches is how to compete. Whether it is competing against another team, competing against your teammates in a drill, competing for a starting position, or simply competing to win a 50/50 ball. Soccer teaches kids to compete, which is a skill that will be used in other aspects of their life.
Sportmanship
It’s great to win, and it is hard to lose (sometimes it affects the parents more than the kids)! However, learning how to be good sport, to act with class around teammates and against the competition, is an important lesson for life.
Social
One of the nice things about playing Soccer is you will have a group of people that your child is associated with. Having had a family move before, one of the quickest ways that my children have made friends is through team sports that we have joined. It gives your children another social outlet, and bonus, it gives the parents another social outlet also.
It’s Fun
This is the best thing about Soccer. Soccer is fun, it is why it is played around the world. While the above lessons can be taught in other ways, not all of them can be taught in a fun environment. I want my kids to have fun and enjoy playing.
There are a lot of sports out there that kids can compete in, and a lot of what is written above applies to them also. I also understand that soccer and sports may not be for everybody. But if you were to ask me why I chose for my kids to sign up and try soccer, I would list the reasons above. Have fun and keep on kicking.