Sports is an activity involving physical exertion – usually played by multiple participants with a view to competing with each other for entertainment. In today’s day and age, there are thousands of sports played across the world. One such sport has become everyone’s favorite. It’s called soccer.
From children to adults, middle-aged people, and oldies, everyone engages in soccer from time to time. Some more regularly than others. But.
What is Soccer?
Soccer is a game played on a field by two teams of 11 players each. There are 11 outfield players on the team, with one being a goalkeeper. Players in the outfield usually specialize in attacking, defending, or both.
There’s no restriction on where players can move on the field, and teams are typically divided into defenders, midfielders, and forwards. North Americans usually refer to it as soccer, whereas the rest of the world calls it football.
Is Soccer only for entertainment?
Not at all. Most people engage in it for the physical workout it provides to their bodies. You see, there are incredible benefits to playing soccer. It can aid in physical growth, improved overall health, better physique, stronger heart, faster brain function, strengthened bones, and much more!
Furthermore, soccer can affect individuals differently based on their age. However, the focus of this article is the impact of soccer on children and how to boost their interest in it. But first, Is soccer all that it’s made up to be, or is a child’s well-being attached to soccer just a myth? Let’s find out…
Why should kids play soccer?
Physical Well-being
Children interact with the world primarily through touch and play. For example, children examine it with their hands when they pick up things. Running and getting winded is an exhilarating sensation for them.
Among the best things that you can do for a kid’s well-being is to provide them with a balanced diet, give them plenty of sleep, and exercise for an hour every day. This has plenty of physical benefits of playing soccer for children such as:
- Better Muscle, bone, and joint strength
- Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Increased fitness
- Healthier heart
- Less body fat
Mental benefits of playing soccer
Another reason why soccer is important for kids is down to the mental benefits on offer. Every time we exercise, our bodies release serotonin, a hormone that contributes directly to our overall happiness and this includes our children as well!
As well as reducing stress, depression, and anxiety, engaging in soccer also reduces the effects of depression. It’s also important to note that children experience these emotions just as adults do, and soccer can be a great activity to help them deal with such emotions.
Soccer also helps children stay active, sleep better, and keeps their minds sharp. In fact, there’s a direct relationship between physical activity (soccer) and improved school performance, specifically in the areas of maths, reading, and memory!
Social benefits of playing soccer
In addition to encouraging children to be more physically active, soccer can also teach them valuable life lessons and skills that they will carry with them into adulthood. Often, growing up leaves youth with feelings of inadequacy, but soccer has proven to increase children’s self-esteem and confidence.
Additionally, it can help children stay social as well as increase their individual confidence. In order for children to grow into successful adults, they can learn or enhance the following social skills through sports:
- Teamwork
- Ability to follow rules
- Independence
- Leadership
- Fair play
- Communication
- Respect for others
Soccer is a great way to keep children active but it clearly offers a number of benefits that stretch much beyond that. Soccer can not only help your child develop, but also give them the necessary skills for success later on in life.
How to Get Your Kid Interested in Soccer?
The best way to introduce soccer in your kid’s life is by framing physical activity as necessary from a young age. You have to lead by example. Play sports with them, and keep it fun and encouraging rather than imposing it on them.
You must take multiple different approaches to promote soccer among kids. For instance,
- Support a professional Soccer team
You can support a soccer team and show interest in it to your kid which could inspire them. You can take them to the stadium and watch a professional sports team in action. This may make them more interested in playing the sport themselves.
- Play Soccer with kids
You can play soccer with your kids to develop their interest in it. This will also give them an opportunity to play alongside an adult and learn from you. For instance, you can take your kids to the park and play ball with them, teach them passing, dribbling, running with the ball, and more.
- Attend professional soccer matches in person
You can attend professional soccer matches and contests in person with your kids to inspire them to pick up the sport. Take the family to watch a football game at home or away. Watching live soccer can be exciting, and it’s a great way for kids to learn about the rules of the game. You can also teach them about its history, rules, and strategy as well as keeping fit and healthy.
- Encourage children to play in the yard
Instead of watching TV, encourage your children to play soccer in the yard. Get outside and help them with their game. Help them practice dribbling and shooting the football. If they want to score goals, you can get them a mini-soccer post to practice.
- Teach kids basic soccer skills
Teach them techniques and basic skills of soccer such as how to kick a ball, pass or tackle a player. You can also teach them the rules of the game and strategies.
- Focus on the Fun aspect of soccer
Focus on the fun aspect and fundamentals of soccer rather than the competing factor. Don’t push your child too hard into the sport if he or she does not enjoy it.
If your child is playing a sport that he or she does not enjoy, it will be difficult for them to continue with it over time. Getting your child involved in an activity they enjoy will help them want to continue participating over time.
Takeaway
Ultimately, if you make soccer a continuous part of your kid’s life – one that extends beyond school teams and junior leagues. Your child’s interest would be multiplied because they would not only enjoy themselves in a healthy physical activity but also socialize with their teammates, learn to be positive, and enjoy the fair play.
For example, you can have your kid join SuperBestFriends where we give soccer classes for kids aged from 18 months up to 7 years old on weekends. We mix our soccer training for kids in Sydney with valuable lessons targeted to inspire your kid’s character development, social skills, and a positive mindset.
What separates us from other soccer academies is that we focus on other aspects of children’s growth such as character development, and better physical growth. Interestingly, we do all this by providing a fun and exciting environment with friendly WWCC-certified coaches to ensure your kids learn soccer skills along with acquiring good qualities. Sign up today.