1. Encourages Friendship. When you sign your child up for soccer, it provides a wonderful opportunity to meet like-minded kids; this will help your child learn to socialize with others, and to build long-lasting friendships. Soccer is a fun way to enjoy the outdoors and to get healthy exercise with friends.
2. Teaches Sportsmanship. Learning to play soccer isn’t just about trying to score goals or preventing the opposing team from scoring goals. It’s important to learn good sportsmanship so that players become gracious winners and losers. Every player will win games and lose games, which will elicit excitement and disappointment, respectively. A good soccer program will teach players how to keep a level head after a loss, and to work hard to be prepared for the next game, which is useful in other forms of competition throughout one’s life.
3. Teaches Teamwork. Playing soccer requires teamwork. With multiple players on each team, there are a variety of roles for players to fill. Some act as defenders to prevent the other team from scoring a goal. Others play offense, trying to move the ball down the field to score against the opposing team. To be successful, players must work together by passing the ball, running plays, defending as a team, and constantly communicating with one another. Teamwork is another skill that is applicable off the soccer field; it’s necessary in school, at work, and among family members.
4. Instills Discipline. In order to improve and hone one’s skills on the soccer field, players have to learn to take direction, and must practice and train regularly. Dedication is very important; when children choose to dedicate their time and effort to playing soccer, it teaches them self-discipline. This will involve giving up other less important activities, eating right, and getting an appropriate amount of sleep each night. Discipline carries over into schoolwork and other areas of life.
5. Develops Leadership. As children begin to excel in soccer, opportunities may open up to become the team’s captain, or to help lead skills and drills during practice. Learning to inspire and lead others is an amazing accomplishment and will help children achieve goals they set for themselves throughout their life.
6. Improves Cardiovascular Health. The average soccer player, with the exception of the goalie, may run up to 2 or 3 miles during a full game. Most players are moving constantly, either walking, jogging, or running; this increases their heart rate, burns calories, increases aerobic capacity, and improves stamina. Physical exercise also helps reduce stress and anxiety, and can even reduce symptoms of depression.
7. Strengthens Muscles. Soccer utilizes many parts of the body; lower body strength is required for running, jumping, kicking, and for speed. Upper body strength is necessary for throwing the ball in from out-of-bounds and for heading or shielding the soccer ball. Playing soccer regularly strengthens muscles throughout the entire body. These physical health benefits transfer well to other fast-paced sports.
8. Improves Coordination. Soccer requires frequent shifts between running, sprinting, and walking. Body coordination is improved as players learn to dribble and pass the soccer ball at different speeds and in different directions. Hand-eye coordination is improved when kicking to or receiving the ball from another player.
9. Increases Cognitive Brain Function. Soccer is a strategic game, requiring concentration, strategy, and discipline. This fast-paced sport requires players to make quick decisions on the field, and to learn to think on the run. When the action seems to slow down, players are still trying to determine where they should be, and how to develop advantages over the opposing team. Soccer is as much a mental game as it is physical.
10. Increases Confidence and Self-Esteem. Increasing muscle strength and stamina helps build confidence in players, both on and off the field. Achieving success in soccer impacts sports performance, but also helps in other areas of life, including academics, careers, friendships, and family dynamics.