From responsibility to respect to sharing, the game of soccer teaches a lot to kids of all ages about teamwork. Getting out onto the soccer field not only poses an opportunity to get exercise, it teaches kids about the importance of sharing, taking turns, and so much more.
Here is a look at the different ways that soccer teaches children about teamwork and other values.
Social Problem Solving
Kids who play soccer learn really quickly that it’s not all about “me and the ball.” Anyone who attempts to dominate play is promptly swarmed by the other team. That’s when all players realize they must depend on their teammates to be successful.
When playing as part of a team, kids learn how to leverage people with various skills. For example, one child may be fast, while another may be an accurate long passer. They soon realize who they need to pass to in order to get the ball down the field, relying on each person for their unique skills.
Responsibility
As kids gain more experience in the game, they realize they are all more effective as a team when each person plays a different spot. Each kid has a different position and thus responsibility in that area to keep opposing players at bay. It’s this innate sense of support that gets kids to stay in their position for the most success.
It’s very easy for kids to get too excited when they spot the ball coming their way. With experience, they learn to defend their spot so as not to leave a hole near the goal, for instance. It may take a few times, but kids will start to understand why it’s vital that they stick to their role.
Sportsmanship
Often times, coaches and refs don’t focus on keeping score so nobody feels bad. However, all the kids keep score in their own heads anyway. Accepting winning and losing with grace takes practice but it’s a vital team skill to learn. Kids must realize that they can’t win every time. Sometimes the other team wins because they worked better together. That’s OK. Tomorrow may be different.
In the end, they have to learn to appreciate the job of winning, but they can’t do that until they have suffered the heartbreak of losing. Losing is a part of all sports, not just soccer, and honing this core skill will help them become better athletes. Being a good loser and congratulating the winners is one thing, though; they also have to learn to be good winners themselves, accepting congratulations gracefully.
Perseverance
Soccer takes hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice, and the realization that success isn’t easy. Soccer isn’t necessarily a high scoring game, so it can cause elation when that ball actually soars into the goal. This is a big accomplishment, but a lot has to fall into place for that to truly feel like a significant achievement.
Soccer teaches kids to get up after falling down, and that it’s OK if they trip or stumble. This is how they learn to develop coordination. The key is to pop back up and keep going.
Decision Making
Soccer is a player’s game. They have to think on their feet because they don’t have a huddle after every play to discuss an upcoming run. Making decisions on the fly is a big part of this game. Coaches play a big role here in empowering their kids how to handle different situations in practice so they can quickly assess a situation and react accordingly by instinct in a chaotic game.
Anticipatory Thinking
As kids gain experience, they start to form a picture in their minds of where their teammates are as well as the ball in relation to the goal. This is called spatial awareness and it helps kids to anticipate events that have not happened yet. This in turn teaches kids about anticipatory or perceptive thinking, whereby they receive immediate positive feedback when properly adjusting to where the play goes. By extension, they can then anticipate solutions for challenges in real life and adjust much more quickly. Learning to be proactive about solving problems is a huge skill in the game of soccer and of life.
Take a Tour of Country Home Learning Center Today
We value physical play and exercise here at Country Home Learning Center. That’s why we have soccer fields and other common play areas where our students can run about, learn new skills, interact with peers, and burn off energy. To learn more, contact us to schedule a tour of our beautiful facilities and fields.
