Sports
Why Soccer Is Good For Kids by Bernie Rosellen
(Contd. from page 1...)
Kids don't need to be 7 foot tall leaping gazelles or refrigerator-sized brutes or multi-talented athletes to play on a soccer team and perform at least as well as most of the teammates. Soccer is a pure team sport. No one player, no matter how talented, can win a game on his or her own. Winning a soccer game requires the participation of every one of his teammates out on the pitch. This allows every kid on the team to touch the ball often and contribute to making plays, no matter what his or her skill level is.
This really helps build a child's self-esteem, which can be seen in the confidence displayed on the field. Something as simple as a good pass or stopping the ball from getting to an opponent can make a kid feel good about him or herself and that makes them perform even better. And they have lots of chances to do this. One good play washes away any and all misses.
I have seen timid boys and girls blossom into assertive soccer players in just a few weeks. All because they got to touch the ball and contribute to the team. And when they win, every kid feels part of that win. And when they lose, they feel proud of having played as well as they could and look forward to the next game when it starts all over. Every kid knows that in the next game he or she will be right out there in the middle of things helping her team win and maybe even score the winning goal or make a winning save.