by Trace Team
A team on a mission to change the way we capture and relive the most important memories of our life.
We all want the best for our kids. Whether it’s seeing them at their happiest or helping them achieve their goals, it’s heartwarming to see our children dream big and succeed. In fact, getting kids involved with clubs and extracurricular activities is a fantastic way to build a variety of skills they’ll need to better themselves as they grow into adults.
Sports, specifically, offer physical and mental benefits that can improve kids’ health and make fitness fun. If your child is looking for a sport to join, soccer is an excellent choice, as it teaches them invaluable skills that will apply to a variety of situations throughout their life. Let’s explore several other benefits of playing soccer that makes this sport worth your child’s (and your own) time and commitment.
Benefits of playing soccer
Fast-paced, physically demanding, and highly social, soccer is the best sport to enroll your child in. It exposes them to a combination of skills they’ll encounter in the real world as they continue to develop over time. Here are five key soccer benefits for kids, from teamwork to time management.
Promotes physical fitness
With the average youth soccer game lasting between 30 to 70 minutes depending on the age group, soccer will definitely test your child’s physical stamina and abilities. Soccer requires endurance, agility, coordination, and balance to get their team’s ball across the field and into a goal. When your kid repetitively practices these motor skills in different types of circumstances within a soccer game, it becomes second nature, allowing them to use these skills with better control and technique over time. And by constantly running on the pitch, your little soccer player will get a good cardio workout in as well.
Builds confidence
When your child first starts playing soccer, they may feel intimidated or overwhelmed by what it demands. However, consistent practice and dedication will teach your kiddo to gradually increase their confidence as they get better at certain aspects of the game. With this mindset, your child can learn to overcome obstacles or challenges they may face in life in a healthy and productive way.
Encourages socialization
Teamwork makes the dream work, and it’s the only way your child’s team will be able to succeed. That means your little one will have to learn how to effectively communicate with their teammates in order to accomplish a shared goal — similar to how collaborative workspaces are able to achieve business objectives and goals. Because soccer is a global sport, it’s an excellent opportunity for your child to make friends from different cultures and backgrounds, further expanding their social skills.
Improves focus & concentration
Soccer is just as mentally stimulating as it is a physical challenge. Not only does it teach your child the value of strong communication skills, but it also refines their ability to focus and concentrate. For example, to help their team score a goal, they need to pick up on physical and social cues in order to successfully pass the ball among their teammates, avoid the opposite team from intercepting the ball, and strike the ball into a goal when there’s an opening. Not only are these mental skills helpful in a game — they can also translate over to help them focus better in school and on any other activities they set their mind to.
Nurtures responsibility
As with any sport, soccer involves time management and plenty of preparation. While you may have to remind your little one when their games and practices are, you can start helping them slowly manage their own schedule so that they can learn the importance of showing up on time, equipped for the task at hand. This will help them adapt better to busy itineraries as they enter middle and high school (and eventually college). Soccer also helps them experience the benefits of consistent practice and the consequences of missing out, teaching them discipline and perseverance.
Don’t miss a moment with Trace
While enrolling your child in a youth soccer league can be an investment, it’s one that pays off in the long run. The physical, social, and mental benefits of soccer not only better your child in the near future, but for their entire lives, setting them up to be successful, driven, passionate, and motivated individuals able to accomplish anything they desire.
Want a way to watch their improvements over time? With Trace PlayerFocus, you can capture your soccer player’s highlights and in-game achievements, and AI-powered software will deliver video that puts your player front and center. And to keep all of your child’s special memories in one place, Trace offers Trace iD — a personal profile where you can house entire matches, custom playlists, and trick reels, so you don’t miss a moment. Start Tracing today to document your child’s soccer journey and be a part of the action, on and off the field!
