September- the end of summer, the beginning of fall, time for harvest moons, the colors changing on leaves, the first touches of a cooler breeze, and sports - youth, high school, college, and professional. And within sports, September is officially US Youth Soccer Month.
As of this year, US Youth Soccer just finished celebrating its eighth year of “educating the public about the joys, rewards and benefits of playing youth soccer.” Those joys, rewards, and benefits are encompassed by the four “F”s of Youth Soccer Month: Fun, Family, Friendship, and Fitness.
Fun
The number one reason kids start playing soccer? “It’s fun!” The number one reason kids stop playing soccer? “It just stopped being fun...”
The fun factor is a very important motivation in most aspects of a child’s life. If something isn’t fun, it’s not worth doing. So when you get a kid out on the soccer field, they NEED to be having fun, as well as all those other great things - like getting fit, meeting new friends, learning how to become a leader, or using up the energy they usually put into running around the house screaming.
As an adult figure - coach, parent, team manager, etc. - you should maintain enough rapport with the kids on your team to recognize when fun starts dropping away and confusion or boredom or dejection begin to rear their ugly heads.
Remember, it’s just a game. And games are about having fun!
Family
It happened in my family. Once the oldest kid started playing soccer, the others followed suit. Dad became Coach, and Mom became Bearer of Half-Time Snacks. Sibling became Rival, and Dog became Potential Mascot.
For the joys of soccer to really take root, the game must include the entire family. If the family isn’t supporting the player, how is he or she supposed to feel like it’s a good idea? What better way to show your young player that you approve than by joining them? Soccer isn’t just about the player, the game, or the rules. It’s about the lifestyle, and family is a part of life.
Being a soccer family means coordinating schedules to maintain maximum support of everyone involved. Conflicting games or practices? Put a schedule on the refrigerator to sort it out. Get involved in your club. Most clubs are volunteer based, so become one!
So if you’re a family with soccer players in it, make yourselves a soccer family and bring the game home.
Friendship
What else could possibly happen when you put children together, having fun, for any amount of time? Granted, as time passes, those friendships become more complex, but initially, for most youth players, a teammate is a friend.
One of the ways fun is created on the soccer field is through friendship. As soon as your child becomes a part of a team, friendship - acknowledged or unacknowledged - is formed.
And it’s not just the children who are creating friendships by joining a team. As a parent, coach, or volunteer, you automatically make friends in the other parents, coaches, and volunteers around you. Organizations are one of the best ways to meet new people and form new bonds. Even the younger siblings, coming to watch their older siblings play, meet one another and create ‘sandbox friendships’ by playing together on the sidelines.
If you keep the fun in the game, and stay a family throughout, your whole family is bound to make new friends.
Fitness
The best part of soccer is that while you’re having fun, involving the whole family, and making friends, you’re getting fit! September was also Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and sports are the easiest way to get your children outside and running around.
Fitness is not just about physical activity. It includes psychological and social fitness as well. When you’re a part of a team, you not only get active, you learn social skills, you become part of a team, you develop leadership skills, you relieve stress, and you release endorphins, and endorphins make you happy!
As a coach, getting your players fit should be a high priority, the game can’t be played without it. As parents, getting fit with your kids is an easy way to get the family out and about together. As a volunteer, think about creating a “family night” where the players’ families can all come out and play together, which would be fun, friendly, family-oriented, and fitness-focused!
Keep in mind, only by incorporating ALL of the four “F”s can you create the optimal soccer experience.
Blue Sombrero celebrated Youth Soccer Month by bringing in two guest speakers to discuss college recruiting and international training at a party(link to blog about party) for coaches, club administrators and volunteers in their area. They also held a contest for the Youth Soccer Club of the Month(link to blog about winner).
How did you celebrate Youth Soccer Month?
- Kathryn Morrell
Kathryn Morrell is the Marketing Assistant at Blue Sombrero. She has played soccer since she could walk and is always looking for more opportunities to play.
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