Kids & Soccer

Social Skills

The added benefit of soccer beyond simply getting exercise is that kids develop valuable social skills. Kids learn how to get along with others, be part of a team, and learn about tolerance, fairness and responsibility. Soccer can be a very good character building experience for a child. Character is meant as the total set of experiences the child gains by participating. In soccer your son or daughter will come in contact with rules, respect, teamwork, success and failure.

Soccer provides the environment in which kids can have those experiences. However, the adults define the environment. The adults play an important role in determining whether or not those experiences are positive or negative. If cheating, abusive behavior and violence are ok with the adults, bad habits will be passed on directly to the children.

Violence in soccer is completely intolerable no matter what the age or level of play. In soccer the same rules and expectations of conduct apply to adults and kids. This similarity provides a good role-model situation because the professionals are held to the same standards as the children. This consistency dramatically reduces the mixed messages on behavior kids receive in other professional sports.

However the weakest link in conveying the message of fair play is likely to be not the player or officials, but the parents and coaches. You have to understand that even as a parent you are part of the overall experience all the kids have in soccer.