Soccer is a players game. Decisions are made in an instant usually while jogging, running or sprinting.  The player  has to take responsibility and then react to the decision that was just made.  Generally speaking, the reaction is just as  important as the original decision.

Reaction and anticipation are two important components in the game. The most successful teams are made up of  players that anticipate correctly more often and force the opponent to react too late or poorly to the given situation put on them. Teaching kids to understand the game and be proactive with the ability to think ahead is a critical tool in life.  An individuals actions and reactions determine what kind of a person we are to be perceived as.

The youth game will average two - 30 minute halves of continuous play with out a time out or a moment to re-group. This forces athletes to deal with ups and downs of momentum in the moment, forcing the athlete to stay mentally in the moment and not let a brief failure or success negatively impact the whole game and team. This part of the game can develop balance in life.

I could go on about all the different scenarios where the real world life stuff is seen in the playground we call soccer, fortunately I won’t. I will however, point out there are  many moments that display the character, emotions, and attitude of a person. Moments to be a parent and help facilitate personal growth in the individual. The game can be used to understand where a person is from an emotional point of view and this is the hardest element to understand in our children. Use the game as a safe place for your children to experiment and grow as people, enjoy the mistakes and successes equally to foster growth and understanding.