3 Life Skills Football Teaches Children

As the children run out on the pitch ready to start their drills, giggles, and chatter filling the air, we want them to remember these moments. The skills they’re learning on the field transcend football. What they learn working together as a team will help them grow on and off the field.

Here are the top three life skills football teaches our kids about being positive and hardworking members of society.

Communication

Effective communication builds healthy relationships. Team sports like football teach our children how to listen and engage with one another. To play well on the field, team members must listen to and respect the advice of their coach, and each other. Running drills, learning plays, and openly communicating demonstrates to the players that they can accomplish goals only when they’re willing to work together. Good communication requires that all parties participate.

Goal Setting

When playing a team sport, the end goal is to win. Winning requires practice, patience, and discipline. Goals aren’t accomplished overnight. If you want something, you have to put the time in to get it. Teams win tournaments because they were on the field every day honing their skills. Watching their skillset grow, our players take this self-discipline into the classroom. They understand that if they want a good grade on a test, they have to study. Goal setting teaches our children the concept of cause and effect. Practice equals winning. Studying equals good grades. Hard work equals reward.

Conflict Management

There will be times on the field (and off) when arguments break out, and feelings get hurt. If a player isn’t passing the ball or blames a teammate for missing a goal, it’s our job as the coaches to teach them that casting blame doesn’t change the outcome. Through teamwork building exercises, we show our players that communication, practice, and perseverance are the only tools we need to win.

With the tools our players are given on the field, they learn to use valuable interpersonal skills at home and in the classroom. Do you want to help our players learn what it takes to compete and win? Donate today.