Hannah plays U15 competitive soccer for the Florida Revolution. As a 13 year old, she is playing one age group up. She plays left back (defense) and she plays like a little truck. She rolls over girls who stand half a foot taller than her. She has no fear on the soccer field, and I love to watch her rise to the challenge.
I love sports. I wish I could play them. I am so glad my kids do. It allows me to live vicariously through them. But more importantly I think it teaches them a lot of important life skills and know-how. For example:
1. Teamwork. Life is about learning to get along with others even when you don't necessarily like them. There are many times you can only accomplish goals when you work well with others. Hannah can't stand a couple of girls on her team, but when they get out there to play, they leave it on the sidelines. They play together and win together.
2. Constructive criticism. In life you have to learn how to take it and grow from it. You will always have bosses (like coaches) telling you what you are doing wrong, trying to help you improve your skills. Playing sports teaches kids to suck it up and focus on trying to do better. Hannah has real "hate" issues with her trainers who make her run at practice until she pukes. But she is now able to play a 90-minute game in 90-plus Florida temperatures without a break. That is a remarkable accomplishment for a girl who could not run more than two laps a few months ago.
3. Comparison. When you play sports, you learn that there will always be better players out there, but that is never an excuse to quit. For every player that is better, there are a slew of players who aren't half as good. Sports teaches kids to focus on their unique strengths and to market on them, rather than focus on who might be better and let that defeat them.
4. Success. Sports teaches kids how to set realistic goals and work towards ahieving them. It teaches players that success is not always about winning the championship. It's about meeting milestones. Taking it one step further every week. It teaches them that the road to success is a journey that is paved with small victories, and builds up to bigger ones. In the first scrimmage of the season, Hannah's team lost 9-0. They lost the first game, 2-0. They tied the next, 2-2. The last few games they have literally destroyed their opponents. This is marked progress.
5. Focus, drive, commitment, dedication. All of these things.
6. Activity. If nothing else, sports gives kids an outlet to have fun, socialize, and be physically fit. It's so much better than lying around the house on the computer. And that's exactly what my child would be doing if she wasn't out there on the soccer field every week.
Not all kids are athletic, but for those who are, it's a gift. There are so many benefits to playing sports. It is a safe bet to say my kids will probably never play professional sports, or make it to the Olympics. A college scholarship would be nice but that's not the reason I encourage them to play.
Every time someone makes fun of me or labels me as being one of those annoying soccer moms, I just suck it up. I love this game. Every time my precious little angel flattens a girl on the soccer field, I get warm tinglies inside.
That's my girl in blue! Stealing the ball from a girl a foot taller than her and smiling while she does it.
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