Soccer is a huge aspect of my life. I play it a ton, and really enjoy it. Soccer also makes me a better student and teaches me important skills. Soccer relates to school in a lot of ways.
It teaches me time management because I play on a club team. I have practice 3 days a week, and games 1 to 3 days a week. I have had to learn to manage my time so I can do my homework, go to my practices, go to my games, and still have time to myself or to spend time with my friends and family.
Being physically active makes me a stronger student because it teaches me patience. It also teaches me that some skills don’t come naturally, and you have to work to excel, and overall, it all comes down to how hard you want to work. If you want more playing time, you have to work hard in practice and show the coach that you deserve it. If you want to do well in school you have to study and do your homework consistently.
Soccer teaches me teamwork, and how to deal with people that you don’t like. If you try to dribble the ball the entire way up the field without the help from any of your teammates the ball is going to get stolen. But just a few passes can get you much further than dribbling can. If there are people on your team you don't like, you kind of have to learn to like them, or put up with them because they're on your team, and teammates take care of each other. And because we work together so much, you often become pretty good friends with your teammates, like you are with friends that you have a lot of classes with.
You also have your solo moments in soccer. When you dribble the ball up the field and score, the credit goes to you, and all of your teammates are high-fiving you, and the parents are applauding you. It feels really good, like when you do the best in the class on a test, or are the only one to turn in your homework. Soccer relates to school in a lot of ways.
Soccer teaches you respect, too. If you aren't respectful to your coaches, you probably won't get as much playing time. If you are disrespectful to your teachers, they won't think as highly of you, and your class might get extra homework.
I think soccer is just important as school, because it teaches me some things maybe better than school can.
- http://sabisathletics.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/soccer-
Hi! I think you make very good points about how valuable sports are as part of a well-rounded education. I played volleyball through college, and now (as an adult) I play ice hockey. I've found that the teamwork, time management, and other skills I learned in sports helped me a lot as I entered the "working world".
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder if sports getting more competitive at a younger age has the negative effect of preventing more kids from getting the benefits you mention (that is, kids who aren't the best athletes don't learn some of these lessons). What do you think?
I definitely think sports (at least soccer) are getting more competitive, but they split soccer into recreational and classic (or club). I play club, which is A LOT more competitive.
DeleteI played rec (recreational) not too long ago, and for the kids who haven't played before, or don't want to spend too much time on it, or aren't the most athletic, rec still teaches them the skills that I mentioned. They might not learn it as much, but they still definitely learn it.
Because club is so much more competitive, I might have learned time management more, and respect because rec coaches are usually dads and moms with kids who play soccer, but kids playing rec still get these skills.
The amount of competitiveness that kids perceive might prevent them from joining a sport, which might prevent the learning of the skills, but there is usually a less competitive option for those who look hard enough.
Hey Emma
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the sport of soccer to school. I'd never really looked at it that way. I think we have a lot in common, such as both coming from public schools this year and both playing on club soccer teams. I agree when you said you have to find a good balance between soccer, school, and friends. It is a hard thing to do, especially when I had almost no homework to at least 45 minutes every night. I liked the part about being a good teammate and dealing with players you do not like as much because I can relate to that in many ways. Are you able to get all of your activities done? Your post was very fun to read and I am curios to see how your time management strategies work for you.
~Ally
I am mostly able to get my activities done, but I find that if I have to do less of something, it usually turns out to be hanging out with my friends. I find that I have to say no to hanging out with my friends a lot, because of soccer games. Thanks!
Delete~Emma
Hi Emma,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this post. I like how you talk about soccer and school in the same way. I have seen that comparison between sports and school in my life a lot. I might add that soccer competitiveness makes you more competitive as student, which would in turn drive you.
Much Love
Alex
I would definitely agree that sports add that degree of competitiveness to your life, and that can be applied to school, and also just to everyday life. Thanks!
Delete~Emma
Hi Emma!
ReplyDeleteI like how you relate soccer to important life skills. You proved really well that sports are just as important as school in ways. Its amazing how you manage your time for homework and other things so well even when you have soccer 7 days a week! It is so awesome that you are so comitted to soccer and nothing really gets in the way of soccer and you. Would you continue soccer even in college?
-Sujala
Hey Sujala,
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope to continue to play soccer throughout my entire life, because it keeps me fit, and I really just enjoy playing! I think I'll probably play soccer in college, but if I don't do it professionally, then I'll still play on a less competitive, probably indoor team.
~Emma
Hello Emma,
ReplyDeleteI diffidently can relate one of the sports I do to important life skills. I like how you compared soccer to school. I think it is SOOOO awesome that you are that passionate about something, and you can still get schoolwork done on time. I'm in that same boat. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks!
~Sydney
Hi Sydney,
ReplyDeleteThanks! What sports do you do? Do you get all of your schoolwork done on time? Thanks for commenting!
~Emma
Hi Emma,
ReplyDeleteNice post! I also play soccer and I love it too! I really like how you mention that it makes you a better student because it makes me a better student to. Playing soccer always takes my mind off stuff. Do you ever not do home work because you have to/would rather do soccer? Great job.
thanks,
Matthew