Soccer Scores a Goal for Your Health! Each soccer player scores a goal in favor of their bones’ health and their physical , mental and social development. Soccer isn't the most popular sport in the world for nothing. Millions of children across the world reap the benefits of this demanding, yet fun, game. There are many benefits of playing soccer for children, with one of the main ones being to increase their level of fitness and to teach them the importance of regular exercise. Soccer is an aerobic sport, and getting children involved in playing a game that involves as much cardiovascular exercise as soccer does will help them to maintain a healthy heart and lungs as they grow and develop. Regular playing will also build muscle strength, particularly in the legs, and improve their energy levels over time.
Soccer is known as a “high impact” sport that involves the players’ constant attention, coordination, agility, education and entertainment. In addition, during each match, a soccer player is in continuous movement, including the goal keeper, who has the most responsibility and pressure during the match: the defense of the goal line. Even though the goal keeper might not run or move as much as the other players, he is required to keep his attention on all the moves and show agility in stopping all the goal attempts. No matter the result of the games, with all of the skills that children learn through playing soccer and take forward with them later in life, any soccer-playing youngster will be a winner.
Soccer is a sport that, when played during the younger years, helps in muscle development and strengthens the bone system in general by increasing bone mineral density (BMD). What many people may not think about when considering enrolling their child into a sport are the benefits of soccer for children beyond just the physical fitness aspect of the game. As a team sport, it is a great hobby to help youngsters build social skills. Because soccer players are required to work as part of a team, communication skills are essential. Young players will learn the importance and value of working as part of a team; transferable skills that they will continue to use and build upon throughout their lives.By putting all of the skills that they have learned into practice, youth teams will work together and play together to be the best that they can be. Soccer is a sport that can begin as healthy recreation, but has the potential of becoming something professional, and along the way, winning each match is a goal to reach. Salud+HEALTHinfo.com
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ISSUE # 47 • VOL. 12 • 2014