Values kids can learn from sports

 

MANILA, Philippines — For nine young Filipino football players, Milo and FC Barcelona’s Road to Barcelona was a journey of opportunities and multicultural camaraderie.

During the nine-day event, they were joined by 55 other players from Australia, Colombia, Jamaica, New Zealand, Tahiti, Thailand, Singapore, and Panama.

The kids underwent a series of football clinics led by the coaches of FCB Escola, were taught the theoretical foundations of playing the Barca way, and participated in an intimate training session with FC Barcelona legend, Eric Abidal.

But they learned so much more than that. Sports involves more than learning how to defend goalposts or improving your kicking technique.

Athletics imparts important values too. What life lessons can your kids learn from sports?

Working with others

In sports, a single action from any member can either make or break the team.

You have to remember you’re not in it just for yourself. There are sacrifices to be made so you can mesh well together.

Everyone’s also on equal footing, because each has their own unique strengths and weaknesses.

For example, you may lack certain skill sets which your other teammates can offer. Conversely, there are times when you can step up with your talents. This is why each player is assigned a different role — be it a defender, keeper, or goalie.

Dealing with failure

As they grow older, children begin to realize that life isn’t always on their side.

Failure will always be a possibility, no matter how hard you’ve worked nor how long you’ve prepared for that big game.

That’s just life — you win some, you lose some.

Missed a goal or failed to secure your post? A loss doesn’t mean a red card from all future games. It’s merely the first step to learning how to face adversity: realizing that we all have our shortcomings.

The path to winning is littered with failures. Because how else would we be able to work on self-improvement?

Working hard

Technology has created a generation of children used to having everything come easy.

But in soccer, they can’t click their way to achieving great skills. They have to spend enough time on the pitch before they can savor the benefits. Training, for instance, conditions the body and mind, not just to win, but to do their best.

They need to invest time and energy into whatever sport they’re into. This is key to long-term success, both in sports and in life.

Sports teaches that the things you hold dear don’t come easy. They come not just with time, but with hard work.

Learning outside of the classroom

Life lessons won’t always be learned inside the classroom.

Sports raises kids to be well-rounded individuals who know not just the technicalities of sports, but the importance of values.

Long after they’ve outgrown running laps or scoring goals, the lessons sports taught them will have shaped their characters. — Rappler.com