As a parent, you have many different options for activities for your kids. And whichever sport your kids choose, there are numerous benefits of team sports which will help your kids learn vital skills as they grow into young adults.

Ok, we may be a little biased, but we think football is the best team sport around. Here’s why we love football for our kids and you should too:

Our kids love it

Our kids wouldn’t be playing football if they didn’t find it enjoyable. If you’ve ever tried to convince your kids to practice their musical instrument or go to practice for a sport they’re no longer interested in, you’ll know how challenging it can be.

We don’t believe in pushing our kids to do activities they don’t want to do, which is why we love football so much- our kids are excited about every practice and game.

Healthy competition

Many people assume that it’s best for kids to avoid competition. We’d rather our kids get used to confronting challenges and learning to win and lose with grace. One of the best things we can do to prepare our kids for the real world is to teach them to compete with integrity.

Problem-solving skills

When more than two people get together, issues arise. As we work with different personality types in our adult lives, it’s easy to see who has learned healthy communication and problem-solving skills.

Our kids have to work together and make continuous, spontaneous decisions under pressure. We’ve watched them become more confident as they learn to think for themselves and collaborate with teammates. 

Quality time

As our kids grow up, they naturally want to spend less time with us and more time with their friends. Football is a great way to find common ground as we watch them play and discuss the game on the way home. We also get to overhear conversations with their friends and learn more about who they are as people.

Football has a lot of ups and downs, and we love being able to be there for our kids to celebrate the wins and help them get through the losses.

Learning about the world

Football is the most popular sport in the world, which means our kids get exposed to many different groups of people. Most football teams will have kids from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures, and this helps them learn to relate to people from all walks of life.

Don’t be surprised if your kids’ geography begins to improve as they identify with professional football players from around the world and want to learn more about where they’re from.

Healthy habits and discipline

As kids get older, they often begin to take football more seriously. And they naturally learn about how their actions impact the way they play.

All it takes is a high-sugar breakfast before a big game for kids to realise that they’ve run out of energy because of their food choice. And high schoolers will soon understand that a late night out before a key match will contribute to the team’s loss.

Learning to get a good night’s sleep before they play, view food as fuel for games, and make exercise a routine will set kids up for healthy, life-long habits.

Lasting friendships

Adults who are sitting and standing next to each other during practices and games often develop deep and lasting friendships. Together, we’re weathering the highs and lows of the game and supporting each other and each other’s kids through each personal experience.

While our kids have made lots of new friends, we’ve also been fortunate and have also developed new friendships with other parents.