Sports On The Blog

There are more benefits to playing youth soccer than you may realize.

The sport of soccer continues to grow in the US as evidenced by the increasing number of kids getting involved in the game and the attendance numbers at MLS soccer games throughout the country. This is a good thing because it provides a great opportunity for all kids, no matter how tall, short, skinny, plump, shy, smart, or whatever, to gain the benefits of being part of a team where anyone can be a super star on any given day.

All sports provide physical and other benefits for those involved in them. But soccer offers much more to help youths develop, interact with others, and just plain enjoy themselves, something kids should do, after all.

One of the greatest things about soccer is that any kid can kick a soccer ball and learn to do it well within a short period of time. There are no special talents required. If a boy or girl can run, he or she can do so with a soccer ball at his or her feet. Any kid can gain basic skills in dribbling, passing, and shooting a soccer ball with minimal time and effort expended. This means that any child that wants to play soccer can do so and be at a level of most of the players on the field.

Kids don’t need to be 7 foot tall leaping gazelles or refrigerator-sized brutes or multi-talented athletes to play on a soccer team and perform at least as well as most of the teammates. Soccer is a pure team sport. No one player, no matter how talented, can win a game on his or her own. Winning a soccer game requires the participation of every one of his teammates out on the pitch. This allows every kid on the team to touch the ball often and contribute to making plays, no matter what his or her skill level is.

This really helps build a child’s self-esteem, which can be seen in the confidence displayed on the field. Something as simple as a good pass or stopping the ball from getting to an opponent can make a kid feel good about him or herself and that makes them perform even better. And they have lots of chances to do this. One good play washes away any and all misses.

I have seen timid boys and girls blossom into assertive soccer players in just a few weeks. All because they got to touch the ball and contribute to the team. And when they win, every kid feels part of that win. And when they lose, they feel proud of having played as well as they could and look forward to the next game when it starts all over. Every kid knows that in the next game he or she will be right out there in the middle of things helping her team win and maybe even score the winning goal or make a winning save.

There is also something about the parents at soccer games. Only the sport of soccer has a “Mom”, a Soccer Mom. These wonderful ladies, who shuttle their kids back and forth to soccer games every weekend, are the soul of youth soccer in America. Soccer moms have played a big part in the popularity of youth soccer and their involvement in the sport has helped many a youngster enjoy being part of a team.

There are many resources on the web about other benefits of youth soccer including physical conditioning and injury prevention. One of my favorite soccer websites is http://www.SoccerCountry.com where you will also find all kinds of stuff about soccer, like soccer news, stats, and soccer game schedules.

In addition to those highlighted in this article, soccer provides other benefits for youngsters. Think about all that running and stopping and turning. Great for the lungs, muscles, and the mind. And there are so many more.

If your child is not playing soccer, what are you waiting for? It’s going to be the number one sport in the US eventually, just like it is in every other country in the world. Get your son and daughter out on the soccer field as early as possible. It keeps them out of trouble, builds their confidence, keeps them healthy, and helps them grow the right way. I know. I raised four soccer kids that started playing at five years of age and I saw the development provided by soccer through their teen years as the coach of their soccer teams.

Every town and county probably has a youth soccer association. It won’t be hard to find a team for your son and daughter. You never know, one of your kids could be the next David Beckham. And, if you are a mother, maybe you will be Soccer Mom of the Year.

Ciao for now,
Bernie Rosellen
Soccer From The Pitch

About the author:
Bernie Rosellen has played and been involved with soccer for over thirty years. He coached his four kids’ youth soccer teams for fifteen years and is still active coaching youths today. He still plays on two adult soccer teams in the Richmond, VA area today. Tapping his experiences as a soccer player and soccer coach, he writes articles as ASoccer From The Pitch@ and provides content for websites such as http://www.SoccerCountry.com .

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

Tennis has its roots in the ancient game of handball, played in Greece long before the Christian era. During the Middle Ages it developed into a game of batting the ball between two opponents rather than against a wall. The name comes from the French “tenez,” “take” or “ready.” At first there were no boundary lines, but gradually a court was developed somewhat the shape of an hourglass, with a line drawn across the narrow middle portion.

The early balls were made of leather and stuffed with hair.

The racquet developed in the following way: for protection in hitting the ball, a glove was worn. Then, for greater protection, cords were wrapped around the glove. Later, an elongated glove, or paddle was used. With the need for a longer reach, the idea of a racquet evolved from the combination of paddle and cords.

In the Middle Ages the game was carried to England where it was played by the nobility. The scoring system was so intricate that the common people could not understand it, and the courts so expensive that only the wealthy had access to them. Not until 1874 was the scoring simplified and the game rules made adaptable for a simple outdoor court of grass.

The use of “fifteen,” “thirty,” etc. in scoring individual points may be explained as follows: The chases, or separate plays, were scored 1, 2, 3, etc. Fifteen “chases” entitled the player to one point, and the game was made up of four or five points. This explanation is one of several suggested by tennis historians and seems to be plausible.

The term “love” meaning “no score” originated from the phrase “for love,” meaning “without stakes” or “for nothing,” which was used as early as 1678 in connection with the playing of competitive games for the pleasure of playing. Then “love” became the term used in whist, football, tennis, etc., meaning “no score.” The side which had scored no points was said to be “love.”

After the scoring and rules were simplified, tennis became a more universal game in England and France, spreading rapidly to the colonies of these countries. Tennis was brought to the United States in 1875 by Mary Outerbridge after a visit to Bermuda, where the game was very popular. She brought racquets, net, and balls, and introduced the game to her friends on Staten Island where smooth lawns with excellent grass provided an ideal medium for success. The game spread like wild fire all over the east with Cricket Clubs including tennis as well as the other English game for their members.

In 1881 the United States Lawn Tennis Association was formed in New York and Boston. Through this organization the popularity of tennis spread very rapidly. Comparatively few of the tournaments in the United States are played on grass, and yet all official tournaments, whether on clay, cement, or asphalt courts, are sponsored by the U. S. L. T. A. There are city, state, sectional, and national tournaments played on different court surfaces for men, women, girls, boys, juniors. There are public park tournaments, intercollegiate tournaments, etc.

International competition consists of the Davis Cup Tournament, which originated in 1900. The Davis Cup has been around the world several times, being held by Australia, France, England, and the United States at various intervals. This competition is for men only.

The Wightman Cup Matches consist of competition for women between England and the United States. This cup has traveled across the Atlantic many times, borne by the victorious team, to rest in their native land until won back by the other team.

The majority of national tournaments in various countries are open to players from other lands, so that sometimes one hears of an English, French, or American star winning several national titles besides that of his own country.

Often the best sixty-four players who make entries for the state, sectional, or national tournaments are allowed to play. The qualification of a player consists of his tournament record during the year or years previous to that tournament.

This is a brief history of the wonderful game of tennis. Now you can enjoy playing it even more!

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

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