Soccer is the most popular sport in almost every country in the world. That is unless you live in the US, where football, baseball, and basketball are more popular. As a soccer coach, the problem is therefore how to get young players interested in playing soccer instead of other sports.
First of all, we need to look at the reasons why other sports are more popular than soccer in the US. One of the main reasons is viewer appeal. Local football, baseball, and basketball are televised and promoted in every major city in the US Young athletes watch this and associate with their heroes. Another reason is that the money available in the professional game is much higher in American sports than in football. As a result, more young athletes aspire to make a high-earning living in American sports.
It is not that soccer is a sport for the poor. The salaries of soccer players all over the world are now increasing. For example, 2 of the best soccer players in the world, Christiano Ronaldo and Robinho, are reported to earn $200,000 and $320,000 per week, respectively. David Beckham, who plays for the LA Galaxy, is also among the highest earning soccer players. Although interest in soccer is growing in the US among young athletes, the sport still can’t compete with the publicity, hype, and excitement of American sports.
The question is how to persuade young players in the US that soccer is the best sport to enter. Here are some good reasons:
Soccer is a sport that any player can play and be successful. Just like in soccer, where physique and size are a factor, in basketball, where being over 6 feet tall is highly advantageous, any player can be successful in soccer regardless of size or strength. physique you have. Big, strong players can find positions as defenders, midfielders, or forwards. Small players can find positions such as forwards and wingers and develop skills to be successful in these positions. Slower players can also find positions, especially in midfield. There is a place for everyone who has the desire.
Participation in the game is much higher in soccer than in other sports. In football there are so many stoppages in the game. Some players, such as kickers, may have very limited participation in the game. In soccer, even if your team doesn’t have the ball, everyone has to move back to defend. Even forwards have to defend head-on. Defenders when they are not defending have to support the midfield and the forwards.
Football is very fast paced with almost continuous participation. Basketball is probably the most similar American sport to football, with the biggest difference being the size of the court versus the field.
In addition to speed, strength, and stamina, skill is paramount in soccer, producing an athlete with more well-rounded attributes. At the youth level, you will often find that youth soccer players tend to excel in the other American sports.
A good way to get young athletes more interested in soccer is to have them watch high-level professional games on television. The English Premier League is probably the best to watch as it is fast paced and has a high skill level. Many of the best players in the world play in this league. There are several television stations that show these games like Fox Sports World.
It would also be good to have prospective youth soccer players attend some of the local college soccer games or semi-pro games if there is a team in the area.
And then there is that magical feeling of scoring a goal with the goal celebration following. Soccer is certainly on the rise in the United States. The game produces leaders with more general skills than American sports. Success in football can lead to worldwide acclaim as the likes of Brad Friedel, who plays in the English top flight, have shown.
