If you are a sports aficionado, you know that soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Not only is it great exercise, but it can be played by children from a very young age, as long as they know how to kick a ball.

Once children are a little older, they can join youth soccer leagues, summer soccer camps, and also the school team. They can easily learn soccer moves this way, and improve upon their existing skills.

One of the main benefits of having children participate in soccer is staying active. You may not realize it, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that younger children should have at least an hour of physical activity each day in order to maintain their health. Adults need about two and a half hours, and must engage in muscle strengthening activities at least twice a week. A typical soccer player runs about seven or eight miles during a game, and there is ample opportunity for children to get the exercise they need during practice as well.

Another benefit is that children often learn how to cooperate with their peers when they attend camps or play on a school team. They are forced to practice with everyone, and understand that their differences must be put aside if the team is to win games. They have to pass the ball to one another, trust in each other’s abilities, and play as one unit in order to achieve the same goal. They know that they are not only on the team to learn soccer moves, but rather to become part of a meaningful experience.

Additionally, a child’s self-confidence could also be significantly raised by being part of a soccer team. In school, it can be hard for children to keep up with the work, and easy for them to feel left out, or unsuccessful. But on a sports team, everyone works together, and each player understands his or her role on the team. The interdependence helps to boost a player’s confidence in him or herself, and see that the entire team also counts on him or her to make the team successful.

With the all the benefits that soccer offers, it’s no wonder than millions of people around the world are hooked to this sport.