This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There are many things to love about fall: the weather, the decorations, the holidays (just to name a few). Last year we put Hendrix in soccer to give him a taste of team sports and he took to it immediately. To my surprise I really enjoyed being a soccer mom and going to games! Now that fall is here it means a new season of fall soccer, and you know what? I am pretty pumped about it! I am officially adding soccer season to “my favorite things about fall” list. Here a few things I really appreciate about fall soccer and the lessons it’s teaching my kids.
It Teaches Teamwork
I really like that soccer is teaching Hendrix teamwork. Sharing anything is hard for a 5 year old, but as I have watched him play and be coached, I see him passing the ball to his teammates and realizing the value of assisting with a goal rather than scoring all the time. When Hendrix started he was all about scoring goals. Honestly, that was kind of thrilling to watch because he was really good at it! But now that he’s a year in and being coached to share the ball and to call it when he’s open, Hendrix has become a generous player. I love him understanding that he is just one piece of a team and that he has to work together with others for the win.
It Teaches The Importance Of Practice
Unlike his sister, Hendrix is really competitive. He gets frustrated if he doesn’t get something right away or if he’s not immediately the best at it. As his mom, this was foreign territory for me because, I am not that competitive and I didn’t grow up playing team sports. This time became not only a learning moment as a parent for me, but a teaching moment for Hendrix. We are able to talk to him about the importance of practicing and working hard to get better. That if he practices his skills between games, it will make him a better player.
We made sure to give Hendrix the tools he needed to practice at home. Shopping at Walmart made it really easy to get him everything he needed to train to become a stronger player. I found everything I needed from a goal, cleats, cones, kick trainer, shin guards, and socks! A lot of times sports gear can be expensive and a barrier for parents when thinking about signing their kids up. But the savings I found on Walmart.com and the ease of having what Hendrix needed shipped directly to the house made things a lot easier on the wallet.
It Shows The Importance Of Support
Going to Hendrix’s soccer games has brought our family even closer together these past two seasons. Cami and I worked hard making shirts to cheer on our favorite soccer player and each game we loose our minds cheering for him! Cameron does his best not to coach from the sidelines, and my dad and mom come ready to buy Cami snacks from the concession stand.
Hendrix and Cami get to learn at this young age how important supporting one another is as they get accustomed to family coming to each game. From grandparents to aunts and uncles there has been no shortage of support for not only Hendrix and soccer, but all of the kid’s endeavors.
If you are on the fence on whether you want to dive in to getting your kids involved in youth sports, I say, give it a go. You might be surprised at how much you look forward to watching them play and you certainly will notice what positivity it can bring into your child’s life.
