| In today's media we are constantly being
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| | contributing through individual effort to
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| reminded of a health time bomb that is
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| | a collective goal, experiencing the highs
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| about to explode as children today are
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| | and lows, picking each other up,
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| not active enough.
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| | competition, striving to be the best,
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| There are so many competing distractions
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| | aiming to win and supporting and helping
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| for our children's attention, video
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| | others are all by products of playing
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| games, endless channels to watch, these
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| | soccer.
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| can all lead to sedentary lifestyle if
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| | Many of the life skills that the players
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| they are not kept in check.
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| | learn through soccer are beneficial in
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| Soccer is the beautiful game, played by
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| | later life, how to form and build
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| millions of young girls and boys (aged 6
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| | relationships, developing a sense of
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| to 18) across many continents, whether
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| | co-operation, how to lead people, how to
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| it's on the beaches of Rio, the back
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| | handle adversity, what commitment means
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| alleys of a major city nearby or the
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| | and punctuality, are all key qualities
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| local park, you will find someone kicking
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| | that will benefit the players in adult
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| a football around.
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| | life.
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| In today's society there has been a shift
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| | If your child is already playing soccer,
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| to more organised soccer practice for our
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| | great. But what can you do if you want to
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| youth players. Gone are the days of
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| | get your child involved in a local soccer
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| jumpers for goal posts, as streets are
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| | team? Here are seven must ask questions
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| littered with cars and grass verges now
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| | that you and your child should consider
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| have houses built on them.
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| | when attempting to find a suitable
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| Having a more structured approach is both
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| | club...
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| a good and a bad thing; on one hand young
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| | 1) What level of commitment is required
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| players get structured development and
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| | in terms of practice sessions and games
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| education through willing volunteers who
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| | at the weekend?
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| show them how everything from how to warm
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| | 2) When are the training sessions? When
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| up correctly, develop their technical
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| | are games played, what's the format and
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| ability with the ball right through to
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| | how much time will you need to devote?
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| skill development and organised small
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| | 3) How far are you willing to travel to
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| sided games to wrap everything up
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| | training and to matches? Some clubs will
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| together to provide a total learning
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| | operate travel teams where distances can
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| experience.
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| | be considerable, including overnight
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| Today time is limited and therefore there
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| | stops.
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| may be only an hour or two devoted to
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| | 4) What are the costs involved? Some
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| structured soccer practice during the
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| | clubs adopt a pay when you play, others a
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| week, what happens when practice is over?
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| | more structured approach. The most
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| Getting your child to participate in an
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| | expensive clubs are not always the best,
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| organised soccer school or club can bring
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| | ask yourself is what your paying in the
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| tremendous benefits to you and your
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| | equivalent to what your child is getting
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| child.
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| | out?
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| Soccer can help increase your child's
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| | 5) What do you and your child want out of
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| self esteem, which feeds their self talk
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| | playing soccer? This needs to be aligned
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| which ultimately drives their
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| | with the prospective clubs philosophy, is
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| performance. But soccer isn't the only
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| | it about having fun or winning?
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| winner, quite often it can be seen that
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| | 6) How best will your child learn,
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| academic performance can increases to!
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| | develop and stay interested? Are they
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| Studies have shown that getting young
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| | happy just to be involved or would they
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| children involved in soccer at an early
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| | thrive in a more competitive environment?
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| stage promotes a real healthy attitude
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| | 7)What is the clubs constitution and
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| towards the game and this attitude
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| | philosophy to soccer, how long have they
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| continues with them into adult life.
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| | been in existence, the experience of the
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| The number one reason why children play
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| | coaches, location, facilities etc.
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| soccer is to have fun; if soccer is fun
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| | Once you have considered the above
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| and enjoyable then players will want to
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| | questions what are your next steps to
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| continue playing. This benefits their
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| | finding a suitable club or soccer
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| overall fitness and reduces their health
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| | organisation for your child?
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| risks considerably.
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| | You can...i) Get in touch with your local
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| Soccer is made fun by coaches worldwide
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| | Soccer Association by searching the web
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| who willingly give up their time
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| | or looking in yellow pages. They should
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| voluntarily to organise youth soccer
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| | be able to provide you with a list of
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| practice and coach teams.
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| | clubs and organisations in your local
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| Gone are the days when soccer, for the
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| | area.ii) Ask other parents/guardians
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| really young players, was an 11 a side
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| | about local junior and youth soccer
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| game with offside rules and no touches of
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| | teams. You'll be surprised at how many
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| the ball for massive periods of the game.
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| | adults or their children are
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| Youth soccer from the age of 6 to 11 is
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| | involved.iii) Encourage you children to
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| typically about having fun, playing small
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| | ask their school mates where they play
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| sided matches such as 4 v 4 with no goal
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| | their soccer. Knowing some of the team
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| keepers, promoting lots of touches of the
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| | can be a real advantage as players
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| ball and player interaction on the pitch.
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| | integrate themselves into a team.iv) Ask
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| Through playing soccer and encouraging
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| | your child's form tutor or headmaster if
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| children to take regular exercise many of
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| | they know of any clubs or organisations.
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| the risk factors that are associated with
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| | Many clubs have formed good relationships
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| heart disease such as obesity and
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| | with the schools over the years.v) Read
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| diabetes can be reduced significantly. It
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| | the local papers or local news websites
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| is stated that childhood obesity has
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| | you'll be amazed at how much coverage
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| increased by more than 50% since 1976,
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| | youth and junior soccer gets.
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| which is a really scary fact.
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| | These five practical steps should enable
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| Getting your child involved in soccer
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| | you to find a club that meets yours and
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| doesn't just improve their health. We've
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| | your child's soccer aspirations. However,
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| mentioned already the improvements at
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| | if there still isn't a club near you that
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| school.
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| | can satisfy a need why not look to set up
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| Social benefits, such as mixing with
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| | your own team!
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| others, having to work as a team,
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