The game we all know and may or may not love, soccer, has existed for over 2,000 years. Although it’s changed drastically, the sport has maintained the same benefits, such as teamwork and physical endurance, and may even serve as a stress reliever. Soccer players have always been ordinary people with the goal of having fun and having something to distract themselves, teaching us that anyone is able to play soccer; all you need is ambition. As soccer became more popular, it was first modernized in the 19th century by students from the University of Cambridge when they wrote a set of rules known as the Cambridge rules, but was then refined when the FA—Football Association—was formed. Ever since then, the sport has been constantly changing and modernizing to become the best sport in existence and comes with the most rewarding experiences.
Soccer is one of the most physically demanding sports to play, yet it comes with its benefits as well. What many people don’t talk about is the condition needed to play on the pitch, many soccer players may run up to 8 miles in a single game. Although this may seem intimidating, players often have to work hard to reach that level. Many practices require at least a 2-mile jog every day, meaning that all players will be working up towards being able to run endlessly. It may be hard to keep up with the physically demanding practices at first; many give up, yet the people who continue and keep working hard end up being rewarded with their physical growth. I ‘ve experienced this myself: through playing soccer, I was able to lose over 25 pounds in the summer of 2023 and ended up feeling endlessly rewarded. This sport is also very beneficial towards cardiovascular health because studies show that playing soccer will strengthen the heart muscle—allowing it to pump blood easier—, lower blood pressure, and lower bad cholesterol levels. Overall, soccer is a great way to remain or grow to be in good shape.
Soccer may also come with mental health benefits since it may be something to keep yourself distracted from something that could be bothering or stressing you out. It also teaches many players good sportsmanship since you don’t always win every game, it teaches you to improve after every game and to try your absolute best every single time. Teamwork is also very crucial when playing soccer, every player has a role and must have trust and good communication with each other in order to be successful. This is important because being a good team member is a life skill, it teaches you how to properly work with others and how to manage future situations that may be difficult. In hindsight, soccer may seem like a bunch of people kicking the ball around, but it’s so much more than that, it’s about handling difficult or disappointing situations, working hard, and growing.
Soccer may not be a sport for everyone, yet I believe that everyone should at least try it. I wasn’t too convinced that I was going to like soccer at first, but ended up loving the sport. I hope that if you decide to play soccer, that you don’t give up when it gets hard and that you keep pushing because you may end up experiencing the same rewarding feeling as I did as I kept improving.
Alexander Jimenez – Carmel Catholic High School – DMSF Class of 2030
Photo Credit: Michael Jarmoluk – Pixabay