Today I witnessed a timely reminder about the value of letting kids just play football just for the sake of playing!
Every Wednesday my group combines with Dan Barrett’s group to play futsal at Niagara Park Futsal Centre. The kids love this venue because they get to try their skills in a fast-paced environment that allows them to have lots of touches on the ball. Dan and I introduced a champions league that gives them a competition format they can look forward to and also gives them something extra to strive for on futsal day. The kids love it!
Occasionally we have events at the college that lessen the number of players in the champions league teams so we have a free play day. We arrive at the futsal venue, select random teams and then let them play lots of games. Scores are not taken at the end and there’s a minimum of disputes. The kids just thrive on the non-competitive nature of the games, simply laughing and enjoying every trick that works or goal that is scored.
At the end of the session the kids walk off talking about who did what, how a goal was scored or how someone tripped over and made everyone laugh. Bumps and knocks that would normally render a player out of a training session only hurt for a few minutes and are then miraculously healed.
Every now and then, these free play scenarios are a great relief of pressure from the need to perform. It is ideal for giving all the kids a stage where only their immediate peers witness the excitement of kicking ball. The benefits of playing for fun are countless, but for me the most important benefit is seeing the kids laugh with friends.
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