“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”
– Margaret Mead
Girls’ soccer may not always be the first thing that comes to mind for parents when it comes to developing social skills and gross motor skills. We’re excited to see the positive change over the years to overcome gender stereotyping with more and more girls kicking off at Soccajoeys.
On top of physical development, like strength and coordination, our non-competitive soccer programs offer great cognitive benefits for girls. Being a fast-paced game that requires quick decisions on the field, soccer helps the girls improve in concentration, memory, persistence and self-discipline. It’s one of the strongest self-esteem activities for kids and works towards building confidence in girls.
Stereotypes can be difficult to break. We see it all around us every day including in media – remember Bend it like Beckham? We’re not saying to swap the dolls for the soccer ball, we firmly believe that a girl can have BOTH. At Soccajoeys, we aim to help every girl and boy develop valuable skills in life. For girls this also means helping them open up their world of opportunities and interests that previously may not have been perceived as accessible, so they can tackle the world with a well rounded set of skills and experience!
“My daughter Sienna started as a very shy 3 year old that would constantly be by my side and very hesitant about participating in the classes. After her third week in the program and constant re-assurance from the coaches, she totally transformed her persona and was always wanting to be first at class and was even telling all the boys what to do in class. Now being in the program for 2 years, her confidence has now transitioned into her schooling and everyday life. Thank you Soccajoeys and to your amazing coaches.” – Christina Ambrosia
Help up spread the word and break down stereotypes, if you know anyone that this blog may benefit, please share it with them.
Our soccer programs welcome girls and boys at all experience levels. Read more about them here.
