I am writing this letter in support of children being involved in the soccer community. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and children should have the opportunity to be involved in its environment.
As a mental health professional and performance consultant, I recommend to parents that their children be involved in soccer first. Soccer is the first team sport that young children can play where they are able to use their whole body and are able to participate with success from the very beginning.
The sporting environment is such an important one for female children in particular. Statistically we know that girls who participate in sports are less likely to get pregnant in high school and their self-esteem will be higher than those girls not involved in sports. Soccer is one of the team environments that encourage this solid type of development of girls.
In statistics for 1999, just released by David Janda, M.D. of the Institute for Preventive Sports Medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan, soccer players have fewer visits to the emergency room than do players in football, basketball, or softball/baseball.
I believe the soccer environment is a healthy one in which a child can be raised. The child will be enculturated into the values that are held in general by the soccer environment as well as the possibility of the child becoming a participant in soccer, which has so many benefits to the child.
If you have questions about these statements, please contact me.
Dr. Keith A. Wilson
Wilson Center for Sport, Business, and Life Performance
4625 Alabama St.
El Paso, Texas, 79930
PerformanceTalk@aol.com/ 915-562-5050
Author of “Performance Parenting” on the MomsTeam.com website
