If you have a football-crazy kid, you will know that most of their time involves kicking a ball around. Football, Tennis ball, or any round object will usually do!
School is not always as fun, but undoubtedly more important, so as parents, you might find football an unwanted distraction away from your child’s education.
While that can be true in some cases, you may be surprised to hear that football can actually help in the classroom.
How? We hear you ask! Let us explain.
Boosting The Brain
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, providing oxygen and nutrients and improving cognitive functions such as memory, attention and concentration, which are crucial in retaining information taught at school. 1
Walking, running and jumping are cardio activities that help with this, and football includes all three. By playing regularly, you are training the brain and the body.
Teamwork Makes The Dream Work!
Looking back on the last 5-6 years in English football, Manchester City have dominated their competition. Pep Guardiola is a huge factor in that success due to his ability to translate ideas to his players better than most other managers in the league.
To their credit, the team has brought those ideas to life on the pitch, and to do that, they must be in perfect unison, which requires constant dialogue to ensure everyone is doing their job.
There are often moments in school when your child must communicate effectively with a teacher or the rest of the class, either in group projects or demonstrations.
Football can be a valuable tool in building confidence in this area, as you are encouraged to speak with your teammates regularly in training and matches.
Even if your child is too young for team football, taking instructions from a coach or talking to their friends at training is all practice of verbal and non-verbal communication that filters into school life. 2
