When considering all of the different benefits that soccer has on young players, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the physical activity strengthening. While staying active does improve physical fitness, there are also other advantages soccer offers young athletes that get overlooked. Soccer is a great sport to help develop young brains. 

The complexity of the game creates an environment where cognitive development is able to be improved while doing something fun. Soccer helps with improved focus and decision-making to better spatial awareness, which helps with development. Here’s more information.

How Soccer Builds Executive Function Skills

Executive function refers to the mental skills that help us plan, focus, remember instructions and juggle multiple tasks at the same time. These are all skills that kids need to succeed in school. Soccer helps to naturally develop all of them. 

Players need to shift between offense and defense, remember their position and the responsibilities of said position, follow the coach's game plan and make decisions under pressure. A player who learns to pause and make the smart pass under the pressure of a game develops skills that translate directly to other life experiences.

Enhance Spatial Awareness and Visual Processing

Soccer players are constantly having to process information from all around them and make sense of their position relative to teammates, opponents, the ball and the goal. This develops spatial awareness. Spatial awareness is the ability to understand objects in space and how they relate to each other. Young players learn to track multiple moving objects simultaneously while also moving themselves, which is cognitively demanding.

Develop Quick Decision-Making Under Pressure

Unlike sports with frequent stops in play, soccer requires players to make decisions constantly and quickly. Players might make hundreds of decisions in a single game, all while running, tracking opponents and managing their energy. This trains the brain to process information rapidly and make choices under time pressure and physical stress. Over time young players develop what researchers call "game intelligence," which is the ability to quickly assess complex situations and choose effective responses.

How Physical Activity Helps with Brain Health

Pushing past the cognitive skills that soccer develops through the game itself, the physical activity also benefits brain function in other ways. The cardiovascular exercise done while playing increases blood flow to the brain, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients. Doing regular physical activity like soccer is linked to improved academic performance and better memory in children.

Build a Foundation for Lifelong Cognitive Health

The brain development that happens during childhood and adolescence sets the foundation for cognitive health throughout life. Kids who engage in activities that challenge their brains build cognitive ability that can protect against decline later in life. Soccer also teaches kids that they can improve through practice and effort. 

The goal on the field might be winning games, but the real victory is building brains that are stronger, faster, and more resilient.