Many people view soccer as nothing more than an exciting sport or a way to stay physically fit, but the game offers many other benefits, including providing a boost to soccer players’ mental health. This is critical in the world today, especially for youth soccer players who might need a boost of confidence or who are developing their social or cognitive skills. Let’s take a closer look at the mental health benefits of playing soccer.

The Importance of Mental Health in Youth and Developing Brains

As children grow up, they develop many cognitive, social, and emotional skills. When development takes place in the right environment with access to the right resources, it can set them up to become happy, healthy, successful adults with an array of skills.

Specifically, the human brain grows until it reaches adolescence. After that, the “teen years are all about fine-tuning how the brain works,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The brain continues maturing throughout the twenties, which is why it’s important to emphasize mental health in youth sports.

The Link Between Physical and Mental Fitness

Believe it or not, physical activities like soccer and mental health go hand-in-hand. People who exercise more tend to have more positive emotional well-being, positive moods, better concentration skills, increased alertness, and less mental illness. Reasons for this include:

• Exercise impacts the chemicals in the brain that affect mood and mental health.

• Physical activity reduces stress and tension and can help you sleep better.

• Exercise boosts your confidence.

• Participating in physical activities you enjoy, like soccer, are fun and distract you from the negative aspects of life.

• Greater levels of physical activity lead to more energy.

• Participating in team sports adds a social element that can boost mental health.

The Mental Benefits of Playing Soccer

Engaging in any type of exercise offers some benefits, but playing team sports can improve a person’s mental health even more. The mental benefits of playing soccer specifically include boosting confidence, developing social skills, and promoting team building and leadership skills.

Boosts Confidence

Compared to kids who think poorly of themselves, kids with high levels of confidence and self-esteem are more likely to try new things, build strong relationships, and cope with mistakes and failures. Playing sports like soccer can provide a confidence boost.

Athletes of all ages feel great when they find a sport they enjoy, and they feel even better when they are good at it. As they work hard and practice to meet and surpass their individual and team goals, it builds confidence in their abilities, which translates into other areas of their lives.

Alt text: A group of young soccer players in blue uniforms put their arms around each other, learning social skills

Develops and Improves Social Skills

Part of growing up and developing through childhood and teen years involves learning appropriate social skills. Children tend to focus mostly on themselves, but when they are placed in a team environment, they learn to communicate, collaborate, and interact with their teammates to achieve the same goals together. Many young athletes even go on to bond and form friendships with their teammates off the field.

Increases Motivation

When kids choose to participate in a sport they truly love, it can help increase self-motivation. This means they are playing for their own love of the game, not to please their parents or to impress someone else. It’s important for parents and coaches to help set goals that are important to their kids, not themselves. Once kids and teens accomplish their goals, they quickly understand how great it feels, and this often motivates them to set and achieve goals in other aspects of their lives.

Working hard on the field also helps improve self-discipline. This can motivate athletes of all ages to apply the same discipline to other aspects of their lives.

Improves Cognitive Development

Another one of the mental benefits of soccer is that it can help with cognitive development. Studies have shown that exercise increases the size of the area of the brain that is responsible for thinking and memory. Physical activity can also improve sleep and reduce stress and anxiety, which can give that area of the brain a boost. The hormones released when participating in physical activity also help improve cognitive function, including the ability to pay attention. Athletes are typically better problem solvers, more creative, and have better executive functioning skills.

Promotes Team Building and Leadership Skills

It may seem obvious, but team sports help with team building skills. Again, when someone is a part of a team, it helps build their social skills, but it also improves communication skills, emotional IQ, and trust in their teammates.

Another one of the mental health benefits of playing soccer is that it helps with leadership skills. By participating in team sports, kids and teens sharpen their soft skills, such as problem-solving, integrity, agility, and strategic thinking. These skills are crucial for building strong leaders.

Potential Mental Health Challenges to Overcome in Soccer

Although the impact of sports on mental health is generally positive, soccer players of all ages may have to overcome some challenges at times that can have a negative impact on mental health. These include:

• Bouncing back from an injury

• Living in the shadow of a sibling who is a better player

• Not making a team

• Poor performance during a match that impacts self-worth

• Dealing with unrealistic pressure from coaches and parents

• Balancing soccer with other activities like school and work

One study found that around 35% of elite athletes suffer from some sort of mental health issue, such as anxiety, depression, or burnout.

How Coaches Can Best Support Their Players’ Mental Health

Coaches can play a role in how sports affect mental health by providing their athletes with the right tools and support to overcome certain challenges. This might include:

• Building strong relationships with young athletes

• Helping athletes set realistic goals

• Talking to the team regularly about health in general, such as practicing self-care and ways to prevent injuries

• Ensuring athletes receive proper treatment for mental or physical health issues

• Creating an open culture where it is acceptable to talk about mental health

• Providing authentic, ethical leadership

• Inviting speakers or providing activities that make a positive impact on mental health

How Parents Can Make Soccer a Positive Mental Experience

Even more importantly, parents can help make playing soccer a positive mental experience for their kids. It all starts with ensuring kids play because they love the game, not because parents want them to play. Other ways to help include:

• Showing that winning isn’t the only important aspect of the sport

• Providing support and encouragement on both good and bad days

• Modeling good sportsmanship

• Remaining respectful of coaches and referees

• Encouraging kids to communicate their feelings

Final Thoughts on Soccer and Mental Health

Playing team sports can improve a person’s mental health. It provides an especially great opportunity for children and teenagers to build skills and learn behaviors and actions that can help set them up for a lifetime of success.

You can start by joining Northeast Rush, the premier youth soccer league in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Our core values include creating a safe environment for every player, establishing unity, respecting everyone, and promoting empathy, tenacity, and apologizing when you make a mistake. All of these values are essential for creating a space where every player can enjoy a positive impact on their mental health.