While some parents undermine the importance of sports, other young elite athletes dismiss the value of education. The truth, however, is that sport and education go hand-in-hand. An alert, intelligent mind driving a physically fit body is important for success in any field.
When it comes to grassroots football, specifically, education plays a key role in enabling young footballers to process various stimuli in real-time on the pitch and make better decisions. At the same time, experiences on the field – winning, losing, coming back from behind, working selflessly for the team, for example – help children develop character. In fact, most of life’s greatest lessons aren’t learned in classrooms, they’re borne of experience. And football is one such avenue that makes men and women who are mentally and physically stronger.