Champions for Life: What Football and Martial Arts Teach Kids

FOOTBALL

Paolo Alberto A. Mallari
Management and educational trainer/football coach

Patience and perseverance
Football is a stop-and-go sport. Being aggressive throughout the game doesn’t necessarily translate to a strong game plan, says Paolo Mallari. Part of the game IQ is waiting for opportunities to present themselves and capitalizing on them.

Temper the tempo
Mallari points out that football isn’t all running and kicking. Kids also learn that pacing themselves means knowing when to bring the energy level up a notch and when to remain steady.

You can do it
As there are clearly more ways than one to score a goal, Mallari says that football encourages a “can-do” attitude in kids. For example, a player can feint, go to one direction, and then bolt to the opposite way or even use his teammates as a diversion to put the ball past the post—just two options on how to convert a goal. More than the skill, kids will acquire the positive attitude that anything is possible.

No “I” in team
As it is a team sport with each player having a corresponding position, football educates kids on the significance of what it means to have both a function and responsibility in a team setting. Mallari adds that camaraderie and solidarity are takeaways, as well.

Driven to shine
“Losing in football is arguably one of the toughest defeats to handle among all the sports because you give so much of yourself when you play,” says Mallari. Football kids will realize that while they might not like the pain of losing, staying passionate in order to excel is what matters more.

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