The Importance of Free Play for Youth Players

Welcome back to our weekly blog! This week we will discuss the importance of free play for youth soccer players and why it is an essential part of their development.                        

What is free play?                        

Soccer is widely recognized as the most popular sport in the world for many reasons but the biggest reason is arguably because of how accessible soccer can be to people everywhere. All you need for soccer to be possible is players, a defined playing space (grass, concrete, asphalt, etc.), and something resembling a ball or the closest thing to it. As you can see, soccer can really happen anywhere and this soccer that happens in most places in the world on streets, alleys, and fields can be considered free play. 

A very important but often underrated part of every modern player's game is free play. Free play in organized soccer can be defined as any period during which players are encouraged and expected to show their skills, have fun, and express themselves through the game freely and without fear of making a mistake. This happens every day in infinite places around the world as many children have only soccer as their outlet or reason to dream. 

Why is free play starting as a youth player important?                        

Those players who have experienced free play growing up are often markedly more determined and hungry on the soccer pitch due to their ability to focus on playing without worrying about making a mistake. To these players, soccer is much more than a game; soccer is life, air, and breathing. Soccer is something these types of players are so passionate about because through the game they can entirely express themselves and their skills. The development of fearless competition through free play and multi-sport participation as a youth can assist someone throughout their whole life in multiple ways, including unbeatable determination, resolute belief in one’s self, and a desire to always improve. 

One of the most important characteristics of all great soccer players is a burning passion for the game and an ultimate desire to continuously improve and make progress; this can be something a player is born with or something that is developed through free play and/or street soccer. This love for the game and true passion provides the strongest kind of intrinsic motivation that can often push players to new heights. 

In an academy setting, free play is any period where the players are asked to just play and enjoy the game without any specific feedback or instruction from a coach. This period of free play in an academy setting gives coaches and players alike some time to silently assess their progress and development as well as a chance to express themselves versus their teammates with skill, determination, and creativity all being key characteristics of this period. A good coach's job is to foster each player's development by assisting them through the learning process that is soccer, by continual guidance but never by giving them the answers. Free play in practice allows a coach to do exactly this all while the players are enjoying themselves and subconsciously strengthening a love for the game and success in the team setting.      

Conclusion

Free play is an essential component of all modern soccer players; whether that’s daily free play at recess during school or playing pickup with friends every week. Free play provides players with a risk-free environment to try new things, hone their skills and constantly develop into more well-rounded and improved players. This is arguably one of the greatest benefits of free play for young soccer players. Stay tuned and check us out next week for another new post about who DC Way Academy is and what we stand for!