Life Lessons Learned from the World Cup

The world has been captivated by the FIFA World Cup this summer. It’s an opportunity to see the best of the best players battle for the right to call themselves the best soccer team in the world.

I grew up as a soccer kid. I played competitive soccer from an early age and traveled all over the nation competitively with travel leagues. As a teenager, I was lucky enough to compete at the US Nationals with my Florida team and ironically ran into my old teammates from Arizona.

On my Florida state-winning high school team I remember that one of the people I was responsible for marking on a competitor’s team was now known Danielle Fotopoulos.  It wasn’t easy but I kept trying to prevent her from scoring.

My whole world was soccer as a young girl. 

One memory I love is being able to participate in the Olympic Development Program. One of things I remember the most is being a part of the team that the US women’s team practiced against in Orlando.  Guess who I marked? None other than the world famous player & coach Michelle Akers! She was a part of the team went on to win a gold medal and Women’s World Cups. She is unforgettable to watch play against and I’m sure she ran circles around me but I never stopped trying to prevent her from scoring.

Here’s a bit more about the history of US SOCCER that all of us should know. The US most likely has more soccer fields than any other nation in the world. How can we use this to our advantage for our child’s futures? Now that I look back I realize how lucky I was to be surrounded by such a strong world of soccer. They are memories I’ll cherish always. Many of my life lessons were learned in US Youth Soccer.

Life can Challenge you the Same Way a Game of Soccer Can

Then life happened I become a young mom and I stepped away from soccer and many opportunities for competing for college teams.  What I didn’t realize is how much my endeavors over all these years in my youth with soccer would prepare me for life and the challenges that faced me ahead.

It was quite a challenge for me to raise a child on my own for 8 years and I did turn to many of those lessons I learned through my soccer experiences. I’ve gone on to raise 3 children that I love more than life itself along with an amazing husband of 21 years.  My oldest has graduated college and even learned his own life lessons through playing competitive soccer and varsity soccer. 

I must admit I’ve coached a few soccer teams here and there and enjoyed watching them grow and develop as players but most importantly as strong and compassionate leaders.  As I sat and watched over the FIFA World CUP Matches AND FIFA World Cup Women’s Matches over the past month I could not help but to notice the life lessons that soccer teaches you.

Do you Risk Everything or go All In with Goals in your life?

Advertisers have worked hard of the past years coming up with campaigns for us to enjoy and be motivated by during the #WorldCup . Did you have a favorite?

Do you look at problems and situations and #RiskEverything like Nike shares in their World Cup Videos? Do you believe that the human spirit and determination behind the world’s best soccer players create their success?

What if we approached life situations with the philosophy of #allin or nothing as Adidas has us to believe in their video?   What if all we do, we did with 100% of our efforts?  Which goal could we all choose to work towards together as a world?

As the world gathered to share their own philosophies of how we approach the game of soccer I could not help but notice the life lessons we learn as we play and watch this amazing game.

Here are some of the things I’ve observed about Soccer and I hope you will agree.

Life Lessons Learned from the World Cup

• Winning isn’t everything in life
• Sometimes a fall isn’t as bad as it seems
• Life isn’t fair and it’s how you deal with it that builds your character
• Luck can be a factor in life that you have no control over
• Working together can accomplish your goals
• Even the best have to fail to succeed
• Practice is required, no one is perfect
• Good sportsmanship reflects in your life and friendships you make
• Attacking others from behind never ends well
• Giving 110% of your effort for over 90 Minutes can end in the same result and it’s OK you just keep trying
• Life looks different from different angles
• Standing up for yourself is important in life
• Never stop dreaming
• Keep your eye on the ball
• Kindness comes in all shapes, sizes, languages and nationalities
• Pride is Universal

Final Lesson: At the end of the day the whole world has the capability to focus our attention on one topic and dream for the best.  What goal could the world set its focus on?

As the world sits to watch the Final Game of the FIFA World Cup what lessons can we learn?  My hope is that it will be the life lessons I learned as a child and teenager that helped me to become the adult, friend, parent, and spouse that I am today. That we can take these life lessons learned and apply them to our own lives and see our children learn to apply them to their own lives to drive confidence, determination, and success.

You can learn a lot from a game of soccer! Now go out and play soccer with your child today!  

Here’s what kids around the world think about soccer in a quick video created by Kid World Citizen and Multicultural Kid Blogs.  Go WATCH THIS VIDEO  #MKBWorldCup

How much did you remember about the 2014 FIFA World Cup?  Huffington Post shares a World Cup Trivia for you to take!  Here are a few activities for your kids too about the World Cup. Take advantage and learn about the world with your child this summer!

SPANISH VERSION AVAILABLE!  Thanks to Cecy Fencer from Spanglish-Baby she has translated my Life Lessons into Spanish for you!

What Life Lessons do you think your child will learn from playing soccer and watching the World Cup? Leave a comment

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