Hi Friends, Soccer, known to every other country in the world as football, is one of the oldest sports. The first set of documented rules was established in England in 1863. Up until that point, soccer was mainly played by the upper class at their estates and clubs. But as it gained popularity among the general public, the London Football Association was founded to help standardize the game. When the men's World Cup was held in the US in 1994, Americans realized the draw of the game, and soccer teams and clubs began springing up all over for children. Following Rules : As with all games, soccer has some very specific rules that must be adhered to. It is important to learn that if you don't follow the rules, there will be consequences. In soccer, if you push or trip an opponent, that is considered a foul and the person tripped then gets a free direct kick toward the opponent's goal. Another basic rule is not touching the soccer ball with your hands unless you are the goalie. Exceptions to that rule exist if the ball happens to make contact with your hand or arm as it is going through the air; this sort of call would ultimately be up to the referee's discretion. * Agility and Flexibility As with most sports, your child will get a lot of exercise from participating. It is important to stretch muscles before and after every game to help keep limber and not tear or strain any muscles. As your child plays more games, he will become more physically fit. * Be a Team Player As part of a soccer team, your child will learn how to play well with others, listen, respond, communicate, cooperate and show commitment. Another big part of being a team player is learning how to accept a win as gracefully as accepting a defeat. * Setting Goals Joining a soccer team can help a child learn how to set and achieve goals. It can be as simple as setting the goal of finding a team to join and joining it, to a tougher goal of trying to score a certain amount of points over the course of a season. Setting goals will help your child learn how to strive to achieve something and that it is okay to sometimes have to adjust goals if they turn out to not be realistic * Ball Size As long as soccer has been played, there have been discussions and varying opinions on what type of soccer ball is best. You will want to consider the softness or hardness of the ball as well as the size when purchasing one for your child. Depending on age, the size of the soccer ball will vary from a size 3 for those under the age of 8 to a size 5 for those over the age of 12. Best Regards, Alexis Allen