participating in other sports across to soccer very effectively, giving a better starting point to that athlete when he or she chooses to be specific about the sport they will ultimately participate in.
It is my belief that children under 12 (Key stage 2 ) should be participating in various sports to gain those valuable motor skills needed in order to really excel in their chosen sport. Or if they want to be sports specific at a young age the program that they enter should provide a program that compensates for the lack of the skill set soccer does not provide. Soccer should be looking at ways of integrating the motor skills and the fundamental movements of various sports into their programs allowing players more time to develop
more rounded motor skills set, develop physically, emotionally, socially. So when chosen to specialise in one sport, in this case soccer, players they are recruiting have a better chance of succeeding and we see more English soccer players developed. Recent studies are now suggesting that there are huge benefits to be had for children under 12 (Key stage 2) who participate in multiple sports. We, who all love soccer should re-evaluate our programs and look to the future, society today is different to what it was 20 years ago. Children are playing outside less and have more choice which can only be detrimental to our sporting future.
I started to compare the learning curve of the players I am working with in the UK to my work in the USA and there is no question or doubt in my mind that those players in the USA could transition certain movements and motor skill sets learnt from
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