Preventing Injuries in Young Soccer Players

When your kids put on their soccer uniforms, how do you feel? When I saw my kids in their new soccer jerseys for the first time, I felt a great swelling in my heart. My child is old enough to get involved in an activity. My child wants to get involved. My child will gain a skill that will keep her active and fit throughout her life. My child will make new friends. But there's another swelling: the fear and apprehension I feel about her precious, perfect little body. Will she get hurt? What kinds of things can happen to her? How can she gain all of the benefits of playing a sport she loves with friends she loves without breaking, straining, or tearing her bones, muscles, and ligaments?
The first safety consideration is the playing field itself and the equipment. Start with the field itself. Make sure that the grass is in good shape and doesn't disguise any holes in the ground. A smooth playing surface can prevent trips and stumbles and the ankle injuries that come with them. The second consideration is the soccer goals. Make sure that they are sturdy and well padded. Also, instruct the children not to climb or hang on the goals. Not only can the children fall off the goals, but the goals could also tip over onto the children. Especially with the younger children, this is a rule that will have to be enforced frequently until it is ingrained in their heads. (You know how much little children like to climb.) As for the ball, synthetic balls are better than leather ones because leather balls tend to absorb water when they are wet and become heavy. A heavy ball can cause injuries.
Another side of the equipment is the personal equipment of the players, namely the shoes and shin guards. You may think this would go without saying because all players wear soccer shoes and shin guards. However, it is important to have the right personal equipment. With the expense of purchasing these items, we have a tendency to hand down one child's equipment down to the next child when they are outgrown by the first. This scheme makes perfect sense as long as you are careful to ensure that the hand-me-downs fit properly. A proper fit prevents the shoes or pads from shifting as the child runs and stops suddenly. Also, different types of shoes may be needed for different field conditions.
Injury prevention is also a personal matter, a matter of taking care of your body. Young athletes can start taking care of their bodies long before the soccer season opens. Start with a good diet. A good diet is particularly important for young soccer players because their bodies are still being formed. Good nutrition is also a simple solution. It's just a matter of eating a good variety of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The carbohydrate-based foods should include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.