Autism Soccer: Benefits of Soccer on Children with Disabilities

These are all the ways Autism Soccer can help children!

When our CEO, Oscar Amuz, started Autism Soccer, he did it because he was a soccer player himself and he wanted to give something back to his community. That way, this project was born. Five years have passed since then, and we’ve been blessed to see with our own eyes how our plans and activities make children happy and improve their lives. Who knew soccer could have such power?

No child is the same, whatever their condition is. However, autism spectrum disorder covers a range of common characteristics and behaviors, such as repetitive movements, failure to respond to one’s name, obsessive attachment to objects, difficulty in speaking or socializing and motor impediments. We wanted to create an environment in which children could improve their skills and overcome some of their challenges. We’ve grown, and now we help kids with a wide variety of disabilities.

How does soccer help them?

Soccer is a team sport. It’s supposed to be fun! Through social interaction and a team spirit, we help kids improve their social skills and boost their confidence. They enter a space in which they can be themselves, laugh and enjoy a great time with their friends. Being physically active raises dopamine levels as well, so it can also be great to get in a better mood.

Families can also benefit from these activities because they can rejoy on seeing their children grow up healthy and happy. It helps parents or guardians have a better relationship with them and get involved in the sports their kids enjoy. They can practice at home and spend time with them.

It’s great for motor skills!

Kids with autism spectrum disorder and many other physical or mental affections often suffer from motor challenges. They can affect their agility, balance, strength, and dexterity. A sport like soccer is perfect for improving these skills, as they have to focus on an object (the ball) and concentrate while keeping control of their bodies and movements.

All this while having a cooperation mindset, to win, children need to work together and understand their strengths. Defensive players support the midfield and offensive positions during attacks on the opponents’ goal. Offensive positions must return to their own goal to help the defensive positions when they are under pressure from the other team. To pass the ball, they need constant communication among each other. It’s great for learning about themselves and the capabilities of their bodies!

They behave better

Sports like soccer encourage kids to learn team values, sportsmanship, and patience. They learn that winning is not everything, they learn to wait for their turn and tolerate others. Children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other types of affection often have behavioral issues, and soccer is ideal to help mitigate some of those effects.

If you want to help our kids or enroll your child in one of our activities, find out more about Autism Soccer by entering our website or following us on social media! We’re a non-profit organization working every day for our kids in Florida. Give us a call and join our movement!