“I did it!” shouted a seven-year-old soccer player during practice. Her goal was five juggles and after a few failures she finally found a small win.  The power of goal setting kicked in and her feelings were heard across the school gym. She felt alive, energized and excited she was able to reach her target goal.  The night was still young and she set a new goal to ten juggles. The challenge continued.

This was a great moment for her. Not only did she discover a new soccer skill, but she also learned an important life skill: Goal setting. Setting small goal on the field early on, could have big take-aways off the field as your child grows into a young adult.

Why Goal Setting?

It Motivates: Learning how to set and reach goals is a key to succeeding as an adult, but when it comes to young ones, it might be the one thing that keeps them motivated to continue to learn new skills.  Fun and challenges during sensory motor activities like juggling will keep them learning and coming back for more. Finding purpose in their activity will help them develop a stronger passion and a natural willingness to keep progressing. In turn, they establish a strong foundation for embracing a growth-mindset.

It Builds Self-confidence: Every time your child accomplishes a simple task it reinforces that they are capable of learning new skills and exploring new challenges. They find joy in the process and with each win gain more and more confidence.  They realize they can do more. They begin to believe they can do more so they push their boundaries. They quickly find out that the more they can do, the more they can accomplish. The more they accomplish, the more they will want to do it.  The more they do it, the more confident they will become. They learn to keep raising their own bar.

One, two, three, four, five…why juggling is a fun way to instill goal setting?

As a coach, one of the best soccer activities I use to teach goal setting is juggling.  It provides all the components necessary to help kids understand the process of setting goals and build a growth mindset. It also gives them a taste of what success and failure feel like. And best part? It’s fun. As they repeat the process over and over, they tend to stay hungry for the win. Because it’s easier for kids to sharpen their skills through play, they will start to become competitive. But the competition is within themselves and their relationship with the ball.  It’s challenging and it’s fun, which means they will want to keep trying until they get it.  In turn, this desire to keep at it, is beginning of persistence, which is a key element in having a growth mindset.

Effective Learning Characteristics of Juggling

• Playing
• Exploring
• Skill-centered goal
• Measurable
• Creates fun challenge
• Instills a “can do” attitude
• Helps develop an interest and passion for soccer