Sports like soccer have a way of bringing people (and the world) together. It’s a universal language of bodies and motion and action. People in Denmark, the USA, and Costa Rica will all tune into the World Cup. It’s also a great way to get youth engaged in a sport and even to travel. Sports travel for young athletes provides not only a healthy extracurricular activity, it also exposes them to other young people their age from around the world. Hopefully they absorb different cultures, languages, and experiences that will aid them as they continue to grow. One of the best ways to set up soccer tours, for example, is to hire a company who specializes in global sports tours.
What’s The Popularity of Soccer Anyway?
Although you may know that soccer (or football) is popular in many countries, the actual numbers may surprise you. In 2013, in just the United States, there were over 12.5 million outdoor soccer players. Globally, FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) reported that over 240 million people play soccer on a regular basis. In the United States, almost 500,000 boys and girls play soccer every year and on a global scale, almost 25 million children of all ages partake in the sport!
For some, it’s as much a part of the culture as a past time. In Costa Rica and Guatemala, there are towns with under 200 people that still have soccer fields for kids (and adults!) to play on.
What Are The Benefits of Playing Soccer?
Doctors and other health specialists have long recommended that young people should have at least an hour of exercise or activity every day. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, bone strengthening activities should be included in this hour — and soccer is on the list as one of those activities! With soccer players running over six miles in one game, it’s a great source of exercise. Players also learn essential teamwork and strategy skills.
How Can I Set Up A Tour Or A Tournament?
If your child has always dreamed of traveling to a place like Denmark, Germany, or Brazil, a soccer tour may be the perfect way to achieve that dream. A team event management company can help execute the travel plans, get sponsors for the team, coordinate merchandise and apparel, and more. They’re able to search a bunch of different places — Sweden, Denmark, Italy, etc., and see if other teams in that locale would be willing to do matches with the traveling team. You can also pick the destination of your choice and the company will help set up everything, once you confirm with your group how long you’d like the tour to be, what time of year, what your budget is, etc. The management company ensures a safe and effective trip with time for sightseeing, as well as playing the game everyone loves.
You can look these types of companies up online or if your town is particularly big into soccer, they may already have contacts or travel opportunities available. In some cases, you might even be able to sponsor a game or two in your own hometown!
