! KEITH O’CONNOR NATE BLAIS
ROOTS Soccer Academy W
orld Cup soccer announcer Andres Cantor from the Telemundo network is famous for roaring out a loud “Goal” when one is scored. But for young children possibly beginning their soccer careers in Westfield at Roots Athletic Center’s Soccer Academy, it isn’t always about making a goal. “The nice part about soccer, in addition to promoting health and well-being and the physical ability to move forward into other sports, is the life lessons it offers. Once children are older, that’s when the technical aspects of the sport come into play. But, in the beginning with three- and four-year-old kids in our Turf Tykes class, it is more about being out on the field
and engaging in physical activity, and us helping them to work independently while still developing their cooperative skills,” said Jason Blunt, program director at Roots Athletic Center, about being physically literate. “It’s one of those sports that encompasses all those valuable physical, social and mental life lessons needed to succeed in life, whether playing sports, making music, participating in the arts, or whatever you choose to do with your life,” he added. said Jason Blunt. According to the “Active for Life Raising physically literate kids” website, physical literacy is a life cycle beginning with youngsters developing the skills, confidence and love of movement to be GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 13
