If you enjoy football, and having a kick about with your friends, perhaps you’ve never seriously considered joining a football team.  You might have thought that you weren’t good enough or were too old or too young.  These days there are many local teams, and if there isn’t one near you, why not start one up?

1. Improve as a player

If you’re a keen footballer already, you might be getting a bit frustrated with the people you play with. Perhaps you take your game seriously, and want to improve, whereas your mates might just see it as a bit of fun.

2. Play regularly

Playing football regularly will help you improve, and you’ll learn a great deal about the game.  You might even change position; you might have seen yourself as a defender, but the manager might see you as a winger, or a striker.

3. Exercise and fitness

Playing football will keep you fit and healthy, and if you take your game seriously, you might begin to think more about your body, and your diet. Lasting 90 minutes on a Sunday is a hard task, especially if you’re not used to it, and not in the best shape.  You’ll soon improve though, if you’re serious about your game.

4. Improve as a person

Becoming a regular in your football team will give you added responsibilities and will help you to mature.  You’ll have to turn up on time, and bring your kit, and be prepared for a training session or a match.  This can help you be more organized at work and at home.

5. Make new friends

Joining a team will be a great opportunity to make new friends, and benefit from their skills and experiences.

6. Not expensive

Football is a cheap sport to get involved in.  There’s no need to spend a fortune on expensive equipment.  As long as your boots are comfortable and you have suitable shin pads and gloves if you’re a goalkeeper, that’s probably all you’ll need, as the rest of the kit is likely to be provided by your team.

7. Work as a team

Working as part of a team will help you to play as a team, rather than 11 players.  You’ll need to follow the manager’s instructions during a game, and the coaching sessions will enable you to learn formations and tactics, as well as improve fitness and skills.

8. Achieve your potential

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a footballer, you’ll want to give it a go, and not wonder if you could have made it as a professional.  Joining a team will give you this opportunity.

9. Play like a professional

You might wear the same boots as your favorite player, and try and emulate them, especially if you play in the same position.  You might spend a lot of time watching other football, to help you improve, or have the same discipline as a professional, as you take the game seriously

10. Because you enjoy the game

If you didn’t enjoy playing football, you wouldn’t want to play it.  So if you’re playing for a team, and you’re not enjoying it, for whatever reasons, why not consider putting in a transfer request, and trying out for a different team?

You might not be the speediest winger with all the tricks, you might not get a hat trick every game, but as a player in the team, you’re just as important.  If you let the team down, you let yourself down.  If you take your football seriously then you owe it to yourself to be the best player you can be. 

Who knows, you might even be spotted by a scout, become a professional footballer, and hit the big time!