I think the term “street soccer” is probably not known to the majority of young soccer families in this country, but if you mention street soccer anywhere in the world where soccer is the only sport, the term is very familiar and used a lot.

I have had the chance to experience Street Soccer both as a young kid and later in life. I remember many years ago I was on a pre-season soccer tour with one of my English league clubs Bolton Wanderers and we were driving through a really poor area just south of Madrid, Spain. We had come from a training session at a really nice complex, and on our way back to a hotel where we were staying we saw all these kids playing soccer in this large patch of dirt, (no grass) some with no shoes, and there must have been 10 separate games going on at the same time.  Our coach insisted we stop and watch the kids play.  It was an amazing experience.  We watched and admired their skill level and passion for the game.  We overstayed and talked to the children.  We even gave them some extra equipment we had.

 

That was street or (dirt) soccer at its finest, those kids probably played for hours long after we had left. That happens all over the soccer crazy world, every country has some form of street soccer, we are fortunate here in our country to be so well organized with our youth associations that take the kids away from that environment, and give them leagues, uniforms, marked soccer fields, referees, coaches, travel, etc, etc.

But does it make our young players better?  

I can’t answer that question, if you ask the great players that went before us, they would probably say they had more fun playing “street soccer”. I know in some parts of our country, we will have pickup games and street soccer.  

I have been to parts of France, Spain and Ireland, same things, kids playing in the streets or in the fields, seen the same thing in parts of Mexico, and have watched films of the same type of learning in Brazil and Argentina. Some countries do not have organized soccer; their street soccer is as natural as going to school or doing homework.

 

I believe and always have that the comfort zone of any sport is the touch with your sports ball, whether it is soccer, basketball, baseball. You have to practice, practice, and more practice.

With soccer, it can be you and the ball.  When you get the chance to join in small sided games, or “street soccer games” do so, play at school break time, play with your sisters or brothers, mums and dads, but always have your ball available, even on your vacation time.

I relate to my young players about my younger life and how the ball was my best friend.  It would be at the bottom of my bed every night and every morning, it would be the first thing I would see. I probably was over protective of that ball!
 

I recently was involved in a project called “Soccer balls for Solomon Islands”. What they needed most on the Islands were soccer balls to play pickup games and have fun with. For those kids a soccer ball is a luxury, which they did not have available. With the help of local soccer organizations and Dr. Barrett Phillips from Temecula, we were able to sent over 250 soccer balls to the islands; those kids will be playing “street soccer” forever.

 

Not every kid that plays “street soccer” will get even close to being a professional soccer player!  But many will go on to enjoy the sport well into their adulthood. Getting to the top professional level in any sport is a long hard climb, numerous years of dedication to your sport, lots of setbacks along the way, years of playing in minor leagues or reserves and youth teams. So many obstacles, so much competition. But if one gets there, or when they get there, the hard work just begins, everyday is a new challenge, new competition, expectations, challenges to be able to prolong a career at that level.