SOCCER BENEFITS FOR PHYSICAL/MENTAL HEALTH & COMMUNITY

Brampton Fairgrounds Adult Soccer, together with Brampton North Youth Soccer, ASC United Angus  and MADD 4 SOCCER  are committed to starting up soccer programming as soon as restrictions are lifted for the health of our communities in 2021.  We will design programs to fit the COVID guidelines and restriction to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our participants.  

Since the first reports of COVID-19, worldwide response to the virus has resulted in strict regulations to help control its spread. While necessary, this has had a massive impact on individuals, adults, children, and families. It has significantly impacted the mental health and physical well being of our communities, individuals and families.

When the environment changes people begin to feel unsafe and anxious, when outbreaks such as SARS have occurred research has shown spikes in anxiety occur (Usher, Durkin, & Bhullar, 2020). Fear surrounding the uncertainty of contracting the virus, loved ones falling ill, number of cases, the economy, job security and child care raises anxiety in both healthy individuals and those with pre-existing mental health concerns (Usher, Durkin, & Bhullar, 2020). “Individuals, families, and communities experience feelings of hopelessness, despair, grief, bereavement, and profound loss of purpose because of pandemics” (Usher, Durkin, & Bhullar, 2020 pg. 29). According to Usher, Durkin, & Bhullar (2020) recovery from the negative impacts of the pandemic need to include ways to address mental health and the increasing social isolation experienced by community members and particularly our families and youth.

One way of achieving this is through organized sports. Structured appropriately and with safety measures in place regarding COVID-19, organized sports such as soccer can have strong positive impacts on mental health. Organized sports have been shown in the academic literature to provide strong psychological, physiological and social benefits that can improve mental health, quality of life, and be protective against further mental health concerns (Swann, Telenta, Draper, Liddle, Fogarty, Hurley, & Vella, 2018). Youth who engage in organized team sports show a reduction in social anxiety and an increase in social function, mental health and happiness (Hiremath, 2019).

It is our goal to contribute to the care of our community's mental health as we recognize the need now more than ever. We are working on developing safety protocols to ensure the safe participation in upcoming soccer programs. We want to be able to provide our participants with a space to get out in a safe way. This means we are looking into changing our structure and systems to incorporate pandemic rules such as social distancing. We are also consulting with mental health professionals including KWMental Health and Wellness to be able to support you and your families and design our programs accordingly.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE ALL COULD USE A LITTLE HELP!

Sometimes it’s the small steps that are both the hardest and most meaningful, like reaching out for support. 

KW Mental Health and Wellness offers Counselling with Professional Registered Psychotherapists over the  PHONE,  ONLINE or In-Person.  We provide confidential counselling services for individuals, couples, children and families. 

We're here to help!    KWMentalHealth.com