Summer is here, and so is the World Cup! This year THRILLINGLY the biggest sporting event on the globe is taking place right here in our backyard, with matches taking place in cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the first time ever, 48 countries are represented, and the matches that have already taken place have been a blast. Note that while this year is the Men’s tournament, the Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil in 2027!
We love bringing the big exciting things happening in culture into the Club, so we are excited to share a brand new Soccer Week curriculum from BGCA. Read on to learn more and access a download for the whole resource.
What is the World Cup and the new Soccer Week curriculum?
The World Cup is an international soccer (football as it is called outside of the United States) competition. It’s one of the largest sporting events in the world dedicated to the most popular sport in the world! The new Soccer Week curriculum was designed to support Clubs and Youth Centers in exploring and generating excitement about the games. Through skill-building exercises that focus on collaboration and physical activities, youth and families can play soccer and explore games, art, and culture from around the world. The resource includes:
- Weekly and daily activity schedules
- Activities for different Club locations/subject areas
- Links to resources for additional information and extended activities
- Ideas for Family & Caregiver engagement
- Ideas for incorporating Work-based Learning
Boys & Girls Club staff can also access other soccer related resources on BGCA.net, including the ALL STARS program, Coach & Mentor training in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and tools for marketing like the Champions Campaign.
Why was the Soccer Week curriculum created?
This year, many World Cup games are being held in the United States, including the hometown of the BGCA National Office in Atlanta, Georgia! Summer is also the perfect time to get young people outdoors, active, and moving! Depending on your location, summer temperatures can be hot. While it’s important to use caution to ensure youth are staying hydrated, cool and safe, warmer weather does provide more opportunities to get outside and explore.
How can the Soccer Week curriculum be used?
We designed Soccer Week to be flexible to fit your Club’s schedule, and it can even be used at any time of the year! Here are a few ideas to implement the curriculum in your Club:
- Incorporate a soccer themed week this summer and use the full curriculum as it is designed.
- Incorporate elements/activities from the curriculum into existing themes and summer programming.
- Use the document as a visual example of how you can map out a programming schedule and activities, regardless of the theme or season.
Get youth excited about these international games through dynamic programming that has all of them getting active while also learning more about the world around them. Everyone can access the new Soccer Week curriculum with a free download here, with extra resources available for Boys & Girls Club staff on BGCA.net. And as a FUN BONUS DOWNLOAD for everyone, we did this World Cup trivia challenge in a BGCA Youth Development staff meeting this week! You can use it with teens or staff, just be sure they put away their phones. 😉
For even more summer learning fun, check out Summer Brain Gain available on the newly updated Club Programs. Summer Brain Gain is a summer learning-loss prevention program designed specifically for Boys & Girls Clubs. Week-long modules with fun themes are perfect for summer in the Club. Young people complete fun, hands-on activities as part of larger projects that spark their curiosity and encourage them to fall in love with learning. Youth have opportunities to explore their interests while building academic and social-emotional skills. Summer Brain Gain includes modules designed for elementary, middle and high school students.
How are you celebrating the World Cup? What are your favorite ways to incorporate themes into programming across the Club? Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org.
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