Team Bonding Activities in Youth Sports

Team bonding activities for youth soccer teams is a critical component for success on the field.  Practice, games, and tournaments are not enough to ensure that a team truly gels and establishes that cohesiveness to go to the next level and stay together for the long term.  To be effective, team building events require maximum participation and finding the right event is key. Below is a list of potential events that I have found help build team chemistry off the field, which leads to better performance on the field.

If you can mix in a physical component to the event and get the parents to participate, the results can be truly impactful.  

# 1 Team Bonding Event – Pool party

Pool parties are a mainstay for youth sports teams.  Relatively simple to plan they facilitate the players hanging out together, without electronic devices, and getting exercise.  The added benefit is that parents generally have time to hang out and talk as they sit around the pool and watch the kids.  You can mix in some food and the event can last for hours with people coming and going.  Kids love swimming and then they usually come home tired and have a great night sleep.  Don’t schedule pool parties during competitive tournaments as the coach will likely not appreciate dehydrated players who are out of gas the next day.

# 2 Team Bonding Event – Soccer Golf

Soccer golf is exactly like it sounds, you play golf but you play with a soccer ball and not golf clubs. Players are divided into groups of four and play a round of golf with their soccer ball.  The object of the game is to get the soccer ball in the hole in as few kicks as possible.  This is a great event as it combines soccer skills (accuracy and touch) and allows the team to bond in small groups. 

# 3 Team Bonding Event – Rock Climbing

We have had great success with some rock climbing outings on teams older than about age 10 or 11.  It is a fun activity and works different muscles for soccer players.  The coach also gets a chance to see who the adventurous souls on the team truly are.  This type of activity usually facilitates parents and sibling participation.  Usually the larger the group the lower the individual cost.  Rock climbing gyms are often locally owned and operated, so you also get a chance to support a local business.  Hanger18 in San Clemente California is a favorite. 

# 4 Team Bonding Event – Laser Tag

It is getting harder and harder to find laser tag locations, but if you can it is a good activity for certain aged teams.  Laser tag often takes place in dark and enclosed locations, so plan on combining some sort of food or dining aspect to maximize team bonding.  I have found that boys and girls love this, but there really is a sweet spot for age here as well.  Too young and they don’t have fun and too old the interest level is low.  You need to be the judge of your team and whether or not this would be a good activity.  This even normally requires a significant amount of prior coordination as there are often limits on the number participants and cost may be a factor. 

# 5 Team Bonding Event – Rope Course

Rope courses are great team building events as there is an element of fear and overcoming that together really builds camaraderie. Teams can choose different types of programs, but all of the programs offer opportunities for teams to bond.  The gist of the program is that teams experience challenges that they don’t see in normal everyday situations.  They operate high off the ground and use teamwork to proceed through the course.  Most of these courses require significant advanced scheduling and payment.  These courses are becoming more and more prevalent, but you may have a drive a little to find one.  Our club frequents the OC Rope Course and every team that goes has a great time.

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# 6 Team Bonding Event – Trampoline Park

Trampoline Parks combine fun and athleticism creating a unique team bonding experience.  As retail malls have continued to close, some of the big box stores are being converted into these experience based businesses like Skyzone, Big Air, or Defy.  These events are relatively easy to plan, require minimal supervision and exercise muscles that are not typically worked on during practice.  As these locations cater to birthday parties and other events, they often have a location where you can serve food and the team can hang out after jumping around.

# 7 Team Bonding Event – Fitness such as Barre 3, Running, or other Team Sport

Getting teams together, but off the practice field often has long term benefits for team bonding.  Scheduling a run will usually be met with resistance, but it creates a shared experience for the team that as long as they all go through it builds team unity.  As running is not usually a favorite of the players, think about something a little less standard, like a fitness class, or something like Barre3 (could be good for both boys and girls teams).  In south OC, check out the local Barre3 studio as they are big supporters of youth sports. Getting your team to play a different sport is always a good time as well. Watching soccer players on the basketball court or softball diamond is always a treat. Playing other sports helps with muscle development and mixes up the athletic activity.

# 8 Team Bonding Event – BBQ with Games

A tried and true team bonding event is the simple BBQ at a park or someone’s house.  The players get to interact in a completely social manner and hang out.  They can get to know each other much better as they see friends in a different environment.  If you have a very competitive team, then think about adding in games like washers, cornhole or something else to keep them engaged with activities.  If you are worried about cliques, then you can assign the teams and force players to be with players that they would not normally hangout with.

#9 Team Bonding Event – Soccer Skills Event

With younger teams you can merge the social aspect with a soccer skills event.  It is almost like a little combine where the players run through different stations like juggling, shooting, throw-ins etc. to test skills.  You can make it a competition or just due it for fun, but the players experience soccer in a different manner than practice.  Parent support is important, so this is also a way to get the parents to interact with each other.

#10 Team Bonding Dinner

Team bonding dinners can be good for the players to engage in conversation with each other off the field.  The coach should think about assigned seating so as to mix players up that need to bond.  Often just getting the kids out of the soccer environment is enough for a team bonding activity to help the team along.  

#11 – Ice Blocking

If you have never been ice blocking before, it is a treat that all kids love. Ice blocking is very simple, find a hill, buy some large blocks of ice, put on a warming layer and ride the block of ice down the hill. Repeat this as many times as you can before the ice melts. I am not sure where this started, likely some family that moved from a northern climate to the southwest, but has taken on a life of its own in Southern California. It is like sledding during the summer.