“Hold your ground.”
“Call for support.”
“Protect your future.”
This week, we partnered with the NMIFA’s Healthy Play, Healthy Lives initiative to discuss how resisting peer pressure works a lot like defensive positioning in soccer.
During our group discussion, players talked about:
- What it means to stand firm under pressure
- Healthy ways to change the subject or walk away
- Why supportive friends matter
- Who they can turn to when situations feel too big
Through our lesson and Fuel for Performance session, players practiced their communication, positioning, and defending their choices under pressure — important skills that matter on and off the field!
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The Play Smart, Live Strong initiative by the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association empowers our youth to make healthy choices on and off the field. Together with the Saipan Soccer School After School Program, we are using the power of soccer to promote substance-free lifestyles and reduce the risk factors related to underage drinking and marijuana use.
Every week we will share about our practical lessons, group discussion highlights, and soccer skills we learned to support our players as they Play Smart, Live Strong!
