Pure Game uses the game of soccer to make life lessons real and applicable to the children playing. During the SMART goal setting exercise we get children to think about and put to paper some of their short-term goals. We make sure the children understand the goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Something I'm sure we all take for granted as a worthwhile activity. But it is amazing to see how many of the children don't see the point behind this; many of them give up or just copy from the person sitting next to them. The children struggle to think creatively about what they want to see happen in their life 4-6 months out and this is what is leading most to drift along in life.
 
With the exercise complete we have the children play soccer and during the game we remove the small goals they are playing toward. As the children see the goals being removed they question what we are doing, we reply simply, “play on.” As they continue to play they start to lose direction, purpose, and question loudly the point of the game. We continue to instruct them to play on. This causes some confusion and chaos on the field, many of the children give up and those playing start to argue amongst themselves or shout at the coach. 

 
When the game is done we gather the children and ask them what they thought of the game. The answers are typically centered on the game being pointless, a waste of time, confusing and so on. This is where we bring the children back to the goal setting exercise we had completed earlier.
 
As we talk about the goals on the soccer field representing the goals we set in life, we see children having that “ah hah” moment. They see that setting goals in life is similar to having goals on a soccer field; they give direction, purpose, meaning, and something to head toward. That a game without goals just creates a chaotic environment, one of drifting aimlessly around the soccer field, and how this is much like just drifting through life when goals are not present. 

 
The SMART goals game teaches children on the importance of having something to aim at. We have had many children immediately start setting goals for schoolwork, or personal development, or family centered, and then start working toward them. It is an incredible moment when that light goes on in a child’s eye, and they get it.
 
Transformation may be difficult and take some time, but the tools to get there can be as simple as a ball, a soccer field and a goal. You can help create an environment where at-risk boys and girls can start the journey toward taking responsibility for their own success, and break free from the limitations that surround them. For the price of 2 movie tickets a month you can sponsor one child in the Pure Game program.