ABSTRACT
The author draws lessons from having taught ‘soccer courses’ on eight occasions in a wide variety of settings: a Californian liberal arts college; a German university; and Californian and Ugandan prisons. In outlining this experience he makes four arguments. First, it is not difficult to craft academically rigorous courses focused on the game. Second, soccer courses lend themselves to experimental pedagogies, particularly with regard to community engagement. Third, the immense popular appeal soccer classes have can make getting students to think critically about the game difficult. Finally, anyone thinking about teaching a soccer course should do it; it could be the best teaching experience of your life.
