UYSA Small Sided Games How Will It Impact Your Program

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UYSA Small Sided GamesHow Will It Impact Your
Program?

• Greg Maas
• State Technical Director, Utah Youth Soccer
  Association
• USSF A License, NSCAA International Premier
  Diploma, USSF National Youth License US Soccer,
  NSCAA and US Youth Soccer National Staff Coach
  and Instructor and Region IV Boys ODP Region
  Staff Coach

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The Worlds Game
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Background

• In August 2002, US Youth Soccer and our 55 State
  Associations unanimously approved changes to the
  Policy on Players and Playing Rules for those
  under the age of twelve.
• Effective September 1, 2003 these new rules for
  Small Sided Games will be implemented nationwide.

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Rationale

• More touches on the ball.
• Greater exposure to technical and tactical
  situations.
• Intuitive development - transition becomes
  automatic.
• Goal scoring opportunities is increased.
• Greater involvement and motivation.
• More FUN!

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Considerations

• Larger numbers on the field (i.e., 11 v 11)
  create more concern about positions and systems,
  versus the general development of the individual
  player and their understanding of the concepts of
  the game.
• At the younger ages, spatial awareness and the
  lack of technical and tactical range often sets
  the players up for failure.
• Most coaches are parent coach volunteers with
  limited soccer background, yet are faced with
  arguably the most critical period of player
  development in soccer.
• Coaching games with larger numbers than 6 v 6 are
  often too complicated, so coaches often focus on
  structural issues (i.e., formation and positions)
  rather than individual technique and small group
  tactics.

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Are Your Priorities in Order?
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UYSA Soccer Mandates Effective 2008-09 Season

• U6/7 No more than 4 v 4 No Goalkeepers
• U8/9 No more than 6 v 6 Goalkeepers
• U10/11 No more than 8 v 8 Goalkeepers
• U12 11 v 11 Goalkeepers

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The International GameSmall Sided Games
National Associations

• Belgium U6-8 5 v 5
  U9-10 8 v 8
• Canada
• U6 3 v 3 U8 4 v 4 U10 7 v 7 U12 8 v 8
• England
• U8 5 v 5 U10 7 v 7 to 8 v 8
• Germany
• U6 4 v 4 U7-12 6 v 6 to 8 v 8
• Ireland
• U8 5 v 5 U10 7 v 7 U12 9 v 9

• Netherlands
• U7 4 v 4 U8-11 7 v 7
• Norway
• U7-10 5 v 5 U11-12 7 v 7
• Romania
• U6-11 5 v 5 to 8 v 8
• Scotland
• U8 4 v 4 U9-12 6 v 6 to 8 v 8
• Spain
• U6-10 5 v 5 U11-13 7 v 7

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Are You The Next . . .
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Recommended Guidelines

• U6/7 4 v 4
• Field 20-30 x 30-40
• Goals 5 x 10, Pop-Ups, Corner Flags, or Cones
• Roster Single Field 6-8/Duel Field 12-14
• U8/9 6 v 6
• Field 35-45 x 50-60
• Goals 6 x 18
• Roster Single Field 8-10/Duel Field 16-18
• U10/11 8 v 8
• Field 45-55 x 70-80
• Goals 7 x 21
• Roster 10-14
• U12 11 v 11
• Field 110 x 70
• Goals Regulation
• Roster Maximum 18

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Logistical Challenges

• Field Availability
• Marking and Size
• Referees
• No Need At U6/7
• Coaches
• Field Coordinators and Facilitators
• Roster Size
• Single vs. Duel Field
• Goals
• Cones, Corner Flags Are Inexpensive
• Playing Rules
• Readily Available

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Are We Too Organized?

• Coaches feel more pressure to win.
• Team play is priority versus player development.
• Instructions offered to players are driven by
  pressure to win or achieve certain goals.
• Players are discouraged to dribble in favor of
  passing or kicking.
• Direct play is safer method and preferred.
• Mistakes are often frowned upon.
• Youth play resembles adult sport.
• Positional organization is more important than
  free play or the freedom of expression.
• Kids have forgotten how to play.

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Teaching The Game3 Principles of Soccer
Attacking, Defending, and Transition

• Attacking Principles
• Make the field as large as possible. Get wide
  and Deep.
• Pass the ball deep (forward) when possible.
• Keep possession.
• Create chances to score as often as possible.

• Defending Principles
• Make the field as small as possible.
• Press the ball (go to it).
• Delay the ball (go back toward own goal).
• Squeeze the field (move toward the flanks).
• Pressure the ball and keep good depth and balance.

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Teaching The Game3 Principles of Soccer
Attacking, Defending, and Transition

• Transition Principles
• When losing possession
• Nearest player provides immediate pressure to
  ball.
• Remaining players recover behind the ball.
• When regaining possession
• Player in possession attempts to move the ball
  forward.
• Players close to the ball offer good support.
• Players away from the ball make the field as
  large as possible.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Whose Idea Was This?
• US Youth Soccer has been a proponent of Small
  Sided Games since
• the 1980s. Small Sided Games are endorsed by
  our US National
• Staff Coaches, US National Staff Instructors,
  State Directors of
• Coaching (Technical Directors), US National Team
  Coaches, State
• Association and Region Presidents including,
  many foreign soccer
• Organizations, such as England, Ireland,
  Scotland, Germany,
• France, Brazil and Korea to name a few.
• Will I Need More Coaches?
• No, if you currently play 8 v 8 for U8s, you
  probably have twelve players
• rostered per team. To Play 6 v 6 without
  changing your roster simply use
• the Duel-Field method and roster size can
  actually be increased to 16.

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F.A.Q. Continued

• Will I Need More Fields?
• Rather than build new fields, convert your
  existing ones. For
• U11 8 v 8, they can play the width of an existing
  full sized field and 4 v 4 fields
• can be laid out in grassy spaces for play.
• Will I Need More Referees?
• Small Sided Games rarely need more than one
  referee to cover the
• Field. U6-8 do not need referees, only field
  supervisors or
• monitors. Parents or acting coaches can also
  referee the game.
• Will I Need More Goals?
• Yes, but they should not be permanent or
  expensive. A number of
• Manufacturers produce lightweight portable goals
  or you can simply use traffic
• Cones or corner flags. Remember dont let
  children play on the goals.

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F.A.Q. Continued

• Well Have To Break Up Our Current Roster!
• No, simply adopt the Duel-Field method, which
  will actually
• allow for increased roster size.
• How Many Players On A Roster?
• If playing 4 v 4 no more than eight, 6 v 6 no
  more than 10. Since
• participation is a priority, every player should
  play 50 of the game.
• If playing a Duel-Field method, you could have
  as many as 14 on a 4 v 4
• Team or 18 on a 6 v 6 team.
• What Is The Duel-Field Method?
• Recommended for 4 v 4 and 6 v 6. Two fields side
  by side with substitutes and
• coaches between. Players rotate from field A
  to field B to substitute. This
• maximizes player participation. Each teams coach
  monitors one of the fields.

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Duel-Field SystemExample 3 v 3 (up to 12 per
team)

• Field A
• One coach or field monitor manages both teams in
  a 3 v 3 game and up to three substitutes.
• Coaches and Substitutes
• An assistant coach or team parent manages the
  substitutes in between both fields.
• At halftime, one team rotates from field A to
  field B creating a new opponent.
• Spectators cheer from the outside, but not from
  behind the goals.
• Field B
• One coach or field monitor manages both teams in
  a 3 v 3 game and up to three substitutes.

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Available Resources(Guidelines of Play, Player
Coaching Development, and More)

• www.utahyouthsoccer.net Utah Youth Soccer
  Association
• www.usyouthsoccer.org United States Youth Soccer
  Association
• www.ussoccer.com United States Soccer Federation
• www.nscaa.com National Soccer Coaches Association
  of America

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UYSA Small Sided GamesYou Can Make The
Difference!

• Greg Maas
• State Technical Director, Utah Youth Soccer
  Association
• USSF A License, NSCAA International Premier
  Diploma, USSF National Youth License US Soccer,
  NSCAA and US Youth Soccer National Staff Coach
  and Instructor and Region IV Boys ODP Region
  Staff Coach