Questions and Answers

from May and August 2007

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Q: I coach a U8 Mixed recreational team, and on this team I have a player who is very talented, strong and often takes control of the games by continuously scoring goals. Our problem lies that our association will not allow the player to play up an age group, so I was wonder what I can do to challenge the player without penalizing him. Steve, U8 Recreational Coach

A: The game would be so much easier and probably more fun for these young players if they were all given a ball in their 4 v 4 games, but that is not the case. If clubs and associations do not spread the talent pools out by date of birth and experience you can find that the smaller fields and fewer numbers can allow players who show potential to dictate games.

Young players develop at differing rates and I have no concerns about moving players up an age group if they need to be challenged, but this decision should be made a neutral person with soccer knowledge whose best interest is player development. I would also recommend that the associations informs the parents of these young players that the decision can also be reversed, so if a player struggles to play in an older age group they will be moved back down to an age appropriate team.

Asking a young player to stop scoring goals can be difficult for them to digest, especially considering many coaches and parents request, and encourage them to do this. Even trying to ask a player with these abilities to play a more defensive role is difficult for them to comprehend, because they have little if any understanding of positional play, and if you sit the player on the bench after they have scored 3 or more goals the player will start feeling like they are being punished for being a successful player.

Players with this talent may be beyond the regular maturity level both mentality and physically and can be tested through challenges set by you as the coach. There is always more room in the game for creative players, challenge them by asking him or her to try and execute a move or turn to beat a player before they try and score a goal. This is also an age where players will start to understand working in pairs or small teams; therefore you can challenge the player to try and assist teammates and assist them into goal scoring situations. 

Q: Our club does not use the US Youth Soccer’s small sided games policies and recommendations due a lack of fields and the inability to recruit enough coaches. I would like for our club to start using small sided games because I see the benefits in player development, but I need help administratively. Kelly, Owensboro, KY

A: At the US Youth Soccer Workshop in St Louis this past March I had the opportunity to sit on a panel of soccer coaches who addressed questions from coaches, referees, parents and administrators from around the country.  I will always remember one of the panel answering one certain question by saying “We need to give the game back to the children”. As grown-up adults we often take the game away from the child to fit our needs, resulting in the child missing out.

The US Soccer Foundation is able to help your association in earning a grant to help build fields and facilities for your association; you can found more information about on their website, www.ussoccerfoundation.org. I know this would not be an overnight solution to the problem, so if your association were to schedule the games where larger fields can be divided into 25 yard x 20 yard fields you can then play 3 v 3 or 4 v 4 for the U6 & U8 players. You can also use full sided fields for U10 & U12 games; all the association needs to do is take time to work out how to schedule games where you can utilize the larger fields for small sided games as well.

Having been a Director of Coaching for a Recreational Club I understand how frustrating it can be for clubs to try and recruit people to coach these young teams. The biggest reason I always use to receive was that they did not want to get involved because they did not know anything about the game. Trying naming two parents as facilitators with each U6 and U8 team, they would oversee the practice sessions and games but would never be named coach even though they are.

Game days can be fun and easy for you to organize for the U6 & U8 teams. For example if your club has 6 teams with 12 on each roster, all of the teams can attend at the same time if you have 6 small sided games. Each facilitator would over see half of the roster, one half would move from around each field, while the other teams remained on the same field playing 3 x 15 minute games, see diagrams below. 

There are many ways to make sure games that the games and youth leagues are focusing on player development just take the time to find those solutions instead of taking the easy way out.

Q: Growing up playing 11 v 11, I am now watching my children play small sided games and I still have some concerns that they may not grow up to understand the game, please tell me that small sided games are more beneficial for player development.  Concerned Parent, Northern KY

A: My first experience in playing competitive soccer was as a frail seven year old playing with ten year old boys on a full size 11 v 11 field. Five minutes into the game I remember finally touching the ball, I started running with the ball down the right hand- side and used all my might to try and cross the ball which probably traveled no further than 10 yards. As I turned around to head back to my right full back position, I was so excited about touching the ball but it seemed like I had to run a marathon to get back into position and it seemed like forever until I touched the ball again.

The number one reason you should support small sided games is your children will receive more touches on the ball allowing them to become technically more efficient in pressurized situations. It also helps them tactically because they are repetitively placed into both defending and attacking situations, this allows them to be involved in the game for longer periods and they are not wondering when they may touch the ball again.

Although many people may feel that the small sided game concept is relatively new, realistically even those that played 11 a-side growing up also played small sided games. I got all of my touches on the ball during practices and when playing in the street with my friends. If I had been able to show what I had done in my practice sessions in the games I am sure I would have probably loved and respected the game even more than what I do today.

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