Whitepaper on “Why Short Sided Soccer” and Solutions

Prepared by National Coaching Commission

Why all Executive members should vote yes on the Short Sided Soccer Rules and Regulations proposal being submitted by the National Coaching Commission and supported by the National Referee Commission, National Management Commission and the National Tournament Commission.

The AYSO National Coaching Commission has been promoting AYSO “Short Sided Soccer” for 20 years and yet there are some people in our organization who honestly believe that the AYSO “Short Sided Initiative” is new.

Short-sided soccer games are more fun for young players because fewer players are sharing one ball.

Short sided soccer will improve player development while enabling each young player to develop technically and tactically at a much faster rate than playing in a traditional 11 a-side setting.

Young soccer players (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12-year-olds) need special consideration. They are children playing a child’s game and children must be regarded as young children, not mini adults.

Very few players learned to love and play the game playing 11 a-side. They played in the streets or on the playground with their friends or they just can’t remember that far back (or refuse to).

All educators agree the early learning experiences are the most important and produce the most retention. Additionally, educators find that because children are young and are essentially self-oriented, they relate naturally to a friend or two and not to large groups.

Short sided soccer affords fewer players on the field. Each player gets more touches on the ball and has a greater opportunity to change location in a fast-flowing, fluid game.

Playing short sided soccer allows players to make simpler decisions and will develop a better early understanding of organization and shape of play as well as learning what playing off the ball should look like.

Short sided soccer encourages risk-taking and risk taking is a good thing.

Playing short sided soccer forces all players to become more involved in the game.

Playing short sided soccer helps with all players becoming more fit, they have to run (or at least) move more.

Children learn to play by playing not by watching other children play.

Because of the small numbers and the simple nature of the game the best teacher is the game itself.

By reducing the number of players on the field it encourages more shots on goal by all players, which means more goals are scored or at least more shots are taken.

The rest of the world is playing short-sided soccer.

Parents in this country fight hard to have fewer children in a classroom thereby creating the best possible learning environment and yet on the soccer field those same parents feel that more is better, go figure.

Keep in mind that most great soccer players (past and present) played their early soccer in unsupervised games in the streets, on the beach or in the parks.

U.S. Soccer has mandated short-sided for all U.S. Youth Programs.

U6 3 against 3 no goal keepers

U8 4 against 4 no goal keepers

U10 6 against 6 with goal keepers

U12 8 against 8 with goal keepers

U13 + 11 against 11 which includes goal keepers

The AYSO National Coaching program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE) based partly on advocating short sided play in U12 and below. The mission of NCACE is a not-for-profit organization whose essential function is to encourage continuous improvement in the professional knowledge and competence of athletic coaches. The NCACE review provided the process for the assessment of the adequacy of educational programs to meet the minimum requirements for formal education and practical experiences prescribed in the Guidelines for accreditation of Coaching education.

Still afraid of short-sided soccer? Don’t be. The truth is short sided soccer will improve the development of all aspects of the beautiful game. The technical, tactical, physical fitness, creativity, and problem solving levels of all players involved in a short-sided soccer program will be greatly enhanced if they play short-sided soccer.

AYSO promoted short-sided soccer before it was fashionable to do so. Short-sided play is not a vision of the future. It must be now, because it is what’s best for young AYSO soccer players today just like it was 20 years ago. Please vote in favor of the Short-sided soccer Rules and Regulations change being proposed by the AYSO National Coaching Program.

Will the change to Short Sided Soccer be difficult? Maybe, but, difficult or not it is the right thing to do for the kids and the game.

Short Sided Play Solutions

The AYSO National Coaching Commission has created a challenge solutions list to aid all Regional Commissioners who are about to do the right thing for the children playing AYSO soccer in their region.

Changing an AYSO soccer program to an AYSO soccer program that plays Short Sided may cause a few challenges initially. However, we should all keep in mind that children playing short sided at the U-12 and below level is the best thing a region can do for the kids and the game.

ü All regional boards must become problem solvers.

ü All regional boards must be creative.

ü All regional boards must be positive.

ü All regional boards must be committed to the goal of playing short sided soccer.

Challenge: Lack of field space and need to schedule more games.

· Utilize current available space more efficiently.

· Ask businesses to use their front lawns for a few U6 or U8 games on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

· Layout small sided fields in parks (between trees) using cones and PVC goals. You will be surprised how many 15X30 yard fields there are in parks.

· Don’t allow practice time for the U-6 divisions, only have game night. In one hour, sixty children can play on a full size field by playing across the field using cones and PVC goals.

· Change game days. Play U6 games on Monday nights, play U8 games on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

· Start games earlier in the day.

· Play games until it gets dark.

· Ask people to use their yards.

· Talk to your local schools about using their grass (baseball fields, football fields, softball fields and practice fields).

· Consider reducing length of all games.

Challenge: Need to recruit more coaches.

· Determine how many volunteers you will need.

· Appoint a Volunteer Coordinator.

· The recruiting process should be organized

· Target new parents, they want to be involved in their children’s lives.

· Get some seniors involved, they love children and have no agendas.

· Use upper division players for coaches, they love to coach (just provide adult supervision).

· Make coaching FUN!

· Make coaching rewarding.

· Get more women coaches.

· Determine when and where to recruit

o A region should be able to recruit 90% of the volunteers that they need at registration.

What are other recruiting opportunities?

o Game Days

o Practices

o Late Registrations

o Events (opening day ceremonies, community activities, posters at fields, etc...)

o Advertisements (posters at fields, newsletters, websites, etc,)

o Ask everyone

o Ask parents as they come in the door at registration.

o Say: “We need every parent to volunteer in some way. Please help us.”

o Don’t assume that parents will know that you need volunteers. They need to be asked.

Note: Regions currently playing full short sided AYSO soccer have stated that they found it easier to recruit U6/U8 coaches due to the smaller number of players – less stress and intimidation.

Challenge: Need more Referees.

Short-sided soccer is an ideal training ground for new and youth referees.

Conclusion:

AYSO promoted short-sided soccer before it was fashionable to do so. Short-sided play is not a vision of the future; it must be now, because it is what’s best for young AYSO soccer players today just like it was 20 years ago. Please vote in favor of the Short-sided soccer Rules and Regulations change being proposed by the AYSO National Coaching Program.

Will the change Short Sided Soccer be difficult? Maybe. But difficult or not, it is the right thing to do for the kids and the game and AYSO has always done what is best for the children playing AYSO soccer and the “Beautiful Game”.