The golden rule for all coaches at all levels: It generally takes at least five positive comments to overcome a single negative statement directed to a kid. Use positive reinforcement/motivators.This is true for your players AND for your refs.

Play to equal sides – if a team is down a player, the other team can loan a player or both teams can go down a player (for example, U9 play is recommended at 7 v 7 – but 6 v 6 works just fine if one team has only 6 or 7 players).

Avoid Blowouts! Playing equal also means AVOID BLOWOUTS! If the other team goes up by 4-ish goals –the team that is down should put another player on the field (e.g., play 8 v 7).

Dominant Players – If there is a player dominating play – please don’t ask that player to “take it easy” on the field – developmentally, the rationalization an adult will give probably won’t feel very fair or make sense to the player and it doesn’t help that player grow. Instead try:

• working on the player in different positions (Defense? Want to try a little goalie?)
• give them adequate rest (Are they playing more than others in order to “get the win”?)
• encourage them to try to improve their passing
• challenge the player to get a teammate into the scoring circle
• encourage the other coach to slip another player on the field, and
• talk to the area coordinator and parents! Perhaps that kid is just ready to play in an older age group OR needs an outlet with LSC United Select Team.

RULES

U5 – This age group is all about fun and all about the players as individuals, it should not be concerned with developing competition or team-based competitive values. Developmentally, these kids are working on coordination and functioning in a group setting can be difficult. When the kids engage in soccer scrimmages:

• play should be 3 v 3 or 4 v 4.
• Coaches should discuss how they want the flow of the game to proceed before the start:
• Will lines be liberally interpretted to keep the game flowing (think bumper soccer)?
• Use kick-ins or throw-ins for out of bounds?

U6/8 RULES

• There is no goalie. Goals are small.
• The games should be kept fun and flowing.
• These kids are learning coordination and individual ball skills.
• Passing is plus when it happens and learning to spread out on the field is more possible when there is less emphasis on winning and losing.
• There is buildout line on goals kicks to prevent the “poached goal” AND to give a shot at practicing passing from out of the back (not a “boot-it”)
• Coaches can be on the field to help kids move, find space and encourage play.
• Generally, concern about winning and losing will be counterproductive to developing player skills at this level.
• Games should include throw ins and goals kicks –these are opportunities to teach correct throw-ins but should not halt a game because of bad throw-ins or result in awarding a throw in to the other team
• About the only penalty or restart in this game is due to unacceptable physicality and this should simply result in a restart after addressing the behavior. Hand balls are going to happen and a simple reminder to not use hands should be sufficient.

Developmentally, kids should be working on ball handling skills and the confidence to challenge another player either with the ball or to defensively attack the ball; most will not have a good sense of team or strategy and it is not yet time to get there. Making connections with one other player on the field during the game is a about where most players will be at this age group. Practicing passing will help broaden the horizon but may be a relatively small part of actual play. 

U9/10 RULES – This is looking like soccer we know

• There is a goalie (so 6 players out in the field). The goalie cannot punt or drop kick the ball.
• The games should be kept fun and flowing.
• A simple restart on intentional hand balls (self-defense hand balls or inadvertent hand balls are play on) – NO PENALTY KICKS IN THE BOX!
• These kids are transitioning from emphasis on individual ball skills to passing. The size of the field encourages development of short and quick passing skills.
• There is buildout line on goals kicks to prevent the “poached goal” AND to give a shot at practicing passing from out of the back (not a “boot-it”). All players from the other team must move behind the buildout line until the ball is played. This is also true for goalie possession.
• Games include throw ins, goal kicks and corner kicks – these are opportunities to teach correct throw-ins but should not halt a game because of bad throw-ins or result in awarding a throw in to the other team.
• Play typically becomes a little more physical at U9; the focus is going for the ball.
• Generally, concern about winning and losing will be counterproductive to developing player skills at this level.

Developmentally, kids should be feeling comfortable with ball handling skills and the confidence to challenge another player either with the ball or to defensively attack the ball, as well as to make a move to open up a passing opportunity. Players should begin to recognize team concepts and likely will be interacting with 1-3 players during any given stretch of the game. Most will still not have a good sense of team strategy and it is not yet time to get there; instead, this should be time to develop spatial awareness on the field and to begin to move the ball laterally as well as up and down the field. This is especially important given field and roster sizes.

U11/12 RULES

• Play numbers include goalie. The goalie cannot punt or drop kick the ball.
• OFFSIDE IS IN FORCE but players should still be encouraged to attack the goal. Getting called for offsides just means you are going for it! Remember: Offsides occurs when a player is in an offside position and becomes involved in the play. A player can be offsides and, if not influencing the play, can drop back to an on-side position without stoppage of play. Offsides also is called from when the ball is played – so if a ball is kicked toward the corner and the offensive player takes off as soon as it kicks and arrives behind the defense before the ball – not offsides! Also – the ball defines offside. So if a player dribbles in (or during corner kicks) the position of the ball not the position of the defense, becomes the limiting factor – this facet seems to give the kids (AND PARENTS) the hardest time.
• A simple restart on intentional hand balls (self defense hand balls or inadvertent hand balls are play on) – PENALTY KICKS IN THE BOX ARE DISCOURAGED!
• Like the U9s many of these kids are transitioning from emphasis on individual ball skills to passing. The field size oopens up a lot – players should be encouraged to use it.
• There is a buildout line on goals kicks to prevent the “poached goal” AND to give a shot at practicing passing from out of the back (not a “boot-it”). The field size is bigger and for many U11s boot it is not a viable option. All players from the other team must move behind the buildout line until the ball is played. This is also true for goalie possession.
• Games include throw ins, goal kicks and corner kicks – encourage better technique throughout the season.   By the end of the season, one team warning on bad throw in technique should suffice; all others result in a change of possession.
• Play typically gets physical at U11; the focus need to be going for the ball; contact is part of the sport.
• The kids are tracking team performance, and whether you do or not, are keeping score. Again, avoid blowouts, keep it competitive.

Players should begin to recognize team concepts and will be interacting with 1-3 players during any given stretch of the game.   They should begin to be comfortable with switching the field of play and with dropping the ball back to maintain possession. Offsides will likely continue to be a fuzzy area for most U11s and tactical strategy is only beginning to develop – simple isolation strategies –like give and go’s should develop.

U13 RULES

• Play numbers include goalie.
• OFFSIDE IS IN FORCE but players should still be encouraged to attack the goal. Getting called for offsides just means you are going for it! Remember: Offsides occurs when a player is in an offside position and becomes involved in the play. A player can be offsides and, if not influencing the play, can drop back to an on-side position without stoppage of play.   Offsides also is called from when the ball is played – so if a ball is kicked toward the corner and the offensive player takes off as soon as it kicks and arrives behind the defense before the ball – not offsides! Also – the ball defines offside. So if a player dribbles in (or during corner kicks) the position of the ball not the position of the defense, becomes the limiting factor – this facet seems to give the kids (AND PARENTS) the hardest time.
• A simple restart on intentional hand balls (self-defense hand balls or inadvertent hand balls are play on) – PENALTY KICKS ARE ON!
• Most players should be confident with ball skills although some development should continue.   Passing skills will be variable but passing is an integral part of the U13 game. The field size opens up a lot – players should be encouraged to use it.
• There is no buildout line on goals kicks (except for play at TBAYS).
• Games include throw ins, goal kicks and corner kicks – encourage better technique throughout the season.   By the end of the season, one team warning on bad throw in technique should suffice; all others result in a change of possession.
• Headers are allowed but should be minimal –not be incorporated into practice.
• Play typically gets physical at U13; the focus need to be going for the ball; contact is part of the sport. Yellow and red cards enter the game. A player receinving a red card (or two yellow cards) is ejected from the field of play and the affected team has to play down (no substitute).
• The kids are tracking team performance, and whether you do or not, they are keeping score. Again, avoid blowouts, keep it competitive