Itroductory Rules of Officiatig Small Sided Games Uder 6 &Uder 8 O F F I C I A L S HANDBOOK 1
T his hadbook is iteded to be used i cojuctio with the US Youth Soccer Small-sided Game Official s classroom istructio. This 30-miute class will iclude a review of all of the iformatio i this hadbook as well as tips o how to maage the game, recogize a foul ad hadle difficult situatios. For more iformatio o this Hadbook ad cotiuig your referee istructio, please cotact your state associatio or US Soccer for iformatio o the video, The Myths of the Game. Cotets Player s Code...4 Welcome to the World of Soccer...5 The Game i the Child...6 Describig the Player...7 Characteristics of U6 Childre...8 Characteristics of U8 Childre...9 Special Thaks to the US Youth Soccer Natioal Referee Committee Chairma: Wally Lyslo Regio I Member: Frak Giacroce Regio II Member: Gary Huber Regio III Member: Erie Begaud Regio IV Member: Lida Velie & Ellie Siger The Game Withi the Child Dr. Ro Qui Characteristics of Uder 6 & Uder 8 Childre ad Describig the Player are excerpts from the US Youth Soccer Paret Coach Primer by; Dr. Tom Fleck ad Joh R. Cassaboo Advatages of Playig Small Sided Games... 10 3v3 Guidelies for U6... 12 4v4 Guidelies for U8... 18 Adult Participatio... 24 Players Rights... 25 Ready to Begi?... 26 1999 Uited States Youth Soccer Associatio 899 Presidetial Dr. #117 Richardso, Texas 75081 1-800-4SOCCER www.youthsoccer.org 2 3
Player s Code Play the game for the game s sake Be geerous whe you wi. Be graceful whe you lose. Be fair always, o matter what the cost. Lear ad follow the Laws of the Game. Work for the good of your team. Accept the decisios of the officials. Believe i the hoesty of your oppoets. Coduct yourself with hoor ad pride. Welcome to the World of Soccer... Soccer is a uiversal sport. Every coutry i the world plays it. You ad your child are joiig over 3,000,000 youth players of US Youth Soccer. Go aywhere ad you will be able to play ad to become a part of the local actio. 4 5
The Game i the Child The youth soccer player is defied as ay child from pre-school through adolescece. The GAME WITHIN EACH CHILD is at the ceter of all decisios ad actios take by the child, coach ad orgaizatio. It is the ultimate goal of youth soccer developmet withi the Uited States to ulock the game withi each child to reach the child s full soccer potetial. Describig the Player Ayoe ivolved i coachig youth sports must uderstad the fact that all childre grow at varyig degrees with regard to the developmet of their mids ad bodies. Though we have a tedecy to lump childre together i our educatioal ad sport activities, we must uderstad that the best way to characterize them is by their idividual differeces. Childre come to us at a chroological age of five, six, seve, eight or ie, which shows that they are similar i chroological age oly. At the ages of five through ie, childre are either fillig or legtheig their bodies, ad o group of them does either at a exact time. Further, the physical aspect is but oe part of the differetial i their growth sice, as their bodies are growig ad chagig, so too are their thikig ad psyche. We must be very aware ad sesitive to their maturity ad metal developmet. Through our uderstadig of this developmet, we ca better set our level of commuicatio. Some five year olds come with a very serious outlook o matters... while others are so frivolous, that from momet to momet, the passig of a airplae or a butterfly will completely capture their attetio. That is ot to say we stad aroud ad wait for them to grow; it is to say that is the ature of the player with whom we are dealig. Sice we are discussig a team sport, the social developmet of these youg people is also a cosideratio. Factors like family groupig ad/or placemet withi the family, coupled with the varied experieces they have had, are iflueces o their social growth. So the make-up of this perso comig to us to become a soccer player is multiple ad diverse. The itet of the previous discussio is to assist you i your observatios ad aalysis of your players. Further, usig the above as a frame of referece, you may feel more cofidet i traiig sessios with your players. 6 7
Characteristics of U-6 Childre Let s ow tur our attetio to some more specific otios of the characteristics of this youg perso kow as the developmetal player. Short attetio spa most are idividually orieted (me, my, mie) Costatly i motio Psychologically easily bruised Characteristics of U-8 Childre Attetio spa beyod U-6 but still ot exteded Iclied more toward group activities Still i motio Still very sesitive. (Dislikes persoal criticism i frot of peers) Begiig to develop physical coordiatio (Most ca ride two wheeler at this poit) Little or o cocer for team activities Physical ad psychological developmet of boys ad girls quite similar Eye had ad/or eye foot coordiatio most primitive Love to ru ad jump Prefer large soft balls ad Nerf balls Catchig skills ot developed Ca balace o good foot NO SENSE OF PACE (GO FLAT OUT) This refers to their racig aroud i games util complete exhaustio sets i, at which poit they stop, breathe, the restart at a torrid pace agai. Still ito ruig, jumpig, climbig ad rollig. More ito the real game through imitatio of big guys. (Sports heroes becomig importat) STILL LACK SENSE OF PACE. (GO FLAT OUT) Soccer is a sport that aids i psychomotor developmet of boys ad girls. 8 9
Advatages of Playig Small-sided Games Beefits to the Child: More time with the coach More practical space to be successful Icreased umber of cotacts with the ball More actual playig time Eergetic workouts due to playig both offese ad defese Required to make more decisios Experiece repeatig game situatios more frequetly The work rate ad ivolvemet of a player stays cosistet While learig both offese ad defese, a player will become more complete ad will uderstad more readily the roles ad importace of teammates The smaller ball is lighter ad more easily kicked, trapped, dribbled ad passed. Beefits of the Small Field: More efficiet use of space Games ca be played simultaeously across a full size field Childre are physically more efficiet i smaller space Takes less time to achieve goal or advace to goal, more successful Childre are actively ivolved for a loger period of time The game is simple ad ca be played without adult ivolvemet. However, the games do have rules that players must lear to abide by. Basic Rules: Player Safety Player Fu Respect Sportsmaship These basic rules apply to players, coaches, parets ad spectators. 10 11
3v3 Laws of the Game Soccer has 17 rules called Laws of the Game. US Youth Soccer Guidelies for Uder 6 The Field flat, grassy field; its legth o more tha 30 yards or less tha 20 yards ad its width ot more tha 20 yards or less tha 15 yards. The field will have distictive markigs called boudary lies. These lies make the field ito a rectagle as diagramed below. Oe additioal lie divides the field i half (the halfway lie). The purpose of soccer is to score goals so goals must be placed o either ed of the field legthwise. Goals ca be two coes set a few feet apart or a more formal goal that looks like a hockey goal (Six feet wide by four feet high) Coes, flags or discs ca be used if goals with ets are uavailable. The Ball required size 3. Larger balls are heavier ad take the fu ad safety out of the game. Make sure there are plety of balls to go aroud but oly oe is eeded for the game! Maximum umber of players will be determied by your local associatio. US Youth Soccer recommeds that U6 play 3 v 3. Teams ad games may be coed ad EV- ERYONE plays a miimum of 50% of the game. Substitutios are allowed ay time the ball is out of play. There are NO Goalkeepers. 12 13
¹ Players Equipmet-Players will wat to wear a shirt, shorts, socks ad a good pair of ruig shoes. Some may wear soft-cleated soccer shoes. Shi guards are required for safety reasos ad should be covered by a pair of high socks. Clothig should ot be restrictive.» Assistat Referees-Not used i the small-sided game. ¼ Duratio of the Game-Game legth will be determied by your local associatio. Games for this age should last approximately 30-40 miutes. US Youth Soccer recommeds o more tha 4 equal 8-miute quarters. This recommedatio makes it easy for the coach to give each player equal time ad allows rest betwee quarters. There should be a 2-3 miute break betwee periods for water ad physical recovery. US Youth Soccer recommeds substitutios betwee quarters to esure that all players preset play a miimum of 50% of the game. ½ Start of Play-All players must be i their ow half of the field with oe team kickig off. Oppoets must be 3 yards from the ceter mark at the kick off. º Officials- (Game Maager, Coordiator, Observer, Director, Paret Voluteer/ Coach) Your job is to keep the playig eviromet FUN, SAFE ad focused o the child. I additio you eed to keep time, eforce the rules, stop ad restart the game. Whe you stop the game because of a foul, ball out of play, goal or aother reaso, take the time to explai to the players why! This is their first experiece with soccer, too, ad the BEST time to educate all o the Laws of the Game. Before the game decide who will kick off to begi the game ad the chage the kick off team at the begiig of each quarter. Kick off is iteded to esure possessio ad must go forward to a teammate. The ball is ot kicked to the other team. ¾ Ball I ad Out of Play-Whe the WHOLE of the ball goes over the WHOLE of a boudary lie, the ball is out of play. Puttig the ball back ito play will be discussed later. Remember, the FUN of the game is movemet of the ball. Whe everyoe has to stop to restart the game, the FUN has left the game for the momet. Try to keep the ball movig ad ot be too eager to call the ball out of play. 14 15
10 Method of Scorig-A goal is scored whe the WHOLE of the ball goes over the WHOLE of the part of the goal lie defied by the coes or actual goal. Scorig goals is possibly the MOST fu a soccer player has durig a game. Give players every opportuity to score a goal. 11 Offside-Offside is ot used i the small-sided games. 12 Fouls ad Miscoduct-Fouls ca ad will occur eve at this level. All fouls shall result i a idirect free kick with oppoets at least 3 yards away. Kicks or attempts to kick a oppoet Trips or attempts to trip a oppoet Jumps at a oppoet Charges a oppoet Strikes or attempts to strike a oppoet Pushes a oppoet Tackles a oppoet to gai possessio of the ball, makig cotact with the oppoet before touchig the ball Holds a oppoet Spits at a oppoet Hadles the ball deliberately Plays i a dagerous maer Soccer is a cotact sport ad each actio is dealt with at the time it occurs. Explai the foul i simple terms, restart ad let the game cotiue. 13 Free Kicks-All free kicks will be idirect. That meas that a goal may ot be scored util the ball has bee played or touched by a secod player of either team. All opposig players should be 3 yards away. 14 Pealty Kick-Not used i smallsided games. 15 Throw-i Replaced by the kicki. Whe the ball goes completely over oe of the loger boudary lies last touched by a player o Team A, a player o Team B shall kick the ball back ito play. This is football let s play the ball with the feet ad get comfortable with the ball. More touches meas better techique! 16 Goal Kick-If the team attemptig to score a goal kicks the ball over the goal lie outside the goal posts, the opposig team puts the ball back ito play with a goal kick. The kick should be take withi 2-3 yards of the goal ad opposig players must be 5 6 yards away. 17 Corer Kick-Use a idirect free kick with the oppoet 3 yards away. If the team defedig agaist a goal beig scored, kicks the ball over the goal lie outside the goal posts, the opposig team puts the ball back ito play with a corer kick. Impedes the progress of a oppoet 16 17
4v4 Laws of the Game Soccer has 17 rules called Laws of the Game. US Youth Soccer Guidelies for Uder 8 The Field flat, grassy field; its legth o more tha 50 yards or less tha 40 yards ad its width ot more tha 30 yards or less tha 20 yards. The field will have distictive markigs called boudary lies. These lies make the field ito a rectagle as diagramed below. Oe additioal lie divides the field i half (the half-way lie). Goal Area: 3 yards from each goalpost ad 3 yards out from the goal lie. This goal area is optioal. The purpose of soccer is to score goals so goals must be placed o either ed of the field legthwise. Goals ca be two coes set a few feet apart or a more formal goal that looks like a hockey goal (six feet wide by four feet high). Coes, flags or discs ca be used if goals with ets are uavailable. The Ball required size 4. Larger balls are heavier ad take the fu ad safety out of the game. Make sure there are plety of balls to go aroud but oly oe is eeded for the game! Maximum umber of players will be determied by your local associatio. US Youth Soccer recommeds that U8 play 4 v 4. Teams ad games may be coed ad EV- ERYONE plays a miimum of 50% of the game. Substitutios are allowed ay time the ball is out of play. There are NO Goalkeepers. 18 19
¹ Players Equipmet-Players will wat to wear a T-shirt, shorts, socks ad a good pair of ruig shoes. Some may wear soft-cleated soccer shoes. Shi guards are required for safety reasos ad should be covered by a pair of high socks. Clothig should ot be restrictive.» Assistat Referees-Not used i the small-sided game. ¼ Duratio of the Game-Game legth will be determied by your local associatio. Games for this age should last approximately 40-45 miutes. º Officials- (Game Maager, Coordiator, Observer, Director, Paret Voluteer/ Coach) Your job is to keep the playig eviromet FUN, SAFE ad focused o the child. I additio you eed to keep time, eforce the rules, stop ad restart the game. Whe you stop the game because of a foul, ball out of play, goal or aother reaso, take the time to explai to the players why! This is their first experiece with soccer, too, ad the BEST time to educate all o the Laws of the Game. US Youth Soccer recommeds o more tha 4 equal quarters. This recommedatio makes it easy for the coach to give each player equal time ad allows rest betwee quarters. There should be a 2-3 miute break betwee periods for water ad physical recovery. US Youth Soccer recommeds substitutio betwee quarters to esure that all players preset play a miimum of 50% of the game. 20 21 ½ Start of Play-All players must be i their ow half of the field with oe team kickig off. Oppoets must be 5 yards from the ceter mark at the kick off. Before the game decide who will kick off to begi the game ad the chage the kick off team at the begiig of each quarter. Kick off is iteded to esure possessio ad must go forward to a teammate. The ball is ot kicked to the other team. ¾ Ball I ad Out of Play-Whe the WHOLE of the ball goes over the WHOLE of a boudary lie, the ball is out of play. Puttig the ball back ito play will be discussed later. Remember, the FUN of the game is movemet of the ball. Whe everyoe has to stop to restart the game, the FUN has left the game for the momet. Try to keep the ball movig ad ot be too eager to call the ball out of play.
10 Method of Scorig-A goal is scored whe the WHOLE of the ball goes over the WHOLE of the part of the goal lie defied by the coes or actual goal. Scorig goals is possibly the MOST fu a soccer player has durig a game. Give players every opportuity to score a goal. 11 Offside-Offside is ot used i the small-sided games. 12 Fouls ad Miscoduct-Fouls ca ad will occur eve at this level. All fouls shall result i a idirect free kick with oppoets at least 5 yards away. Kicks or attempts to kick a oppoet Trips or attempts to trip a oppoet Jumps at a oppoet Charges a oppoet Strikes or attempts to strike a oppoet Pushes a oppoet Tackles a oppoet to gai possessio of the ball, makig cotact with the oppoet before touchig the ball Holds a oppoet Spits at a oppoet Hadles the ball deliberately Plays i a dagerous maer Soccer is a cotact sport ad each actio is dealt with at the time it occurs. Explai the foul i simple terms, restart ad let the game cotiue. 13 Free Kicks-All free kicks will be idirect. That meas that a goal may ot be scored util the ball has bee played or touched by a secod player of either team. All opposig players should be 5 yards away. 14 Pealty Kick-Not used i smallsided games 15 Throw-i Replaced by the kicki. Whe the ball goes completely over oe of the loger boudary lies last touched by a player o Team A, a player o Team B shall kick the ball back ito play. This is football let s play the ball with the feet ad get comfortable with the ball. More touches meas better techique! 16 Goal Kick-If the team attemptig to score a goal kicks the ball over the goal lie outside the goal posts, the opposig team puts the ball back ito play with a goal kick. The kick should be take withi 2-3 yards of the goal ad opposig players must be 5 6 yards away. 17 Corer Kick-Use a idirect free kick with the oppoet 5 yards away. If the team defedig agaist a goal beig scored, kicks the ball over the goal lie outside the goal posts, the opposig team puts the ball back ito play with a corer kick. Impedes the progress of a oppoet 22 23
Adult Participatio 1. Provide trasportatio to ad from practice ad games esurig that the player is prompt ot oly i arrivig but also i departure. 2. Stay ad watch practices as well as games ad led the youg players your support i a positive maer. Do ot poit out their mistakes leave that up to the coach, but dwell o their accomplishmets as well as their efforts. 3. If uable to atted the practice or game, ecourage child ot to talk with or leave practices or games with stragers. 4. Esure child brigs equipmet to ad from all soccer games ad practices whe appropriate. 5. Be available to kick the ball aroud with your child whe you are ivited to do so. 6. Avoid material rewards. Build a attitude of the rewards lie i the fu of beig able to play. 7. Be a good listeer. Make players feel importat ad let them kow that they are cotributig to a team effort. Player s Rights 1. The right to decide whe to participate i soccer. 2. The right to play i every game. At youger ages, every child should have a opportuity to play at least 50% of every game. No child should have to stad ad watch at practice. 3. The right to participate at a level that correspods to each child s maturity ad ability. 4. The right to be taught the fudametals of soccer. 5. The right to participate i a safe ad healthy eviromet. 6. The right to ot hear disagreemets with the coach or officials from adults. They do ot belog o the soccer field. Questios, iput ad positive suggestios should be voiced to the coach ad/or club i a adult atmosphere. (The youth player should ot be preset.) 7. The right to play as a child ad ejoy participatio i the sport. 8. Be positive. Never criticize. Suggest a alterate way if they are ot performig correctly. Hey, that is pretty good, but why do t you try it this way. 9. The overall purpose is to ejoy the game ad the opportuity to be with your child at the field of play. 10. ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO BE A CHILD. 24 25
Ready To Begi? Before the game starts, ask the opposig coaches: 1. Duratio of the game? 2. Quarters or halves? 3. Whe will they make substitutios? Remid them it should take place whe the ball is out of play. Before the game starts, talk to both teams: 1. Let them kow who you are ad what you will be doig durig the game. 2. Do a coi toss the team wiig the toss chooses the goal they will defed; the other team kicks off. 3. Remid them that soccer is FUN ad safety is your primary cocer. Start of Play: 1. Both teams should be i their ow half of the field 2. Ball is i the ceter o the halfway lie. Game: 1. After the ball is i play you follow play close eough to see what is goig o but ot so close as to iterfere with the players. 2. If the ball goes completely over oe of the loger boudary lies you whistle to stop play ad idicate that the restart will be a kick i. 3. If the ball goes over the shorter boudary lie (goal lie) ad o goal is scored, the restart will be either a goal kick or a corer kick remember Law #16 or #17. 4. Durig play if you see a player carelessly commits oe of the fouls i Law #12 you whistle to stop play, explai to the offeder what was doe wrog ad let the oppoet restart play with a idirect free kick from the spot of the foul. 5. At this level of play, clumsiess, iexperiece, lack of skill ad eageress are the most commo fouls. 6. Use your watch to keep track of time ad stop play whe time rus out. 3. Oppoets of the team kickig off must be 3 yards for U-6 or 5 yards for U-8 from the ball util it is touched by the kickig team. 4. Tell the teams to wait util you whistle or sigal. 26 27
For more iformatio, please cotact US Youth Soccer 1-800-4SOCCER www.youthsoccer.org 28