How we do soccer and why
At Greenbelt Soccer Alliance, our guidelines for providing soccer to local youth are those of the US Soccer Federation (USSF) and the US Youth Soccer Association (USYSA). These are the organizations that develop players for the most competitive environments with the ultimate goal of providing players for the US National Teams that can compete successfully internationally. But these same guidelines are ones that encourage the largest soccer participation in a very fun environment at the youth levels.
The guidelines for the young players involve the use of small-sided soccer provided in a reduced-pressure environment where league standings are not maintained, minimum playing time is guaranteed and the emphasis is on fun and development of fundamental technical and tactical soccer skills. This is the format followed in our recreational soccer program. Here is an expanded discussion about USSF and USYSA guidelines, the rationale behind them and what we do at Greenbelt SA to follow them. Here is our blog-posting about why we encourage play with small numbers on small fields at the youngest ages. The small-sided league that we participate in is the PGSI league in Hyattsville. For older players, we place recreational teams in the Takoma Soccer league.
At the U12 level and above, we offer access to both recreational and selected/travel soccer. Delaying selected soccer no earlier than U12 is consistent with the recommendations of USSF. Selected soccer is for those players who are seeking a more challenging environment and who are willing to commit more time to developing their soccer skills. These teams follow a year-round schedule of soccer activity and play in the Baltimore Beltway Soccer League and the Anne Arundel Youth Soccer Association leagues.
By combining the opportunities listed above we are able to offer a developmentally appropriate increase in team size, field size and complexity of play as the child ages. For example, the sequence of playing formats as a function of age that we offer is as follows:
1st/2nd grade: 4v4
3rd/4th grade: 5v5
5th/6th grade: 6v6
U12 BBSL: 8v8
U12 AAYSA: 9v9
Takoma or U13 AAYSA or BBSL: 11v11
References
The guidelines for the young players involve the use of small-sided soccer provided in a reduced-pressure environment where league standings are not maintained, minimum playing time is guaranteed and the emphasis is on fun and development of fundamental technical and tactical soccer skills. This is the format followed in our recreational soccer program. Here is an expanded discussion about USSF and USYSA guidelines, the rationale behind them and what we do at Greenbelt SA to follow them. Here is our blog-posting about why we encourage play with small numbers on small fields at the youngest ages. The small-sided league that we participate in is the PGSI league in Hyattsville. For older players, we place recreational teams in the Takoma Soccer league.
At the U12 level and above, we offer access to both recreational and selected/travel soccer. Delaying selected soccer no earlier than U12 is consistent with the recommendations of USSF. Selected soccer is for those players who are seeking a more challenging environment and who are willing to commit more time to developing their soccer skills. These teams follow a year-round schedule of soccer activity and play in the Baltimore Beltway Soccer League and the Anne Arundel Youth Soccer Association leagues.
By combining the opportunities listed above we are able to offer a developmentally appropriate increase in team size, field size and complexity of play as the child ages. For example, the sequence of playing formats as a function of age that we offer is as follows:
1st/2nd grade: 4v4
3rd/4th grade: 5v5
5th/6th grade: 6v6
U12 BBSL: 8v8
U12 AAYSA: 9v9
Takoma or U13 AAYSA or BBSL: 11v11
References