After 10 solid years in the big smoke, I realized that, at heart, I was a small town boy. Even in a soccer sense, Smalltown has some big advantages to Bigtown. Smalltown tends to have more time, space, manageable player numbers, breathable air, & perhaps a stronger sense of community. These are perfect ingredients to make a small-sided soccer program work for your club.
The notion of small-sided soccer was not new to me three years ago, but I had only heard about it. I had never seen it in action. Then I met friend & colleague Mark Marshall, Club Head Coach for the Aurora Youth Soccer Club. He kindly spent the time to show me how it was done in Aurora. Mark’s program, based upon Micro Soccer, is excellent, however, it dawned on me that we could take this type of programming to a new level in Orillia because of the aforementioned advantages that Smalltown has to offer.
In general, the case for small-sided programming is well developed & does not need to be expanded upon here. However, the need for small-sided programming in Smalltown is absolutely critical if Smalltown players are ever to have the chance of competing alongside Bigtown players on any sort of wide scale. Quite simply, Smalltown does not have the population base or the expertise to consistently produce these types of players.
OBSTACLES
Selling the idea is the toughest part of all. Obstacles you will face are varied, & not limited to, the logistical - appropriate field space & sizes, coaching numbers, etc., & the philosophical - you know, the people who justify 11v11 at U6 with the line, “Our kids are just here for fun”. Converting these types can be time consuming, but not as difficult as may be originally perceived. My favourite rebuttal is this: “If you’re kids are having fun now, imagine what kind of fun they will have if they actually get to touch the ball?” And this is the number one reason I believe in small-sided programming. Not because it produces better coaches & players, which it does, but because the kids have more fun!
Most clubs have a mission statement that reads something like this, “The Smalltown Soccer Club’s mission is to promote & develop the game of soccer in the Smalltown area”. It’s time that the Club Membership demands that the club attempts to fulfill the mission. More fun equals more participation (and, potentially, registrants). More participation equals a stronger Club League. A strong Club League has obvious benefits to its membership & to the community.
If your club doesn’t have a mission statement, it’s time to develop one.
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT: Your salesmanship can only be as good as your knowledge of the issues. Research the available resource material, the proliferation of which now makes small-sided soccer programming easier than ever. If you’re reading this, then you’ll know about Tony Waiters’ Micro Soccer. You’ll also know of Bobby Howe’s excellent associate work regarding Micro Soccer, Mod Soccer, & Coaching 9,10, & 11 Year Olds-The Golden Age of Learning. But you should also be aware of Horst Wein’s Soccer Development Model (available through Human Kinetics), & the fun games that the Soccer Academy (www.thesocceracademy.com) bases its programs on. This is in addition to the course material your provincial or state association, &/or the NSCAA may provide you with. It’s all good stuff so use it! Use it to sell your Board of Directors on the merits of small-sided programming. After all, experienced professionals who work with young players day in & day out have produced this material. They can’t all be nuts can they?
Program Logistics
Let’s face it, field space & management is the biggest obstacle you will face when implementing small-sided programs. But don’t panic, you may have the facilities you need right under your nose. Below is a brief description of the 4-Step Orillia Way. Take note of the field sizes & then we will discuss options to get you your fields. All field sizes below are approximate.
1. Micro Program
Format: 3v3 (2 plus the ‘Keeper)
Level: U5, U6, & U7
Practice Structure: Coaches follow supplied practice program & are supported with clinics
Size 3 Ball
Frequency: 1 session per week for U5 & U6, 2 sessions per week for U7
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Duration: 1 hour
Field Dimensions: 30 x 20 metres
Penalty Box: None
Penalty Spot: No penalties
Six-Yard Box: Standard size & is known as ‘The Goalkeeping Zone’
Goals: 3 m
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Micro fields are easy. All you need is level grassy areas capable of handling 20x30 metre fields. In Orillia, the City lines the fields & we have nets. In Aurora, we mark the fields with cones & use corner flags as goals. Micro fields can literally go anywhere provided you are improvisational. One tip though, I find it very helpful to have all micro fields centralized in one location. Some of us can do this, some can’t. For additional information, visit www.worldofsoccer.com & read up on Micro Soccer.
2. Mod Program
Format: 5v5 (4 plus the ‘Keeper)
Level: U8 & U9
Practice Structure: Coaches design practice but are supported with material & clinics
Size 4 Ball
Frequency: 1 session & 1 game per week
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Duration: 1 hour
Field Dimensions: 50 x 30 metres
Penalty Box: 10 m
Penalty Spot: 9 m
Six-Yard Box: Standard size
Goals: 6 m
Centre Circle: 6 m diameter
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These field sizes may prove to be the biggest challenge because of the lack of ability to use sections of existing fields & their markings. But like the Micro Field, improvise using disk markers, corner flags, &/or portable goals. Three of these fields will easily fit onto one standard field. If you have the space to create new pitches, then obviously your problem is solved.
By the 2002 season, our players in Orillia will not see 11v11 soccer until 12 years of age. The more I watch 11v11 U10 & U11 rep soccer, the more comfortable I get with these small-sided programming ideas.
3. Mini Program
Format: 7v7 (6 plus the ‘Keeper)
Level: U10
Practice Structure: Coaches design practice but are supported with material & clinics
Size 4 Ball
Frequency: 1 session & 1 game per week
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Duration: 1 hour
Field Dimensions: 60 x 40 metres
Penalty Box: 12 m
Penalty Spot: 9 m
Six-Yard Box: Standard size
Goals: 6 m
Centre Circle: 6 m diameter
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Mini Fields are a perfect fit for half of a standard field. All you need to do is play across the field & use different colour paint for the mini markings. Use the 6-yard box to create one touchline (And avoid injuries from post collisions) & create the other touchline approximately 5 yards in from centre. The only other ingredient you need to tackle is a couple of portable goals that are safe & easy to access.
During the 2001 season, we held the first Mini-Soccer tournament in Orillia history & marked the fields as above. The most positive comments we received were regarding the facility. By all accounts, the fields were fabulous.
4. 9v9 Program (In development)
Format: 9v9 (8 plus the ‘Keeper)
Level: U11
Practice Structure: Coaches design practice but are supported with material & clinics
Size 4 Ball
Frequency: 1 session & 1 game per week
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Duration: 75 min sessions, 70 min games
Field Dimensions: 80 x 55 metres
Penalty Box: None-depending on severity, fouls in the defensive half are awarded direct kicks or penalty kicks
Penalty Spot: 9 or 10 m
Six-Yard Box: None, use the ‘D’ of the standard field
Goals: 6 m
Centre Circle: Standard
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Again, a standard field can be redressed to suit your needs. Place a portable goal on the edge of each penalty box & you will have the perfect length needed for this program.
Isn’t it curious that the N.S.C.A.A Advanced National Diploma is based upon the 9v9 playing model? I wonder if other clubs are willing to go the extra mile & create 9v9 play at U11. In my humble opinion, even Rep or Travel Team soccer should be 9v9 at this level. 9v9 creates a solid bridge between Mini Soccer & the standard game.
NOTE: IF YOU HAVE TO, ERR ON A LARGER FIELD SIZE. THE MORE THE BALL IS OUT OF PLAY THE MORE TIME AWAY FROM THE REAL PURPOSE - PLAYING.
AND ANOTHER THING…
With this mixture of field sizes available, you now have a battery of training facilities for your older players. Whether it is a Rep or Travel Team, House or Club League Team, or just a good old fashioned kick around, you will now have appropriate sized fields for many types of small-sided scrimmages & training.
UH-OH, ANOTHER COACHING PROBLEM…
Coaches do not grow on trees. In Smalltown, recruiting coaches can tend to be even tougher than in Bigtown perhaps due to the increased exposure the game has in the larger centers through television & ethnic circles. Small-sided programming equates to needing more coaches because the group size is reduced & this simple fact causes Executive members to writhe. The upside is that coaching becomes less intimidating due to the improved coach to player ratio. Furthermore, in Orillia & Aurora, we further reduce the coaching mystique by offering series of pre-season & in-season clinics geared towards the coach’s specific needs at specific stages of their development.
PRACTICE PRE-PLANNING PROGRAM
In both Orillia & Aurora, Micro Coaches are required to follow a preplanned practice structure supplied by the Club Head Coach. There are a few benefits:
- Makes coaching simple & reduces anxiety for prospective volunteer coaches.
- Reduces annual coach attrition.
- Ensures all players get equal opportunity.
- Ensures the playing environment is focused on fun & development of skills & not on competition.
- An excellent coaching development tool.
- Ensures higher participation numbers at coaching clinics (because everyone wants to know how to use the program!).
At the end of the day, coaches must learn how to plan their own practices as they progress. But at this stage of the game, prospective coaches appreciate & actually get excited by the support they receive from the club. Indeed, my experience has indicated that coaches appreciate any support they can get from the club at ALL LEVELS OF PLAY! And top level coaches are no different. They are always looking for fresh ideas & methods, & quite often get them through their own support network.
ROLE OF THE CLUB HEAD COACH
If you are a convert, reality must set in. It is vital that this type of programming be implemented & monitored by qualified individuals, preferably a professional. The simple reason is that you get what you pay for. If you want it to be right, & you endeavor to give your kids the best you possibly can, you will look at contracting a professional. Clubs who have taken this step still provide soccer relatively inexpensively (at least, this is the case in Canada) & reap the benefits. Indeed, in Aurora & Orillia people continue to offer, ‘How can we not afford to have this stuff? My kids are worth it.’
A Word Of Caution: Be careful how quickly you implement change. The ‘Hungry Dogs’ will be lined up at the gates waiting for you to fail, & when you make a mistake, they will pounce.
Acknowledgments:
Many thanks to Mark Marshall not only for the practical introduction to small-sided soccer, but for comments that helped shape this article.
Thanks to the Orillia & District S.C. & The Aurora Youth S.C. for observing that the road needs paving.
Ian Skitch is Club Head Coach of the Orillia & District Soccer Club & is on staff with the Aurora Youth Soccer Club. Ian is a Canadian ‘C’ Licensed Coach & holds the NSCAA Advanced National Diploma.
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Implementing Small-Sided Programs: Smalltown Fertilizer for Grassroots Soccer