So that you can prepare the matches for the weekend we recommend you ask parents for their child’s availability well in advance. Ideally you would have a heads up over the coming weeks but also ask for updates and availability on a Monday morning and encourage/train parents to respond promptly. This enables you to select which players needs to “rested” if you have too many players and demonstrate that players are being treated fairly. Also encourage parents to get in to the mindset of reporting any illnesses or injuries in good time to avoid the situation where we get told on the morning of a match that the player has been ill for a couple of days and can’t play.
Mini-soccer: for 5-a-side matches It is best to have only 8-players, and for 7-a-side matches 10 players at a mini soccer game to avoid too many getting cold or bored on the side-lines however the relevant league rules dictate the maximum permitted squad sizes for each age so you have freedom to operate up to these but cannot go over them.
Youth Soccer: for 9-a-side a maximum of 12 players is suggested, and for 11-a-side a maximum of 14 is recommended but again, you are able to work within League maximum player rules at older age groups especially where you are likely to have larger squad sizes to deal with more unpredictable attendance throughout the season.
You will probably find that on many occasions the team selects itself with some children being unavailable through absence or illness or injuries. By selecting in advance, you can, if needed, rest the stronger players for the games against weaker opposition and vice versa.
If you have a player who is considerably weaker than the others, do not play them in defence or goal by default. At the younger age groups, goals are often considered to be the “fault” of the defence or goalkeeper according to the other children and this can result in undue pressure being put on the weaker players. It can be easier to “support” a weaker player in a midfield or striker position. If your team doesn’t have a natural keeper you will usually have two or three players who can provide cover in this position. Change the keeper at half. If you have 2 dedicated keepers then some of their outfield time may be better utilised for substitution time.
Substitutions
Mini soccer games are typically 20 or 25 minutes each half depending on the age group. Broadly, this means that all players who are registered should get a fair share of football. Substitutes in all competitions are “roll-on roll-off”. This means players can come on, go off and come back on at any stage. Substitutes should be organised so that in mini-sided games everyone plays most of the match.
Examples
- For an U8 team (20 minutes each way), this may mean you need to have substitutes after 13 minutes play and again after 26 minutes. This needs to be thought out in advance!
- In an 11 a side game, you might plan it like this:
- Using a squad of 13, in an U13 game (30 minutes each way), you could change two players at 20 and 40 minutes, guaranteeing 40 minutes play for the subs.
Equal Playing Time
The club has a philosophy of “Equal Playing Time” which applies over an extended period in the season, not to each and every match in isolation. This means that you may give the weaker players extended time in the less competitive games or that you can take in to account fitness and injuries. If a player has a higher rate of absence then this doesn’t
“Equal Playing Time” inevitably forces a manager to make changes when they don’t want to. Therefore, substitutions should be thought out before the game starts.
There will be a few occasions when “Equal Playing Time” during a match may be inappropriate; managers should abide with the spirit of this rule rather than applying it without exception.
Even in a Red team in an older age group where there may be a greater emphasis on playing to win, all players should still receive their fair share of pitch time. Remember, EVERY PARENT pays the same subscription to the club. So… EVERY CHILD gets their fair share of playing time.