Rules:

There are only a few rules.

To have fun.
No goalkeepers.
No throws-ins or goal-kicks
Minimize stoppages
For U4: 3 v 3, for U6 4 v 4
No keeping score - it is totally irrelevant
Praise everyone for playing, even if your son or daughter scores in the wrong net.

Why No Goalkeepers?

I don't want to get into the why nots too much, but the basic idea with micro soccer is to have the children just playing soccer. Who cares what the score is.

Micro soccer is for little kids to develop feet skills, foot-eye coordination, timing, movement and obviously kicking. Running after the ball and that whole sense of movement as a group.

A goalkeeper prevents some child the joy of scoring a goal. At this level, we want kids to score goals, a sense to accomplishment, to have fun.

Lastly, the kids will hopefully run like a heard, it is quite scary seeing 6 kids charging at one little 3 foot nothing goalkeeper ...

Field Dimensions

Not really that important - the width on a mini soccer pitch is a good guide. 30 yards long by 20 yards wide. use the disks as a boundary line.

Do not use the mini soccer field - it is too long.

Ball Size

Size 3

Goals

Use the mini nets provided or two cones about 4 feet apart

Games:

U4 and U6 teams are made up of a roster of 10 players.

We want two games going on at the same time Each game is run by one coach. If both teams have less than 6 players, then make up one game, but when there is more than 6 players always two games.

Never EVER have more than 3 "substitutes" sitting.

If necessary use the "bibs/pinnies" to make a more balanced group of players (i.e. one team has 3 players and another team has 9 players, use the bibs and create 6 v 6 and have one games of 3 v3)

As you get to know the kids, you may want to group the "stronger" players together and play them against the "stronger" opposition players.

If you have 2 games going on, and 5 players per game you obviously have 2 "substitutes". Get a parent to look after these two kids. After 3 minutes of playing soccer, blow your whistle, stop the game, get 2 players to go off and two players to come on.

Make sure they are ready and then start the game - not with a "kick off", just drop the ball and say "GO".

"Ball out of bounds"

Too much detail goes into the ball is out of bounds - stop the kids by voice or whistle if you have too. Get the ball, throw it back on to the field, and say "GO".

Keep the kids moving at all times .....

Have fun

Mark Letheren

Revised: 31st May 2008