Diablo FC U9, U10 & U11 teams to play 8v8 in 2009-2010; U12 teams to play NorCal Premier

December 8, 2008

Director of Coaching Brian Voltattorni has announced two changes for the coming season for younger Diablo FC teams taking part in US Club Soccer and Norcal Premier.

All U9, U10 and U11 Diablo FC teams will play 8v8 through the 2009-2010 season in league games, tournaments and cup competitions. This marks a change for U11 teams who previously played 11v11. Because of the smaller-sized games, Diablo FC intends to have 3 teams each for boys and girls in the U9, U10 and U11 age groups.

In addition, U12 teams from Diablo FC will take part in Norcal Premier League and US Club Soccer cup competitions during the coming season.

This Dec. 8, 2008 edited message is from NorCal Premier:

Over the past few months, Norcal Premier has met twice with many of the Coaching Directors of the largest Northern California US Club Soccer sanctioned clubs (including Diablo FC), to present ideas for discussion and feedback to help improve future programs.

At the first meeting we proposed some changes for next season, and discussed them with the Directors before asking them to bring these ideas back to their clubs for further review. Many of the proposed changes were not new ideas - rather they were ideas long under consideration by the Coaching Directors.

A month later we met again for further discussion and decisions.

We have two major changes to announce:

#1 - Graduate U11s into U12s within the US Club Soccer/NorCal Premier Program

We are excited to announce the clubs in attendance agreed to continue their U11 boys and girls teams in US Club Soccer events, Norcal Premier Leagues and the Norcal Cup.

It is tremendously pleasing to see the soccer clubs benefiting so much from the US Club Soccer and Norcal Premier rules allowing player movement within age group pools, flexibility in moving players up to other age groups and the ease of registration process - both for events and player passes.

In addition, new soccer clubs are being developed and established clubs are growing and expanding, offering many more players the opportunity to play, learn and enjoy our wonderful sport while belonging to a soccer club that promotes year-round programs and the excellence that creates.

#2 - Play U11s in an 8-a-side format rather than 11-a-side

The Club Directors in attendance enthusiastically agreed to play 8-a-side with 2009-2010 U11 teams. This means the teams will not play 11-a-side until they reach the U12 age group.

The goal is to have less players on the field. It is recognized less players mean more touches and more action for the players. This will help facilitate the development of "individual player skills" that are now recognized as the most important element of youth soccer - along with what makes it all possible - a love for the game! The directors agreed this format is preferable to 11-a-side for the younger age groups. In fact, the clubs, including Diablo FC, will change their tournament formats for those age groups to 8v8 as well.

One of the most significant studies comparing 4v4, 7v7 and 11v11 soccer was published in Scotland in 2006. Here are some of its findings:

SMALL-SIDED GAMES STUDY OF YOUNG FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN SCOTLAND: INDEPENDENT CONSULTATION PAPER

Grant Small, University of Abertay Dundee

According to current research (Winter, 2005; Insight, 2004; Manchester United, 2003), the ability of children to make decisions in a difficult, ever-changing environment will be dictated by their developmental age, their preparation and the complexity of the situation. Professional educators and football coaches from around the world are agreed that the small-sided game is the best developmental tool for under 13s considering all the information. Also, the use of the 4v4 and 7v7 games are the best means of teaching the technical and tactical [decision making] parts of the game in preparation for the adult game.

Many believe that the large size of an 11v11pitch, even at its smallest dimensions, is too big for children due to the fact that they spend large amounts of time running around or standing still without even touching the ball with very limited passing interaction as well as skill and technical development. The limited time a child touches the ball will not allow appropriate time to develop the basic skills of which many of our international counterparts carry out so successfully. Ultimately, this will result in relatively low skill levels among young players in Scotland, which in turns leads to a number of children becoming disenchanted and leaving the sport.

In Scotland today, the PMP (May 2003) Youth Football in Scotland: Structure and Development review, Executive Summary report recommends that all football for U12s boys & girls is small sided. However, some coaches still allow children to participate in full-sized, 11v11 games. Examples of eight, nine and 10-year-old children playing 11-a-side matches on a full-size pitch is still occurring too frequently and without a definitive, well argued policy, based on evidence, the game will always fail to give young people the most appropriate experience in which to learn our national game.

More than 15 years ago the move towards small-sided football was discussed at national level. In particular, the then Technical Director of the SFA Andy Roxburgh (now Technical Director for UEFA) pioneered the small-sided game as the best means of developing the game for children. "The small-sided games principle was based on sound educational and developmental evidence. Children learn in a progressive and sequential way using a building block approach. According to existing research the belief is very much that the 11-a-side game is a game designed by adults for adults and should be seen as the last part of the learning journey. Therefore, the 7-a-side game is the intermediate step and the 4v4 game is the first step in the ladder."

Findings clearly indicate that in both formats players receive repeated touches far more often in the small-sided format (4v4 and 7v7) than they do in the full-sized game. Children will touch the ball up to five times more in the 4v4 format than they will in an 11-a-side game. The differences are considerable as well when the 7v7 is compared to the full 11v11 game, where players touch the ball on average 50% more often.

We know this is also the format followed by many countries around the world and in many areas in the United States for players ages 11 and below. The proposal was enthusiastically accepted by all of the club directors and representatives.

This means the entire 2009-2010 season league and cups will be played in an 8v8 format beginning in Spring 2009. The games will be played on the same type of smaller sized fields as U9 and U10.

Norcal Premier believes clubs should form as many teams as possible in these age groups thereby allowing a increasingly greater number of players to experience your club and club soccer. There are enough levels in Norcal Premier Soccer Leagues and Cups structure to train teams at all levels.

It is unreasonable to expect a young player who loves soccer to continue to learn and improve when they are not allowed to play the World Season, but are provided with a few month`s participation often between two other sports.

Offering the experience of "Club Soccer" to young players in your area, allows them to benefit from a fuller involvement with soccer, higher level coaching and being a part of a true soccer club like Diablo FC. It also helps your club develop their own base of players who are properly introduced to the joy of playing soccer and who are educated properly from an early age. This will help your club, the game and the players who love our sport.

Let every family know - that Norcal Premier Soccer and the over 200 Norcal clubs are dedicated to the players, families, club officials, coaches, managers, fans and community members who understand the many values found in building and nurturing clubs and teams for the young - and older - players who love to practice, play and participate in our wonderful and universal sport!

Thanks,

Benjamin Ziemer on behalf of Norcal Premier Board of Directors