UNDER 6-9 Important Information for Coaches
- Your role is to make the football experience fun for all of those involved in the team (i.e. families, players, referees, etc…) and help develop the players as much as possible.
- During games please only give positive support and minimal instruction.
- Free kicks can be given for tripping, hand ball, dangerous play. Game leaders should only call these where the offending team has gained advantage or if the foul needs to be highlighted to a player. The less calls the better. Discuss these with the opposition coach prior to the game starting.
- Players should enjoy the experience – please do not focus on scores or winning but rather on playing, skills and fun. There are no competition tables up to & including U11
- In essence there are only a few rules in the game, just get the ball and try to score in the other team’s goal.
Remember it is the responsibility of all adults to help players on all teams enjoy the experience. Below are some hints which dominating team coaches can use. Encourage your team or dominant individuals in that team to:
- beat one player and then pass once past them
- dribble towards a player or group of players and then pass just before getting to them
- pass the ball back or to the other side of the field before they shoot at goal
- pass the ball with their non-dominant foot only
- dribble the ball with their non-dominant foot only
- shoot the ball with their non-dominant foot only
- all the previous 3 together
NOTE: The main aim of this is to help both teams. Please use the above hints to achieve this aim
The Rules
4 v 4 – Under 6 and 7
- Squads of 6ish players • Field 20 x 30m • Goals 2 x 1m
- Only outside markings. No penalty area
- Ball size 3 and yes it needs to be round
- No goalkeeper (GK)
- 20 mins halves with 5 min half time.
- Referee should be coach/manager (share half each)
- Ask players not to stand in front of the goal
- Kick or dribble the ball in from where it goes out
- The other team must be 5m away. 3 seconds to get in, referee calls “Ready, Set, Go!”.
- If ball goes over the backline it’s a goal kick or dribble from anywhere ON the back line. Other team goes behind half way line. There are NO corners. Ball must touch a team mate before a goal can be scored from a dribble in.
- When a goal is scored a kickoff is taken from half way
- Goals can’t be scored from kickoffs, freekicks, goalkicks, kick-ins (after deflection OK unless it is kicked dangerously at a player).
- Ball is out or a goal is scored when the whole ball crosses the whole line.
- Interchange must happen near halfway with a high five on the outside of the line, by the player coming off to the player going on, before the player coming on enters the field. MAKE SURE PLAYERS GET EQUAL TIME (interchange sheets at www.ghfa.com.au)
7 v 7 – Under 8 & 9 (Suggest you play a 1-3-3 formation)
As above except:
- Squads about 9 players
- 35m x 50m field
- Non Competitive
- No offside.
- Have a GK (5m GK Circle marked)
- Goals 1.5m x 5m
- Throw-ins from sideline
- No “Ready Set Go”.
- GK can only handle ball in area and can only throw or roll the ball if he picks the ball up.
- Goal kicks are taken from inside the area and cannot be touched by the opposition until it is outside the area. Defenders 5 metres back.
- No direct free kicks or penalties
- Team stands 5m back on indirect free kicks. Those given inside GK area to be taken to no closer than 5m from goal.
9 v 9 – Under 10 & 11 (Suggest 1-3-2-3 formation)
- Normal Competitions rules
- 25 min halves
- Squads about 12 players
- Competition table
- 45m by 70m field
- Min. 6 players to take the field
- Normal field markings
- Offside rules apply
- 5m away on free kicks
- U9 Non Competitive
- Direct free kicks allowed
- Penalties can be given