Thompson Junior Soccer Introduction to Soccer

Anatomy of a Soccer Pitch The two longer boundaries are touch lines The two shorter boundaries are goal lines Pitch is separated by a halfway line A centre mark is located at the midpoint of the halfway line and is surrounded by a circle At each goal line is a goal Extend out of the goal is the goal area Beyond the goal area is the penalty area Within the penalty area is the penalty mark Part of circle centered on the penalty area extends beyond the penalty mark

Basic Rules for Timbits Fields will be marked with lines and include a goal area and halfway line Size 3 soccer ball to be used Optimal format is 6v6 with 2x12 minute halves and a snack break Hats are allowed No jewelry No tied shirts When the ball goes out of play, the game resumes with a kick-in Only the keeper may be in marked goal area Substitutions must wait for the referees signal Coaches are encouraged to be out on the field with players but may not directly interfere with play

Basic Rules for Under 9s Fields will be marked in yellow with the halfway line and goal area marked Size 3 soccer ball to be used Optimal format is 6v6 with 2x20 minute halves and a snack break Only the keeper may wear a hat No tied shirts No jewelry When the ball goes out of play, the appropriate return to play is employed Only the keeper may be in marked goal area Offsides will not be called Substitutions must wait for the referees signal Coaches are encouraged to stay off the field with players but may step on to facilitate play Play time is split equally amongst all players No League standings or results recorded

Basic Rules for Under 12s Fields will be marked in yellow with the halfway line and goal area marked Size 4 soccer ball to be used Optimal format is 9v9 with 2x30 minute halves No hats No tied shirts No jewelry No foul language will be tolerated When the ball goes out of play, the appropriate return to play is employed Offsides will not be called Substitutions must wait for the referees signal Coaches may not step onto the field of play Play time is split equally amongst all players No League standings or results recorded

Basic Rules for Seniors Full sized fields will be marked in white with all field markings Size 5 soccer ball to be used When the ball goes out of play, the appropriate return to play is employed Optimal format is 11v11 with 2x45 minute halves No hats No tied shirts No jewelry Foul language is red card offense Offsides will be called Substitutions must wait for the referees signal Play time is split equally amongst all players

Understanding Offsides In simplest terms, the attackers may not receive a pass behind the line created by the last two defenders Further explanation can be found in the FIFA rules of the game

Preferred Training Model Canada Soccer believes every player deserves the best possible soccer experience. Whether they dream of playing for Canada's National Team or simply want to have fun with their friends, taking the right approach to the game when children are young sets the stage for a lifetime of enjoyment. The Canada Soccer Pathway provides a road map for players of all ages and aspirations who want to play soccer at the recreation, competitive or high performance EXCEL levels, with the aim of encouraging lifelong participation. The Pathway is built around the principles of Long-Term Player Development (LTPD).

CSA Canada Pathway Program

Long Term Player Development LTPD is designed to give players an optimal soccer experience at every stage by putting their needs front and center We don't expect kids to compete in spelling bees without first teaching them their ABCs When young children are thrust into a soccer environment that over-emphasizes winning a game at the expense of developing skills and having fun. The negative consequences can last a lifetime; some kids develop bad habits, poor skills, and can be discouraged. Many don't achieve their performance potential, and others end up leaving the sport altogether because they don't enjoy the game.

Preferred Training Model The Preferred Training Model makes it easy for volunteers to get involved. They run one station 4 times with different kids, gaining experience in one aspect of the session. Once volunteers learn the station they can move to another station and develop their skills until they are ready to move on, increasing their training repertoire Volunteers and coaches can work in pairs or 3s on a station so the kids have greater supervision and feedback The PTM makes it easier for parents/volunteers to get involved as there is less pressure with having to run a station in comparison to running an entire practice. PTM takes the importance of winning a game away – kids don’t need a score to be competitive – this will come from all mini activities and skill sessions

Preferred Training Model Ideally you would have 2 volunteers per station with facilitators and coaches overseeing all the stations. Great way to meet new kids, interact with different kids every practice Meet new coaches in a fun non-pressured environment Rotate stations so kids get to experience different mini games keeping it simple, fun, and are based on basic principles of play

Thank You Thank you all so much for taking the time to encourage the development and love of soccer in our Thompson players Remember that without volunteers like you, there can be no soccer for these kids!