January 15, 2008

The Logistics of Small-Sided Games- Part II

Koach Karl - here is Part II of Tom Turners Article on Small Sided Games…

The Logistics of Small-Sided Games

Part II: Field Logistics by Tom Turner

OYSAN Director of Coaching and Player Development

Field logistics

With 60 players in the U-6 division, a maximum of ten 25×20 yard fields would be required for all the players to compete at one time. In the U-8 division with 100 players, the maximum number of 40×25 yard fields required would also be ten.

U-6’s

If the playing space is an open park area, creating fields is a simple matter of laying out cones and planting corner flags; making ten small fields takes only a few minutes for a small group of adults.

If the playing spaces must be created on existing soccer fields, the following guidelines would apply. On an 80×40 yard field, which is currently used for some 8v8 games, six 25×20 yard fields (three long by two across) can be created to accommodate up to 36 U-6 players (six games x 6 players). If the existing goals are fixed, the games will all share a common sideline and the central games will also share common goal lines. In the case of fixed goals, each field should be shortened by 2 yards to create a buffer zone in front of the goalposts and eliminate any possibility of collisions. However, if space is available, starting to mark the fields to the outside of the fixed goals, will require that only the central games share a common boundary. If space is available and there are no fixed goals, all the shared lines can be eliminated by creating a five-yard buffer between each field.

3v3	3v3	3v3
3v3	3v3	3v3

On a 100×50 yard space, which is a small regulation soccer field, eight 25×20 yard fields (four long by two across) can be created with shared goal lines and a 10-yard walk-space in the center. Lining out the fields in this way also avoids any potential collisions with fixed goals. In this space, 48 children (8 games x 6 players) can play at one time with three fields on each half sharing goal lines. If the regulation goals are not fixed, a buffer zone can be created between each field.

3v3	3v3	3v3	3v3

3v3	3v3	3v3	3v3

If the existing space is a regulation soccer field of 120×75 yards, twelve 25×20 yard fields (four long by three across) can be created to accommodate up to 72 U-6 players (twelve fields x six players). No shared sidelines would be necessary and a buffer area must be created in front of any fixed goals. Starting the fields on the top of the respective goal areas will still provide for two to three yards of buffer space between each field.

3v3	3v3	3v3	3v3

3v3	3v3	3v3	3v3

3v3	3v3	3v3	3v3

U-8’s

If the playing space is an open park area, creating ten 40×25 yard fields is again achieved by dropping cones and planting corner flags.

On an 80×40 yard field, two 40×25 yard fields can be created to accommodate up to 16 U-8 players. The fields should be organized across the width of the existing space to eliminate any possibility of a collision with fixed goals and to avoid the need for a common sideline.

4v4

On a 100×50 yard space, four 40×25 yard fields (two long by two across) can be created with shared sidelines and a walk-space across the existing center of the field. In this way, 32 U-8 players can compete at one time. If the regulation goals are fixed, the field marking should begin at the top of the goal area.

4v4		4v4
4v4		4v4

If the existing space is a regulation soccer field of 120×75 yards, five 40×25 yard fields (one in each corner and one vertically in the center) can be created to accommodate up to 40 U-8 players (five games x eight players). No shared sidelines would be necessary.

4v4		4v4
	4v4
4v4		4v4

To summarize: In our scenario, with 60 and 100 U-6 and U-8 players respectively, the number of fields required to accommodate the players at one time, without any major substitutions or absences, would be as follows. If only a limited number of fields are available, playing groups can be staggered in relation to the space available.

	80×40 yard fields	100×50 yard fields	120×75 yard fields
U-6’s 60 total players	Up to 36 players per field 2 fields required for 60 players	Up to 46 players per field 2 fields required for 60 players	Up to 72 players per field 1 field required for 60 players
U-8’s 100 total players	U to 16 players per field 6 fields required for 100 players	Up to 32 players per field 3 fields required for 100 players	Up to 40 players 3 fields required for 100 players