I don't see the "build out" line as being controversial. It merely prevents a youth tactic of pushing players forward to the penalty area to win balls on goal kicks or keeper distributions. Although you see this happen a lot, the better practice is to prohibit it, and some clubs already do. Moreover the build up line is only 4 yards past the 10 yard edge of the penalty area. How is that controversial? The real impact of the rule is that players will not be able to challenge keepers in the box even if the keeper puts the ball on the ground. I believe it is a mistake to teach youth a tactic that conflicts with the senior game, just to gain a competitive advantage in a youth match. Even a high pressure defense will not normally press into the penalty area. The line of confrontation will usually be behind the "build" up line. The distance from the half line to the penalty area is usually about 40 yards. Most teams pressing with the forward line limit the distance between forwards and backs to 25-35 yards to avoid opening up too much space between the lines. So you end up with a "3/4" field press. As to prohibiting punts, this is no different than prohibiting punts in any small sided game or limiting keeper distributions in the indoor game. Again it should not be controversial. Any goal keeper is going to be able to distribute the ball well up the field without punting. At U10 most kids can throw effectively almost as far as they can punt. Moreover prohibiting punting (a keeper technique) encourages keepers to use the fundamental field player passing skills. This is clearly intended to have U10 keepers using instep drives instead of punts. How is that controversial? It often happens in the modern senior game.
Again, because you view it in the abstract without any practical experience. Most people are OK with a build out line, just not THIS build out line because it creates more problems than it solves. It's not far enough away and it requires unnatural stoppages in play. I have never seen a single U10 keeper who can throw a ball as effectively as he can punt it. U10 punts are probably 100% further than U10 throws on average, with similar accuracy. So now the U10 goalkeeper has no means of keeping the opposition honest when they push their entire team forward to trap defenders in possession who receive it short.
I can go either way here. Some kids can punt, some cannot. Some can throw, some cannot. Some know proper technique, others don't Heck when I ref, without full time goalkeepers, girls will go to the top of the box and distribute with a throw-in technique because they can't throw it far. Understand its about making the players, better, building confidence, etc. and as I coach I try to instill that in my players now. Looking around the landscape of the area where I coach, I have reservations that this, while well-intended is going to cause problems.
We coach differently. With U10s 3v3 I usually started a progression with unbalanced sides in about 10 x 10 yard space without goals. The first progression was to add players. After we worked to even sides, the next progression was to add a directional element (zones, goals, end lines). Sometimes I tightened the space by moving the lines or by going to 4v4 in the same space. Last year I played in an adult 3v3 exercise in a smaller space than that (NSCAA course). U10s can only effectively pass 15-20 yards (under match conditions). I often would use that as a basis for the diagonal dimension of the "square" playing area. What I wanted to see was pass and movement and 1-2s. Small spaces induce movement off the ball and combination passing. I always planned the size of the exercise areas a head of time, but that was just the starting point. I would adjust the size of the areas until I saw the movements that I wanted. When I adjusted the cones, I paid no attention to the distances, just the player movements.
I really hope they tried this U10 format out on some test groups of differing skill levels before putting it into effect. My guess is that they did not try it out at all and instead cooked it up in a laboratory. If they tried it out at all, they most likely tried it with elite level players. Problem is that elite level players can make just about any format look like a good one. I've seen the highest caliber 14-15 year old players in my region play 9v9 on a 35x30 yard field with goals that were three feet wide and they did some incredible stuff out there. It was crowded and messy but there were moments of sheer brilliance. On the other hand, throw some average level travel soccer players into the same format and it will look like garbage with the ball pinging all over the place and winding up out of play with great regularity.
For the most part, and I say this as someone who works with GK's, the kids at that age have a really tough time cupping/cradling the ball for the overhead throw at that age. Of course how much practice you have with it at that time has some bearing, but overhead usually looks like a QB passing to a receiver. Some of it is the hands arms are not big enough with the size 4 ball.
@dcole, quit trying to make this personal. I haven't just read widely on the subject. Everyone, including you, knows that I "claim" to have over 50 years of playing experience and 20 years of coaching experience too. So what you are actually insinuating is that I am a liar as well as ignorant. Please stop with the personal comments.
I'm not trying to make it personal. Have you seen a U10 team play 7v7 on a 47x30 yard field? If you have seen that and have adjudged it to be appropriate, then that is your opinion and you are fully entitled to it. You have never stated anything similar to that though, so I get the impression that you are opining on this in the abstract. My recollection is that you have not coached in a very long time, only coached a few seasons of youth soccer and your youth teams played 11v11 on a full field. If I have that wrong, feel free to set the record straight.
I don't understand that comment. A soccer overhand throwing technique is not a football passing movement with a cocked arm. The technique I taught is more like a windmill movement with the arm extended. The wrist and hand with fingers extended curve around the ball, cupping the ball in effect as it is whipped overhead. The trajectory is high and controlled by how early you release the throw, but that is why it is good for long distributions. While kids usually can punt further, they have more accuracy and less hang time with the overhand throw than the punt.
Yeah, I've never seen a U10 make even a single overhead throw with proper technique for the very reasons you mention. They can't grip the ball properly to allow for it. It's more like a javelin throw or, as you say, a football throw. Youngest players I have seen properly execute an overhead keeper throw are 11-12 year olds and even with that group it's only the exceptionally large keepers who can do it.
I know exactly what you are saying. I call it a catapult. Throw with the whole arm. Kids tend to throw it more like a football or baseball, with the hand.
Yes. I have as a youth coach and as a parent of a youth player seen 7v7 or similar sizes played on half a youth field (often half an elementary school field) or even a quarter field area many, many times over the years. That is typical of a scrimmage at the end of a practice. I have seen many more as an adult coach and player waiting for the youth teams' practices to end so I could use the field.
My experience is different. Not only from coaching, but also from raising two keepers. The crook of the wrist helps keep the ball steady in the kid-size hand during the throw. Used to be kids knew how to do this type of throw from playing dodge ball in school gym classes. No more gym classes. No more agility.
Fair enough. I think the vast majority of youth coaches would disagree that 47x30 is an appropriate size for U10s to play 7v7, but then again the brain trust at US Soccer is on your side.
May be possible to teach it. I haven't tried and do not generally train my kids to play goalkeeper. That said, I've never seen it, so it's at the very least extremely rare. And I'm quite sure that US Soccer would have banned overhead throws if they thought youth keepers were using them in lieu of punts with any degree of regularity since their goal is not to ban punts, per se, but to ban long-ball.
Throws are pretty safe for non-keepers to teach kids. You can use some fun games like dodgeball or play a soccer variation using the hands instead of feet. Jeff Benjamin's website addresses both these throwing techniques and others. http://www.jbgoalkeeping.com/distribute.html
PS: Looking at Jeff's website reminded me of drop kicks. I don't suppose referees are going to allow drop kicks.
The only time I have my U10 keeper punt is when the opponent is "cheating" up field to shut down our short distribution game. If the other team knows you'll never go long, then they push their entire team forward and make it impossible to play short without getting demolished. same theory for why run-heavy football offenses have to mix in a few throws to avoid having the other team "stuff the box." With punts banned, my keepers will have to learn to throw it long to serve this purpose.
Its not a punt. USSF, tell me what the rules are and I will enforce them, whether I agree with them or not. Thank God they are readjusting the offside to be reasonable once again.
I didn't want to point this out previously, because everyone was already complaining that the field sizes were too small. But the field and goal sizes are maximum sizes rather than a specific field and goal size. They are also game standards, not practice requirements. The chart I saw indicated that 6x18 could still be used for any game older than U8 (who are playing 4v4 with no keepers). The large number of 7 x 21 goals is a problem. They would have to be used either for practice goals or for games older than U12, although the adults are going to want U13 and U14s to play on adult size fields. Frankly setting a maximum size for goals seems counterintuitive to me. I would think you would establish a minimum size for goals, especially for 4v4.