Question Number: 15750

League Specific 6/11/2007

RE: All Under 11

Michael McCarthy of Huntington, WV USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 9139

A quick follow-up regarding small-sided U10 play and the question writer's concern that goalkeepers will merely punt the ball to each other on a small field: US Youth Soccer's Official U10 Playing recommendations include the following modification to Law 12: "an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the center spot on the halfway line if a goalkeeper punts or drop-kicks the ball in the air form his/her penalty area into the opponent's penalty area."

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Another version of the "too long punt" rule I've seen is if the keeper kicks the ball across the midfield line on the fly, after having held it in his hands. It would be better to make the field large enough so that only an exceptional goalkeeper would have a punt long enough to reach the other penalty area.

In my opinion, too many of these small-sided rules modifications have been made by a committee of people mainly associated with higher levels of the game, and who have not seen a U8 or U10 game in years. They severely underestimate the abilities of these players, and dumb-down the game to their perceived notions of how "little kids" should play. Many of these committees don't include referee input, so they make up rules that become difficult to impossible to administer out on the field.

When our regional select league implemented new small-sided rules for 6v6 U9 and U10, they changed all but 2 of the 17 Laws of the Game, totally eliminating about a half-dozen of them. They even managed to inadvertantly change penalty kicks into an indirect kick - at least they corrected that in the 2nd year. Still, why can't select players figure out offside and how to do throw-ins? Our local u7 recreational players manage it - older select teams can't?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Thanks for the input Michael. I didn't take the time to research that when I answered the question. Good points Ref Voshol has made concerning the infinite wisdom of committees.

Regards,