I smirk when I hear parents say "KICK IT !"

Often times at youth soccer games, more specifically at the 08U, 10U, and 12U levels, I often hear parents and fans along the touchlines (on the side) state

KICK IT !

Remember, when you have given up on the ball and KICKING IT the ball is given back to the other side.

DO WE REALLY WANT THAT ?

From a technical skill perspective, yes we want the player to kick the ball appropriately.   

BUT 

 

We also want the player as to when to make the RIGHT decision as to WHEN to kick the ball.

 

Can a 8U ( 6 or 7 year old ) kick the ball spectacularly from the defending half of the field  to  1) another player in transition or 2) score a goal!

NO!

In the defending 1/3 of the field, the player (6 or 7 year old - who is still learning the game ) - we need the player to 

Possess the ball with more graceful touches on the ball with first touch, then second touch and then third touch and so on.    

THEN

To make the right decision because at this point, the player would have won the 1 v 1 situation and then make the right decision to 

1) pass the ball (OR)

2) keep possession (OR)

3) yes if in the attacking half or attacking 1/3 of the field, then SCORE ( yes KICK IT ! )

 

But as I described the ball the words from the PARENTS should NOT ALWAYS BE

 

KICK IT 

was recently asked about merging divisions as a benefit to everyone!

 Is it really a benefit to everyone ? 

If we were to reduce the number of teams by adding players to teams because of the lack of volunteers,  regardless of single gender or co-ed teams at the 8U Level the game is at minimum 4 v 4 or 5 v 5.  

Therefore if we were to double the size of the teams from 6 to 12 and existing coaches from both divisions would be co-coaching - there is no benefit to everyone.

1. The game would increase to 6 v 6 or more.    Our AYSO / United States Soccer Federation guidelines indicate that 4 v 4 or 5 b 5 is best at the 8U level for the amount of time each player touches the ball in a game or training session.
Increasing the number of players in a game reduces the number of touches on the ball.   ( touch meaning foot to ball, and not " kickball !" )

2.   We cannot be even close to 7 v 7 as that is the 10U Game.     5 v 5 is the most we can do.    If we go 7 v 7 in 8U we might as well add a GK which makes it 8 v 8 ~ for which this goes against current AYSO / USSF guidelines.   Back in 2000-2004 the game was this large and players did NOT develop well because of reduced chances on the ball.    We taught positioning at such a young age that the player progress from 8U thru 12U is that if a player was a defender (a back) in 8U, their behavior in 14U was still a back for which the residing in 1/3 of field was consistent,    we want the player to grow from using 1/3 of the field to a transitional play 1/3 to 2/3 of field.      Building in this process is only "learned" when playing the game with lesser number on the field - because players are challenged with the game of transition from 4 v 4 , 7 v 7 , 9 v 9 and 11 v 11.

3.  Everyone Plays!    If the team size were to double 12 players!  (and) if the game is 4 v 4 or 5 v 5, everyone will be playing half of the game or less before anyone gets to play 3/4 of a game.     So when parent observe the game, there will be at least one family that would state,   we are only here for the half ( 2 qtrs ) because that all we have to play based on 12+ player on a team.     I can see literally a family say the player is playing the half and we have to move on to the next activity.