8v8 vs. 11v11

I'd like to hear y'all's thoughts on this subject.

STX Forum

I think it would benefit our kids to play 8v8 or 9v9 until U12 or U13 at least

Excellent post and great points!

omega striker wrote:I think it would benefit our kids to play 8v8 or 9v9 until U12 or U13 at least

we as parents need to change this system of allow our bb to play 11v11 at such a young age, it was sad to see 9 yr olds play 11v11 at Richland college this past weekend.

The problem usually is the parents. They want "real" soccer. Even at the rec level our local association's new board caved into parents and added keepers back into the U5-U8. Yea!! Now the coaches can put the over-weight slow kid in the goal and use him as a back stop.

I disagree. I don't see anything wrong with keepers. The kids want "real" soccer. They get bored of 4v4 with no goalies. Keepers are not the problem. What we need to do is slow the march to 11v11 and full size fields until at least U13. I don't think the parents are the ones wanting 11v11. It is the clubs. At U11 we are playing 11v11 on full size fields and most players are unable to deliver a corner to the near post. I would rather they be playing 8v8 or 9v9 on an appropriately sized field.

Most of the surrounding states don't sanction fullsided soccer until U13.

8v8 makes it more of a finesse game and is less reliant on brute strength and speed.

davito wrote:I disagree. I don't see anything wrong with keepers. The kids want "real" soccer. They get bored of 4v4 with no goalies. Keepers are not the problem. What we need to do is slow the march to 11v11 and full size fields until at least U13. I don't think the parents are the ones wanting 11v11. It is the clubs. At U11 we are playing 11v11 on full size fields and most players are unable to deliver a corner to the near post. I would rather they be playing 8v8 or 9v9 on an appropriately sized field.

Here is the problem with U5 thru U8 keepers. The coaches use the over weight slow kid. He stands in the ridiculously small box and waits for shots. Yes there are exceptions but this is the norm. Now go to U9 and now they are looking for a quick, aggressive player that will cover the entire box. The old "keeper" has none of these skills and has learned no field skills. What is the rush? How hard is it to teach an 8 year old to pick up the ball? Roll or toss any ball at any kid that age and they will pick it up or catch it.

They should not be a dedicated keeper. There was not a dedicated keeper on any of the teams my son played on until u10. I do think the kids like the more structured small sided game with keepers though.

in my 5 years of coaching rec soccer, I never had a dedicated goalie. I thought that would be a disservice to the boy and his parents. Every player on my teams would play in the goal for at least a half during the season. Most wanted to play goalie until they actually got back there.

I like the way Allen does it for rec soccer. 4v4 through U6. 5v5 with a goalie U7-8. 7v7 with a goalie U9-10. 11v11 (on small fields) U11-12 and then 11v11 after that on full field.

odie1993 wrote:in my 5 years of coaching rec soccer, I never had a dedicated goalie. I thought that would be a disservice to the boy and his parents. Every player on my teams would play in the goal for at least a half during the season. Most wanted to play goalie until they actually got back there.

Agree. Our U10 (non-rec) just started to move to a dedicated keeper in some games. A lot of games we will just throw a pennie on whomever and rotate at the position. Its funny to play in tourneys against teams with 2 kids dressed out in the full keeper outfit.

Laimport wrote:
Most of the surrounding states don't sanction fullsided soccer until U13.
8v8 makes it more of a finesse game and is less reliant on brute strength and speed

11v11 kind of stinks at 9 yrs old. That said, we did go to STX and play 8v8 this past weekend. We got beat down by brute size, speed, and strength and kids that could shoot from midfield (played up). It was a kickball fest. In one sequence I saw GKs (on other teams) punt the ball back and forth to each other for 2-3 mins (four or five kicks each).