Alternate Play Formats
Alternate Play formats may allow for more children to participate than traditional team models that are used. The formats should help to get parents more involved and help you with the recruiting of coaches.
Two possible - Alternate Play Formats for younger players
- Jamboree Play
- Split Teams
- Pick-up Play
What is Jamboree Play?
Jamboree Play allows you to form teams on weekly basis and leverage parents to replace the need for traditional coaches. In Jamboree, each team is comprised of number of players and each player has a parent (or other adult) with them on the field. The children learn soccer skills like kicking, dribbling, and throwing in the ball, but in a low-pressure setting. Jamboree is about exposing children to soccer as a game, without the pressure to win. A leader is required to run the sessions and help with instruction. Parents help take turns organizing the teams, setting up fields and supervising the program. While their children are playing, parent volunteers keep time, but interfere with play as little as possible. There are only a few reasons to stop play in Jamboree games. If a child is not playing well with others, or if play must pause for injury, substitution, confusion, or to watch a flock of birds fly by, parents can quickly direct attention back to the game.
In Jamboree, the goal is to get kids playing soccer and to not worry about goals and who is winning. This type of format is already in use with our Schoolyard program and can be used as an alternative or in addition to our traditional programs at our younger age groups. This will allow young players to still get a feel for the ball and the field, so even though there are adults all around and many opportunities to offer instruction, the emphasis is on fun and play. Best of all, they find out that soccer is something they can do!
What is Split Teams?
Many Regions across the country have adopted an alternative team formation and game process. These Regions increase the number of players on a 6U or 8U s on a team. These teams will play other teams but the games between two teams will be scheduled on two fields and the coaches of each team will "split" the team for the game and the coach from each team will mange one of the games between the teams. This allows for more players to be placed on one team beyond the normal maximum and still follow AYSO programs.
The teams maybe "split" a variety of ways to help with player development and growth. Parents will be asked to help manage the teams as the coach manages the game for both teams. The standard 6U and 8U game format does not change. Each game will still be 4v4 with substitutes if possible, the games will be played on standard field, and follow the appropriate rules for each age group. We allow for increased roster size for 6U and 8U teams in the Association Platform to allow for this to occur.
What is Pickup?
Pick-up play is intended to allow kids to play just like they were playing on their own in the park. Pick-up is organized and safe “free-play” that can be done in a variety of ways. These games can be supervised (from afar) with adult supervision overseeing each game. The focus is on playing time and playing with new team mates each week and can be adjusted based on the number of players that come to any session.
The idea is to keep it simple, divided teams that make the most sense to what you are trying to accomplish. Games can be short sided, across age groups, and can incorporate training as well as multiple games per session.
More about this style of play can be found in AYSOU under the CEU course Alternative Play Models or send an email to programs@ayso.org.
