Small Sided Games...Changes?

From what I have seen, SCDSL teams are playing with the restriction line. CSL teams don't seem to have changed anything. The smart folks at USSF have a theory that this will finally help teach the American men's team how to build out of the back. (Really, though, the folks at USSF are trying to blame youth soccer coaches for USSF's own inability to field quality teams.) From what I have seen, young keepers don't have the strength to throw a ball more than 5 or 10 yards, so the defending team has no incentive to protect the midfield. They all crowd the restriction line and as soon as the ball leaves the keepers hand the swarm is on. Most goals are scored off the "build out." The team with the most effective swarmers scores the most goals.
 
Daniel Miller said:
From what I have seen, SCDSL teams are playing with the restriction line. CSL teams don't seem to have changed anything. The smart folks at USSF have a theory that this will finally help teach the American men's team how to build out of the back. (Really, though, the folks at USSF are trying to blame youth soccer coaches for USSF's own inability to field quality teams.) From what I have seen, young keepers don't have the strength to throw a ball more than 5 or 10 yards, so the defending team has no incentive to protect the midfield. They all crowd the restriction line and as soon as the ball leaves the keepers hand the swarm is on. Most goals are scored off the "build out." The team with the most effective swarmers scores the most goals.
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That's not what I've seen. Are you watching bronze, flight 3 games?
 
RedHawk said:
That's not what I've seen. Are you watching bronze, flight 3 games?
Click to expand...

I'm in the "pro-buildout line" camp.

I've seen some SCDSL 2006 Flight 1 games lately and it's been interesting to see how the "top teams" handle this. There is one team that will surely finish top 4 in State Cup that doesn't even pretend to care about the buildout line. Their CB has a big kick, so instead of distribution the goalie rolls it out and she hoofs it down the field. This is also a team that relies on speed and physicality, so getting the ball into the opposing half and then letting your players harass the opposition and cause turnovers is a winning strategy. I'm not hating, just stating facts. It's pretty entertaining, but what happens two years from now when that CB with the big boot has what would be considered an average kick on a full sized field?

Two other teams (one I predict to be a top 4 finisher, the other a top 8 finisher) played out of the back so beautifully that I was immediately jealous and wondered why my daughter's team wasn't doing the same thing! They towed with our high-pressing forwards, sucking them in and then passing it to the open teammate, composed and calm on the ball. *Sigh*

You need a few things to make this work. 1) The coach needs to trust the players and 2) The players must have the skills and confidence
 
BeepBeep Boop said:
You need a few things to make this work. 1) The coach needs to trust the players and 2) The players must have the skills and confidence
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3) supportive parents who understand that in learning to build out of the back at this age will result in lots of mistakes and subsequent goals against.

My youngest DD's team is committed to learning. We've lost games where the other team lines up on the build out line and swarms the ball forcing quick decisions, we panic, turn it over in a dangerous area and they score. But what I appreciate is that our coach does not waiver on this commitment to style of play. Our parents have bought into it as well which turns the loss from a disappointing event to an educational experience.

It is easy in SCDSL to ID the clubs committed to building versus what I will call "the blitzkrieg".
 
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BeepBeep Boop said:
I'm in the "pro-buildout line" camp.

I've seen some SCDSL 2006 Flight 1 games lately and it's been interesting to see how the "top teams" handle this. There is one team that will surely finish top 4 in State Cup that doesn't even pretend to care about the buildout line. Their CB has a big kick, so instead of distribution the goalie rolls it out and she hoofs it down the field. This is also a team that relies on speed and physicality, so getting the ball into the opposing half and then letting your players harass the opposition and cause turnovers is a winning strategy. I'm not hating, just stating facts. It's pretty entertaining, but what happens two years from now when that CB with the big boot has what would be considered an average kick on a full sized field?

Two other teams (one I predict to be a top 4 finisher, the other a top 8 finisher) played out of the back so beautifully that I was immediately jealous and wondered why my daughter's team wasn't doing the same thing! They towed with our high-pressing forwards, sucking them in and then passing it to the open teammate, composed and calm on the ball. *Sigh*

You need a few things to make this work. 1) The coach needs to trust the players and 2) The players must have the skills and confidence
Click to expand...

This is very interesting. I can tell you that simply having a big kick is not going to get the player to the next level. The best CB can solve pressure with their skill and can connect with the wide backs and midfield. A well timed chip over the defense has it's place but at the higher levels and in college a player that can't build out of the back will be playing for a kickball team in college (assuming that they are athletic enough). I like the idea of a build out line and if my player had a coach that wasn't using it the way it was intended would not be getting my player for another year. Rules and concepts only work if the coaches AND parents embrace them.
 
Kicker4Life said:
3) supportive parents who understand that in learning to build out of the back at this age will result in lots of mistakes and subsequent goals against.

My youngest DD's team is committed to learning. We've lost games where the other team lines up on the build out line and swarms the ball forcing quick decisions, we panic, turn it over in a dangerous area and they score. But what I appreciate is that our coach does waiver on this commitment to style of play. Our parents have bought into it as well which turns the loss from a disappointing event to an educational experience.

It is easy in SCDSL to ID the clubs committed to building versus what I will call "the blitzkrieg".
Click to expand...

Your player is lucky to have a coach with the long view of this game. Many don't.
 
BeepBeep Boop said:
I'm in the "pro-buildout line" camp.

I've seen some SCDSL 2006 Flight 1 games lately and it's been interesting to see how the "top teams" handle this. There is one team that will surely finish top 4 in State Cup that doesn't even pretend to care about the buildout line. Their CB has a big kick, so instead of distribution the goalie rolls it out and she hoofs it down the field. This is also a team that relies on speed and physicality, so getting the ball into the opposing half and then letting your players harass the opposition and cause turnovers is a winning strategy. I'm not hating, just stating facts. It's pretty entertaining, but what happens two years from now when that CB with the big boot has what would be considered an average kick on a full sized field?

Two other teams (one I predict to be a top 4 finisher, the other a top 8 finisher) played out of the back so beautifully that I was immediately jealous and wondered why my daughter's team wasn't doing the same thing! They towed with our high-pressing forwards, sucking them in and then passing it to the open teammate, composed and calm on the ball. *Sigh*

You need a few things to make this work. 1) The coach needs to trust the players and 2) The players must have the skills and confidence
Click to expand...

Mistakes are fine at 10 years old. Trust me it is better to learn when the trophies are meaningless. You don't want your player panicking during an ACC game where pressure is coming from everywhere!
 
BeepBeep Boop said:
Two other teams (one I predict to be a top 4 finisher, the other a top 8 finisher) played out of the back so beautifully that I was immediately jealous and wondered why my daughter's team wasn't doing the same thing! They towed with our high-pressing forwards, sucking them in and then passing it to the open teammate, composed and calm on the ball. *Sigh*
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, which were the two teams that played composed?
 
Kicker4Life said:
It is easy in SCDSL to ID the clubs committed to building versus what I will call "the blitzkrieg".
Click to expand...

I would agree that this has some positive elements. The build-out line has helped my own kid's team even out the game a bit -- their coach had them build out of the back before the build-out line was implemented. High-pressure teams scored on them. We used to face a lot of goalies who could simply punt 2/3 of field and boomer teams who fire a goal kick 30 yards down field-- the rule has helped combat this "strategy". I think it has been good overall.
 
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