Quotes
Quotes from coaches supporting the “small game philosophy,” that is used by the North West Soccer Club.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is a habit, not an art."
West Lafayette High School Varsity Girls
“I agree that at a young age small sided games are ideal along with good coaches who understand the dynamics of working with younger kids. You want to make sure they are having fun, that is the number one priority. While having fun give them good instructions that are age appropriate.
For older kids small sided games are also very important it exploits weaknesses and also strengths very quickly. Just playing large sided games does not hold the athlete responsible for things they may need to work on. Playing a large sided game does not give the players the opportunity to have many touches on the ball. Where as in a small sided game such as 4 vs. 4 it gives the athlete many touches and also makes them react and think that much quicker. Which separates the good players from the best. I understand that I only have one year of coaching under my belt but as a coach I work small to big. I have learned this through watching the coaches I have had over my many years of playing.“
West Lafayette High School Varsity Boys
-not received
Harrison High School Varsity Girls Coach
“I do believe that the small sided games are a great way for younger athletes to learn the technique and details of the game. The small sided games allow the young players to make more realistic runs for their speed and size, and the small field removes some of the desire to just kick the ball as hard as possible. A drawback though is that positioning and support are not as important because faster players can dominate a whole field.”
Harrison High School Varsity Boys
“I endorse small sided soccer as a great way for players to get more opportunities for touches with the ball. Ensures all players are active with a ball, either offensively or defensively, all the time. This creates a better environment for developing essential soccer skills.”
Indiana University
“Small-sided games create the best developmental environment for young players to maximize their technical and tactical abilities. Technically, players better develop because there are more opportunities to touch the ball. Tactically, small-sided games are more suited to the psychological makeup of young children and create more opportunities for learning from their decisions. Small-sided games also force players to develop individual and small group abilities, which are the basis of all successful soccer players.”
Purdue University
“Concerning small-sided games--I believe it is simple. Youngsters get better with the soccer ball by touching the soccer ball. We can guarantee more touches of the ball by reducing not only the number of players but also reducing the size of the field. Youth, amateur and adult teams constantly reduce both the number of players and the field size in training--youth will benefit from this on a regular basis (their games are intended as teaching/training moments). We all know it is far more enjoyable to get a hold of the ball regularly in positions where you can shoot and score, than to chase it around with a pack of nineteen other children on a field the size of a landing strip for the space shuttle.”