U6 & U8 Micro-Soccer

Children's Micro-Soccer

Micro Soccer: What is it?

The U6 & U8 Program, Micro Soccer Program (aka, THE LITTLES, as we affectionately call them), introduces the game to FOSC's youngest players and is a developmental soccer program. The key objectives are each player to establish a basic understanding of the game and to get as many touches on ball as possible - all through incorporating the element of FUN! Micro Soccer introduces the game play concepts and fundamental movement skills, builds physical literacy and coordination central ingredients, as well as specific skills such as dribbling, passing, and shooting.

The Micro Soccer Program is a developmental soccer program for 4-7 year olds, where the kids learn by playing small-sided (4v4) games. Players must be 4 years old by Aug 31, 2024 to play in our Micro Soccer program for the 2024 season.

Our goal is to create a positive, fun, and rewarding atmosphere so that we can develop confident, life-long soccer players. This starts with creating an age appropriate training environment. Scores are not counted and team standings are not tracked by the league. We focus on the process and not the outcome. We encourage the coaches to respond to the question "What is the score?" with the answer "I am not sure, we're not keeping score."

We hope that coaches will mainly teach the kids how to score goals, as opposed to emphasizing how to prevent goals; this is so that it does not matter if the team gives up a goal. To develop confident players, we want to let them play without fear of failure. 

U6 - U8 Micro Soccer Birth Dates for 2024 Season

To qualify to play Micro Soccer, your player has to have been born in the following date range.

To find complete details regarding registration, including the player jersey and fees, please visit our recreational program page that can be found HERE.

U6-U8 Games Are On Friday Nights!

We have partnered with a neighboring club and play games on Friday evenings. This is for U6-U8 only.

Each team will continue to have 1-2 practices per week along with a game on Friday. 

Micro Soccer Information

A. Team Formation:

• Approx 12-14  players on the roster. This allows for the team to play two concurrent 4v4 games with substitutes.
• Each team will play 4 players on the field. There are no goalies. (4v4)

U6 teams - Teams are co-ed.

U8 teams - Teams are gender specific.

B. Practices/Games:

• Practices begin the first week of August. Once the season begins, games usually a practice day. If the team has a "bye" (i.e., no game scheduled), the coach may elect to hold a practice or set up a team scrimmage.
• Games are played with teams within FOSC and Del Campo Youth Soccer Association (DCYSA). We schedule games in the local area to reduce travel time.
• Games typically start at 5:30 pm but as daylight is lost, we will adjust game start times.

Please encourage your player to focus on fun and learning the game. This is not the age to be keeping track of the score, or a win/loss record. 

C. Volunteers:

• Coaches are parent volunteers. 
• Coaches serve as referees. 
• Parent volunteers help with team management tasks.

D. Season & Time Commitment:

• The fall game season typically starts in late August and runs through the end of October. (Approximately 10 games)
• The time commitment is 1-2 practices a week, including Friday game day. Each practice/game is typically 1 hour.
• Practice sessions (and games) are no longer than 1 hour including several water breaks throughout. Parents are encouraged to stay for both practices and games and to participate in practice sessions as needed or asked by the coach.
  

E. Field Location:

Practices and game locations will vary by age group. More information to follow.

F. What To Bring:

• Soccer cleats are preferable because they grip the grass and are good for lateral movement. No baseball cleats are allowed.
• Shin guards: All kids MUST have shin guards to play in any practices or games.
• Water bottle
• Size 3 soccer ball
  

G. Uniforms:

Each micro team player will receive a game day t-shirt with their registration. The ‘uniform’ is completed with a black shorts and socks, available locally at Soccer Pro or online. The socks must completely cover the shin guards.

There are no restrictions on brand of shorts, socks, or cleats.

Micro Soccer Play & Timing of Game

• 10 minute quarters with 2 minute maximum water break only.
• 5-8 minute half time.
• Substitutions allowed every five minutes. (At 5 minute mark of each quarter, at quarter and at half-time).
• No matter what, your game must conclude no more than 48 minutes after the first whistle.
  

Field Setup

Use the following diagram for the proper field setup for the Micro Soccer Field. (Field Diagram)

Micro Soccer Rules

1. The field is approximately 20 yards x 30 yards. The dimensions for league play should not vary. If it is not possible to line the fields, use existing field markings such as cones and/or flags. The field should be laid out according to the description on page 12 of Coaching 6, 7, and 8 year Olds by Tony Waiters and Bobby Howe. This book is provided to all coaches by each of the participating clubs.
   
   If the field is not lined, marker cones are placed on the sidelines, six yards out from goal lines. These mark an imaginary line forming the goalkeeping zone (no goalies). Goals are set up using puggs or bow nets. If using corner flags or cones, set them nine feet apart. An ideal method is to use poles or corner flags inserted in large cones.
2. Goals can be scored from anywhere on the field but the ball must pass into the goal or below the imaginary line across the top of the goals.
3. The coach and/or assistant coach from each team referees.
4. Time-outs are called every five minutes, when substitutions are made.
5. There are 12-13 players on a team and two fields are in play. Each team/field will have 4 players on with 2-3 substitutes per team/field.
6. When the ball goes out of play, the game is re-started by one of the following ways:
   From the touchline (sideline); with a throw-in.
   Over the end (goal) line; with a goal kick if attacking team last touched the ball; or a corner kick if defending team last played the ball.
   A goal kick may be taken from anywhere in the goalkeeper handling zone; a corner kick from where the goal line and sideline meet.
   After a goal is scored, re-start the game from the center spot on the field with a kickoff.
   Goals cannot be scored directly from a goal kick, a throw-in, a kick-off or a free kick. There are no penalty kicks in Micro Soccer.
7. If a throw-in is improperly completed, the coach explains the correct method and lets the offender re-take the throw. Discretionary power is then given to the referee if another foul throw is committed but, most times, it won’t be called.
8. The ball may go out of play frequently because of the small field size and the end-to-end nature of the game
   

Coaches should encourage parents to participate as ball parents to help the flow and the enjoyment of the game. Any players on the sidelines should be encouraged to help get the ball back in play quickly.



• All infringements – tripping, handling, etc. – are punished by an indirect free kick, i.e., the ball must be passed first before a shot can be taken. There are no penalties (players of this age are completely honest and do not commit deliberate fouls; and the ‘indirect’ free kick encourages passing and cooperation).
• All opposing players must be at least five yards from the ball on free kicks, corner kicks and goal kicks.
  

Additional Rules

The game stops only for the players to leave and the new ones to come on. Unless the ball goes out of bounds at a timely point on the watch, stop the play in a non-scoring neutral part of the field. If the play was stopped due to an out-of-bounds ball, the restart is a throw-in. If stoppage was by the coach for other than out-of-bounds, then the restart would be to use a drop ball where you stopped the game. At this age it’s not advised to switch sides after half time as it creates confusion amongst the players.