CANADA SOCCER GRASSROOTS STANDARDS

 

The Canada Soccer Grassroots Standards have been designed to create the best possible learning and development environment for all young players in Canada. The Grassroots Standards are based on global best practices while taking into account the realities of Canadian soccer. As adults, it is our responsibility to ensure that all of our children are able to enjoy soccer in a safe, fun, accessible, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate environment. Given the uniqueness of our country – where geography, climate, and infrastructure can be vastly different from one region to the next – it will not always be possible to implement the Grassroots Standards. Do your best to implement the Grassroots Standards while understanding that some standards may not be possible to achieve in your region.

 

Please CLICK HERE to view the Canada Soccer Association website regarding grassroots standards.

 

Please find below some key aspects from the Canada Soccer Association's website regarding Grassroots Standards:

 

MATCH FORMAT

The match format refers to the number of players on each team. This can range from very few players (1v1, 2v2, or 3v3) to the full FIFA regulation game format of 11v11.

 

MINIMUM REST TIME BETWEEN MATCHES

Young players need rest as they expend a great deal of energy during matches. It is important for their wellbeing that they have a minimum rest period between matches during a Festival or Memorable Event. This ensures that they have the time needed to recover, refuel and rehydrate. The rest time between matches is considered the time between the end of one match, including any additional time or kicks from the penalty mark, and the start of another.

 

MAXIMUM MATCH TIME PER PLAYER PER DAY

In order to ensure that our young players are safe, we do not want them to be pushed beyond their physical limits. The maximum match time per player is the total amount of match time each player experiences on match day. Be careful to track the total playing time of each player, as exceeding the recommended guidelines may lead to burnout or injury.

 

MEMORABLE EVENTS

Playing in tournaments and special events is an important part of a positive soccer experience for young players. Some of their most memorable experiences will be when they participate in tournaments and festivals, often away from home. These events are where lifelong friendships are formed, and they are important to a young player’s soccer experience. However, adults can sometimes get carried away with the perceived importance of these events and can over-schedule them. It is best that memorable events are phased in gradually as young players mature in the game and are kept to a reasonable number of events.

 

MATCH DAY FORMAT

Canada Soccer recommends that Grassroots programs for players U7-U12 utilize the Festival Format for match days. Traditional league play format should not be introduced until U13. A Festival Format is a competition that includes multiple matches in a single day, whereas league play includes only a single match per day.

 

PLAYING TIME

One of the most challenging tasks for a Grassroots coach is to ensure that players get equal playing time. More often than not, this is an impossible task. When matches begin to occur at U7, the recommendation is that all players are given “fair” playing time. This means that coaches will do their best to ensure that all players get to play as much soccer as possible. All children have the right to enjoy their soccer experience – and they can’t do that if they don’t get to play.

 

WYSA acknowledges that the festival format is a new and different competition model than what the Golden Boy Tournament is known for, and we would appreciate all feedback, positive or constructive, to be sent to wysa@wpgsoccer.com or events@wpgsoccer.com. Thank you to all who are participating in this incredible tournament, and we are excited to see you on the pitch!!