MASA U9/U10 Coaching�Fall, 2022

Part 1�Coaching and the U9/U10 game

The U9/U10 game – general

• Time
• 50 minutes – two 25-minute halves (continuous clock)
• Center referee keeps the official time
• Format
• 7v7
• One goalkeeper and 6 field players
• Officials
• One center referee
• The ultimate authority during games
• Two assistant referees (one on ½ of each touch line)
• Substitutions
• Unlimited (pending center referee approval)
• Substitution process
• Incoming players report to midfield line
• Coach requests substitutions during a restart (throw-in, corner kick, goal kick)
• All players should play at least 50% of every game
• Direct and indirect kicks
• A direct kick is a free kick restart that can legally be a goal without touching a second player after it is kicked
• An indirect kick is a free kick restart that can legally be a goal only if has touched a second player (from either team) after it is kicked

Goalkeeper box

Six-yard box

Buildout line

Midfield circle

Midfield line

Corner kick quarter-circle

Penalty spot

The goalkeeping position

• Goalkeeping
• A goalkeeper may touch the ball with their hands when they are within the lines of the goalkeeper box
• A goalkeeper may not touch a ball with their hands if the ball has been played to them by a member of their team
• If a teammate passes a ball to the goalkeeper, the goalkeeper (no matter where they are on the field) is bound by the same rules as field players as regards handling
• When the goalkeeper is outside the goalkeeper box, they are subject to the same handling rules as field players (i.e., they are not permitted to touch the ball with their hand or arm)
• Goalkeepers are permitted to throw or kick the ball during the course of play, but are not permitted to punt the ball

The U9/U10 game – restarts

• In-play and out-of-play
• A ball is in-play if it is contained within or is in contact with the boundary lines of the field
• A ball is out-of-play if the entire ball has crossed the entire touch or end line
• A ball that crosses the end line between the uprights of a goal frame is a goal
• A player cannot be considered out-of-play
• As long as the ball is in-play, a player can contact the ball no matter where the player is
• Restart
• A restart is an official method by which the ball moves from out-of-play to in-play

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Restarts – throw-ins

• Throw-ins
• A throw-in is awarded to the opponent when the ball moves out-of-play across a touch line after contacting a player
• A legal throw-in meets the following requirements
• Both of the thrower’s feet remain on the ground for the duration of the throw
• The thrower has both hands on the ball when releasing it
• The ball is brought behind the top of the head before being released
• Possession changes on an illegal throw-in

Restarts – goal kicks

• Goal kicks
• A goal kick is a direct free kick awarded to the defending team when a member of the attacking team is the last to contact a ball that has moved out-of-play across the end line
• Goal kicks are taken from inside the 6-yard box
• The player who takes the goal kick may not be the second player to touch the ball
• The buildout line
• All members of the opposition must move beyond the buildout line during a goal kick
• The opposition may not cross the buildout line until the ball has been contacted twice by the team taking the goal kick or until the ball crosses the buildout line, whichever comes first
• Suggestion
• Confirm the rules of goal kicks and the buildout line with the center referee before the game

Restarts – corner kicks

• Corner kicks
• A corner kick is a direct kick awarded to the attacking team when the defending team is the last to contact a ball that moves out-of-play across the end line (and is not a goal)
• Corner kicks are taken from the intersection of the touch line and the end line on the side of the goal where the ball moved out-of-play
• The ball may be placed anywhere beneath the corner flag as long as it is contacting the quarter circle at that point
• The player who takes the corner kick may not be the second player to contact the ball

Restarts – kick-offs

• Kick-offs
• A kick-off is a direct free kick awarded to a team following a goal scored by the opposition or at the beginning of a half of play
• Kick-offs are taken from the center of the midfield circle
• Kick-offs may be taken in any direction
• The player who makes initial contact on a kick-off may not be the second player to contact the ball
• The members of the defending team must remain outside the center circle on their defensive half of the field until initial contact is made

Common fouls and rules violations at the U9/U10 level

Fouls and rules violations

• Dangerous play
• Any particularly hard contact, grabbing, or offensive/threatening language
• Handling
• Field players
• Contacting the ball with a hand or arm extended from the body
• Goalkeepers
• Contacting the ball with a hand or arm extended from the body when outside the goalkeeper box
• Offside
• A player is offside when they are in their attacking half of the field between the buildout line and the end line, closer to the end line than the ball is, and there are fewer than two defending players (counting the goalkeeper) between them and the end line

Fouls and rules violations

• Buildout line violation
• If the attacking team crosses the buildout line before second contact has been made, a re-kick is awarded to the opponent
• Repeated violations may result in further action by the referee
• Penalty kicks
• A penalty kick is awarded to the attacking team for a foul or handling by the defending team when the ball is inside the goalkeeper box
• The ball is placed on the penalty spot
• An attacking player takes a direct kick on goal
• With the exception of the goalkeeper, no players from either team are permitted inside the goalkeeper box when a penalty kick is taken
• Players may enter the goalkeeper box after initial contact is made

Part 2�Practices

U10 practices

• MASA three-phase structure of individual practices
• Phase 1 (Technical)
• Individual skill development
• Focus is on a specific skill (dribbling, passing, shooting, trapping, etc.)
• Phase 2 (Tactical)
• Team development
• Focus is on a specific team tactic (moving without the ball, maintaining team shape, defending, corner kicks, etc.)
• Phase 3 (Play)
• Scrimmage (intrasquad or between/among teams)
• Focus is on applying the skills from the first two phases and promoting creativity
• A good time to let players work on their creativity
• Seasonal plan for practices
• Introduce simpler individual and team skills early in the season, review them at the beginning of the next week’s practice, and build to higher-level skills across the season
• Review helps to solidify the basics as more complex skills/ideas are being introduced
• Focus on areas for improvement as the season progresses
• For example, working on proper foot placement if you are noticing weak power on shots; working on moving as a team if you are noticing a breakdown of team shape during games
• Have a basic weekly practice plan for the season before the season begins

Template: full season of practices

Part 3�Clearances

Coaching clearances

• All clearances must be current to coach at MASA
• Required clearances
• SafeSport
• State Police Criminal Record Check (provided free to volunteers)
• PA Child Abuse History Clearance  (provided free to volunteers)
• if PA resident for at least the past 10 years…a complete and notarized volunteer affidavit
• if PA resident for less than the past 10 years…FBI Criminal Background Check (requires purchase of clearance)
• Links to clearances
• MASA website
• “Coaches”
• “Background Check”
• “Safesport Certification”
• MASA risk management coordinator – Todd Seitz
• dtoddseitz@yahoo.com

Part 4�QuickSkills

MASA and QuickSkills

• What QuickSkills is
• Pittsburgh-based professional soccer training organization
• QuickSkills website
• Training sessions
• Weekly skill development sessions that are free to MASA players
• When and where the sessions are (Start/Stop dates TBD, MCP)
• U10 Girls (Tuesdays from 6:00-7:00pm, lower fields)
• U10 Boys (Tuesdays from 7:00-8:00pm, lower fields)
• U6 All (Thursdays from 6:00-6:45pm, middle fields)
• U8 All (Thursdays from 7:00-8:00pm, middle fields)

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Part 5�Communication with MASA and further resources

Communication between coaches and MASA

• Further resources
• Coaching materials from the MASA website
• Coach and Player Development Director
• Dave Hull
• dhull1212@icloud.com