WOFP for kids - especially 7th and 8th grade

I read those link addresses and thought they were a Spurs NZ website.

So are they doing away with 14 JPL next year?

Thank heaven, I have found some support for my view on the 8th grade teeny weeny pitches.

In Australia (Mini Roos) it appears to be much better at this age and the year below - they seem to call it under 8s.

Aussies are playing 7 a side on 'quarter' of full size pitches

http://www.miniroos.com.au/clubs-coaches/organise-miniroos/miniroos-field-layouts/

http://www.miniroos.com.au/about-miniroos/rules-playing-formats/playing-formats/

And even the very young ones aged around 4 are playing on the same size pitch as our 8th graders, with 4 outfield players instead of 5 that our 8th graders have.

i ask myself 'what are the germans doing?'

and i'm pretty darn sure it sure as hell isn't what i see every saturday and sunday morning

it seems to me that we are catering for numbers and that the framework is there to provide a (much needed and commendable) structure for ensuring that everyone gets the minimum.  and i think this is more about keeping the clubs aligned than making sure the players get what they actually need to become anything meaningful.

my oldest plays in the 7th grade.  it's all very well saying that we don't allow/encourage passing or structure because we want to develop dribbling, but good luck actually developing dribbling skills in the 'ruck' that many of his games descent into because of the tiny pitch.  don't get me wrong, i'm all for smaller pitches and i fully subscribe to the fact that our pitches right through the grades are too big in new zealand, but these pitches are far too small.

we avoided first kicks for the oldest because many footie mates went out of their way to tell me it was bollocks.  unfortunately they have been proved right.  the younger boy wanted to play this year.  the sessions are so vague that he doesn't even know if the is an actual soccer player or not.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/23/ge...

whilst we may be working on technically proficient and tactically aware I doubt we have 1000 UEFA B level coaches on call. 

i'd also like to add that it's a myth that we haven't previously produced skillful ball players in new zealand.  billy harris, peter henry, wynton rufer, colin tuaa, mike mcgarry, etc etc etc all had outstanding techniques in a time when our game was much more rugged

germany today vs brazil…..

your keep the ball moving did not win today

i agree that trapping is not the way to play flowing football but if it is needed you got to be able to do it.

you don't even come close to kyungblyer

Interesting article: http://www.theguardian.com/football/when-saturday-...

How much occurs at junior level?

I've only seen it once this season - where the player was going down all too easily when in proximity of the defenders.  Occasionally in other matches but not so that you'd be concerned (and when no free kicks were awarded it quickly stopped).

Its a raw point given my recent posts but I would rather my players made the most of an unfair hit than have the shit kicked out of them instead. I am not advocating diving, but I most certainly tell my lads to hit the floor if they are taken out from behind or hacked etc, more for personal safety than any real attempt to cheat the referee. If the referee isnt going to give you a free kick for getting kicked, why would you think he will give one after the 5th kick?

Referees never (or very rarely) give free kicks if a player stays on their feet. Therefore, if you get fouled then you should go down.