Our Philosophy: Maximize every player's touches on the ball

New Britain Soccer Club aims to achieve this mission by maintaining and expanding a robust recreational and competetive travel soccer program in our city that is available to everyone. We aim to foster the success of our athletes by following the Player Development Initiatives of U.S. Youth Soccer, including new standards of play for small-sided games.

What are small-sided standards?

Small-sided standards are youth games played with less than 11 players on each team. Playing with less players on the field means that players are constantly involved in play and provided with more opportunities for touches on the ball and overall player development. Not only are there fewer players, but small-sided games also use smaller fields, goals and balls, shorter game times and some different rules to optimize the game for younger players.

Fewer Players, More Development

With fewer players on the field, players have a greater opportunity to play more meaningful minutes. They will be involved in the game, with or without the ball, much more than in a full-sided game, creating more chances for learning and improvement. Reading the game and decision making are some of the most important qualities for a player that will benefit from playing small sided games. The new standards also cater to the physiological needs of each age group. Having consistent standards across the country allows players to develop on a level playing field and allows U.S. Soccer to better serve and educate parents, players, coaches and referees and clubs.

From Small-Sided Foundations to the Full Game

As players progress through these small-sided formats—from 7v7 to 9v9 and ultimately to 11v11—they build a complete understanding of the game step by step. Each phase introduces new layers of space, positioning, and tactical awareness in a way that is appropriate for their age and development. By the time players reach the full-sided 11v11 game at the U13 level and beyond, they are not simply adjusting to a bigger field and more players; they are applying years of learned habits in decision-making, movement, and teamwork. This gradual progression creates confident, adaptable players who can handle the increased physical and tactical demands of the game, ultimately ensuring a smooth and successful transition into the high school soccer environment and beyond.

Our Methodology: Play-Practice-Play


WHAT IS PLAY-PRACTICE-PLAY?

Play-Practice-Play is a Grassroots developed philosophy designed around a player-centered approach to coaching. Taking a player centered approach places the needs and motivations of the player at the forefront of a coach’s approach to coaching his or her players. The concept of Play-Practice-Play is to allow young players to experience the game and game-like situations as much as possible. This approach differs from traditional practices that may have children standing in lines, running laps and participating in drills that don’t resemble the game of soccer.

STAGE 1: PLAY

When players arrive to practice, the first responsibility of the coach is to create an environment that is safe, engaging and fun. In the first Play phase, players engage in small-sided games with the primary focus on having fun. It is important that these pickup-style games are led by the players and facilitated by the coaches. During this first Play stage, players have the opportunity to experience the game while the coach observes and guides them towards developing their own solutions rather than being directed what to do.  

STAGE 2: PRACTICE

In the second phase of Play-Practice-Play, children are engaged in different forms of targeted learning activities to further guide their opportunities to develop. The goal of the Practice phase is to create an environment filled with opportunities for players to experience and learn about the goal of the training session through repetition.

Practice activities should be of appropriate challenge (striking a balance between success and failure), resemble the game, involve the players making decisions and allow for creative problem solving. The role of the coach during this phase is to guide players while using teaching actions. While it is during this phase that targeted learning takes place, there should always be an emphasis on keeping the atmosphere fun and enjoyable for the players.

STAGE 3: PLAY AGAIN!

The final stage of Play-Practice-Play is the game. This phase offers players the opportunity and freedom to play, without interruption, in an environment that mirrors the actual game. The focus of the final Play phase is to encourage players to express themselves and demonstrate what they learned during the Practice phase. A coach should observe and guide using minimal dialogue if possible. By silently observing the application of the Practice phase in the final Play phase, the coach is able to check each player’s understanding and ability to execute the goal of the training session.