Three Goal Guidance:
WSSC strongly encourages its teams to practice good sporting play during competition and take measures to reduce severe score imbalances. In order to keep a fun and engaging game we encourage teams to take steps to prevent score line differentials larger than three goals. (3-0, 4-1, 7-4 for example).
For many younger ages (U6-U10) certain imbalances can be corrected by allowing an additional player on the pitch for the team who is down. Note, pulling a player off from the winning side can accomplish a similar situation but reduces playing minutes and so is significantly less favorable.
For older age groups (U11-U12), HSA Recreational Member Clubs have approved, starting the
Fall 2023 Season implementation of a three goal policy and ask for feedback from Coaches and Parents. The guidance follows:
While WSSC and HSC recognize that in sports, score blowouts happen, it is a situation in Recreational Soccer that is highly unfavorable to the experience of both players, the coaches, and the spectators. In order to support a more beneficial and fun experience in a way that comports with the ideals of good sportsmanship and good soccer, WSSC and HSC are releasing the following guidance to Coaches with the expressed expectation that teams make a good faith effort to keep final score differentials to within three.
First, the when. As Coaches and administrators, we fully understand the challenges of communicating to players who are actively playing on the field. Therefore, the guidance is that the first half of any game be played out with no expected mitigating conditions. While a Coach may choose to give instructions to their bench and substitutes during the first half, we the clubs, would prefer to reduce the chances of a Coach or parents shouting confusing instructions which may harm the confidence of their opponent during the first half.
At halftime, if a Coach believes without mitigating conditions that their team will finish the game with a score in excess of a three-goal margin of victory, they should communicate with their players one of the following conditions.
1)Goals should only be attempted by an offensive player shooting with one touch.
2) Goals should only be attempted by the offensive team after completing three consecutive passes and only finished with a one-touch shot excepting under conditions of a Corner Kick and on awarded Penalty Kicks.
3) Goals should only be attempted by the offensive team after completing three consecutive passes and finished with a one-touch from outside the penalty area excepting under conditions of a Corner Kick and on awarded Penalty Kicks.
The entire responsibility for providing mitigating conditions should be on the Coach who believes their team to be otherwise in an overly dominant position. Coaches should not add players or remove players as this disrupts the play without truly changing the dynamics of the game. Coaches may choose to add further conditions if the recommended ones above are insufficient in their judgment.