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Bourne Youth Soccer Association

Bourne Youth Soccer Association

Under 6 Rules and Guidelines

Under 6 Rules and Guidelines

The Under 6 age group is for children that are 4 or 5 years old as of August 31 of that soccer season. Bourne Youth Soccer Association conducts the Fall recreation program, which runs from the weekend after Labor Day to early November.

The primary purpose for our fall program is for instruction and recreation. We do not keep scores or standings so that the participants can focus on developing skills and having fun, regardless of the score. We do have a competitive program in the Spring (called the Spring Travel Program) which is for older age groups beginning at Under 9 and going up to Under 16 year olds.  Try-outs for our Spring program are held in October and notices will be given out to the age groups that are eligible.

At the Under 6 (U6) level, BYSA believes that the children are to have FUN while learning the basics of soccer, such as; dribbling, kicking, passing, positions, and throw- ins. We do not want the kids to “head” the ball at this age. They can be shown how to control the ball with their chest and legs. NO GOALIES SHOULD BE DESIGNATED. This means that we do not want a child standing in the net performing as a goalie and picking up the ball. We do encourage a defender/s to kick the ball away from the net, but they may not handle the ball. Players should be given the opportunity to play forward offensive positions as well as defensive positions during each game.

PRACTICES: There shall be no mid-week practices for the U6 age group. We do encourage practices and drills to be held during the scheduled time at the Bourne Middle School. These practice and drill sessions are the most important part of the session. Games will provide a good opportunity to emphasize and develop the skill that was taught during the pre-game practice.

GAME START TIME: All U6 sessions are scheduled to start in hourly slots. We ask all coaches be prompt in beginning your sessions. Players and coaches should be at the field, ready to go, 15 min. prior to game time.

GAME PLAY TIME: Coaches should stop play every 5-min. to sub and they may also sub as needed during any stoppage of play. Remember – equal playing time.

THROW-INS: Plain and simple, if the ball goes out of bounds anywhere on the field, the ball is put back into play by a throw-in. There will be no goal kicks or corner kicks. Take time at practice to teach the kids how to do a proper throw-in: which consists of two hands on the ball, both feet on the ground, with the ball being thrown directly over the head. Give the kids a second chance to do a throw-in correctly if they do not do it properly the first time.

SCORING: Scores are not to be kept. Players who have scored two times should be encouraged to pass the ball to their teammates. This rule applies to all age groups in the BYSA recreational program and is intended to encourage the development of a wide range of skills in all of the players on the field.

COACHES ON FIELD: Only one coach shall be on the field from each team. If there is an assistant coach, they may coach from the sidelines. Please remember that, even at this young age, we are trying to develop players’ decision skills on the field and they should be allowed to play the game without receiving constant instruction. A few, well- timed comments are much more beneficial than talking a player through every touch of the ball.

Parental Conduct

In general:

Please remember that kids take their cue from the actions of the adults around them. Your example of good sportsmanship will do more for the kids than all the lectures in the world.

At Games:

Parents are encouraged to participate in the practice sessions and help keep an eye on kids to keep them in the playing area. Cheer and encourage our players on both teams in a positive manner. There is no smoking and use of alcohol is forbidden. Teams and coaches are held responsible for the behavior of their fans. Please contact a member of the BYSA Board if you need assistance.

Smoking and alcohol bans are in effect at all times.

After games:

Please try to focus on the positive aspects of the games and your players’ performance. Let the coach identify the team’s weak spots at a subsequent practice. The parents’ job is the support of the player and the team. If you have questions about rules, decisions, or methods of the coach, please wait for a time after the completion of the game after the coach has dismissed the team to have a discussion.

Content

FAQ

When does the season start/end?
Our Rec Season begins the Saturday after Labor Day and runs for 8 weeks, not including Columbus Day Weekend, when we don't play.  If we have a rain out in the first half of the season, it will be made up on the 4th Sunday. If we have a rain out in the 2nd half of the season, it will be made up on the 8th Sunday.  If we have more rain outs than that, the season may need to be shortened.

Why are there no refunds offered after registration?
Once we have registered our players and coaches with MA Youth Soccer, purchase uniforms and field equipment for the season and pay other fixed costs, most of the registration fee has been spent.  In addition, we work hard to build "right size" teams so that they are not too large or too small to ensure playing time and ample players for each team.  The only way to build right size teams is to have a good idea of our total player pool.

My child can only practice on X day?  Can you accommodate that?
Practice days are selected by coaches based on field availability. Because we do not have our entire list of volunteer coaches before we build our teams, we can't assign a player to a team that practices on a certain day.  We do make accommodations to to let your player practice with a team that practices on a different night while playing with their assigned team on Saturdays.

Can I make a teammate/coach request for reasons like carpooling and playing with a sibling?
We will try to honor all teammate requests for on time registrations within age groups.  It is very difficult to honor these requests for late registrations as teams have been built and our primary goal when adding is to keep numbers even.  Please put any requests in the free form notes when registering.

If I volunteer to coach, will my child be placed on my team?
YES!  

What equipment do I need?
Players are provided a soccer shirt and socks as part of the registration fee.  Players must have shin guards to play.  Cleats are recommended, but not mandatory.  Any cleats must be "soccer style".    

The weather isn't looking too good.  How will I know if soccer is cancelled?
We will provide updates on the website and Facebook, but ultimately you should be in touch with your coach- we will first alert coaches to any cancellations before posting anywhere else.  Remember that soccer is frequently played in the rain but not lightning.

I never played soccer!  How can I coach?
Your organizational skills will make you a great coach.  We can give you practice and game plans, even have a board member attend your first practice to give you a quick plan.

I really can't coach, but want to help out.  Are there other volunteer opportunities?
We can always use help painting the fields, putting out flags, moving goals.   Let us know you are available

Contact

Bourne Youth Soccer Association
PO Box 3062 
Bourne, Massachusetts 02532

Email: [email protected]

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