Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland embraced this concept some time ago, and many experts have been harsh in their criticism that Germany has been late to bring their youth training standards up to the modern cutting edge. The question is, are WE ready/willing to bring our standards up to the modern cutting edge? Or will WE let history repeat itself like …
Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, we treated youth soccer like the grown-ups’ game—11 vs. 11 on an adult field, adult goals, with a size 5 ball — kind of like handing quadratic equations to kids in elementary school. Totally illogical, right? We were caught up in over-organizing and copying the pros, forgetting that for children to really learn and enjoy soccer (or anything, really), it has to be on their level.
Rewinding to 1979. California Youth Soccer thought, “Hey, maybe we need a shake-up.” So, they asked their Director of Coaching to whip up some ‘Guidelines and Recommendations for Young Player Development.’
Fast forward to 1980, with a nod from CYSA, FUNdamental SOCCER jumps into action. Simplified, copyrighted, and published the ‘Modified Laws of the Game.’ The goal? Aiming to create a kid-friendly environment—think fewer players, a smaller field, and a tinier ball. Why? More touches, more goals, more FUN! It was all about laying the groundwork for these little soccer enthusiasts to truly Fall In Love With Soccer!
This ‘Modified Laws of the Game’ journey was no small feat. It kicked off on the fields in California, earned a nod from US Youth Soccer, and, after a few tweaks, clinched a national mandate from US Soccer in 2017. That’s 40+ years of game-changing efforts, all centered around making it an unforgettable experience for the kids.
Now, you might be thinking, ‘Things are good as they are, right?’ If you’re content with the current state of youth soccer, you can happily Stop Reading Right Here.
But, if you’ve been on board with FUNdamental SOCCER’s mindset for the last 40+ years, sensing there’s room for a bit more awesomeness, then get ready to dive into the SOCCERevolution. No, we’re not reinventing the wheel.
Let’s kick things off by exploring the innovative …
