The Players
The younger kids are, the more imagination it might take to see the players in any kind of positions. Kids tend to pack together and chase the ball. However, as kids get older the pack will spread out and the team will start to take shape.
There are three basic types of positions. The same types of positions can be seen in mini and full field soccer.
- The forwards who play up front.
- The midfielders who play in the middle
- The defenders who play at the back.
When the coach decides who plays in what position it’s called the ‘line-up’. The line up is named by the number of players in each position counted from the back. For example a 4-4-2 would be four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards. Coaches may have their own lineups that look a little different than the ones shown here.
How the coach determines the line up can depend on a number of different things: The players available, the strengths of the other team or unfortunately the relative skill of the team’s players. Coaches in their desire to win often end up placing players in positions based on their skill level or size. This can hinder the development of players, as they rarely get to try out different positions.
Players should not be given permanent positions until they are at least 14 years old. In youth soccer all players should rotate through different positions so they experience playing everywhere on the field. Often too many players want to be the forward. Rotating them into new positions is valuable for their soccer and social skills.
