Player Development Initiatives

US Soccer's Player Development Initiatives provide rules to protect younger players, and to help with their skills development. They cover Birth Year Registration, and Small Sided Games.

This article covers three of the side effects of Small Sided Games:

1. Goal Keeper Punts
2. Build Out Line
3. Heading the Ball

HEADING THE BALL

1. Consistent with the US Soccer mandates on heading the ball, heading is banned for all division players 11U and below, or 12U if it includes players younger than 10 years old, in both practices and matches.

Heading for players in 14U is limited to a maximum of thirty (30) minutes per week with no more than 15-20 headers, per player. There is no restriction on heading in matches.

2. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a player in the above stated divisions, deliberately touches the ball with his/her head during a match. The indirect free kick is to be taken from the place where the player touched the ball with his/her head with the following exceptions:

• a. An indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team inside the opposing team’s goal area must be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the player touched the ball with his/her head.
• b. An indirect free kick awarded to the defending team in their goal area may be taken from anywhere in that area.
• c. There is no advantage given in a heading situation. The restart is an IFK, regardless of what incentives it may or may not offer. If there is a deliberate header, no matter where it is on the field, play must be stopped immediately and an IFK was given to the other team.

3. Neither cautions nor send-offs shall be issued for persistent infringement or denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity related to the heading infractions.

GOALKEEPER PUNTS

1. For 9U to 10U, the goalkeeper shall not punt nor drop kick the ball.

2. An indirect kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the offense if a goalkeeper for 9U to 10U deliberately punts or drop kicks the ball during a match, except that an indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team inside the opposing team’s goal area must be taken on the goal area line which runs parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the goalkeeper punted the ball.

BUILD-OUT LINE (9U AND 10U) - This Video is helpful

1. The build-out line shall be placed across the field equidistant between the top of the penalty area and the halfway line.

2. The opposing team must move behind the build-out line for a goal kick or when the goalkeeper has possession.

3. The player taking the goal kick does not have to wait for opposing players to move behind the build-out line to put the ball into play. The goal kick may be played to either side of the build-out line. The ball is in play after the ball is kicked and clearly moves, after which the opposing team may cross the build-out line. If an opponent crosses the build-out line before the ball is in play and interferes with the goal kick, the kick is retaken.

4. The goalkeeper in possession of the ball in their hands does not have to wait for the opposing players to move behind the build-out line to release the ball. The ball may be released to either side of the build-out line, after which the opposing team may cross the build-out line. If an opponent crosses the build-out line before the ball is released and interferes with play, an indirect free kick is awarded to the goalkeeper’s team at the point where the opponent crossed the build-out line.

5. The build-out line in the opponents’ half of the field shall be used as the line to determine offside. Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the halfway line and that build-out line.