Instructional Division

This division has been formed for the purpose of instruction. Its total emphasis will be for the purpose of providing the appropriate instruction in a way that it is fun for all the participants. The concept of winning and losing should be nonexistent and all coaches, assistants and parents are asked to keep this in mind. Although the children will be playing each other, the Association will look at such play as scrimmages and there will be no mention of winners, losers or division champions. These scrimmages, which will always follow the practice session, and are for the purpose of providing a game-like situation where the children can try to execute what they have been learning. The Instructional Division is intended to be a positive learning environment with an emphasis on fun and learning rather than on winning or losing.

  • The Instructional Division will be organized for both the spring and the fall seasons.
  • In the spring season, the child must be five (5) but not eight (8) as of August 31 of the previous calendar year.
  • In the fall season, the child must be five (5) but not eight (8) as of August 31 of the current calendar year.
  • When forming co-ed teams, players will be divided evenly by grade level and gender across all teams in the division. When forming boys-only or girls-only teams, players will be divided evenly by grade level across all teams in the division.
  • A ratio of at most 5-6 players per coach (or assistant coach) is expected.
  • FYSA will provide all Instructional coaches with:
    • One pre-season coach training group session
    • Lesson plans for every week which are expected to be followed
  • Coaches are encouraged to communicate weekly with their teams.
  • All practices and scrimmages will be scheduled on Saturday.
  • Kindergarten will offer co-ed subdivisions. First grade will offer co-ed and girls-only subdivisions. Second grade will offer gender specific subdivisions.
  • Each Kindergarten and First Grade weekend session will be sixty minutes in length. The first half hour will consist of activities that are geared towards teaching the basic skills necessary to play the game well. The second half hour will be a 3v3 small-sided scrimmage (with no more than 3 players per team on the field at any one time) where players will get the opportunity to apply and develop these skills in a match situation. The scrimmages will utilize a Continuous Play format to maximize playing time, where Continuous Play means that the coaches will introduce a ball onto the field whenever the ball has gone out of play. Player-led restarts may be introduced in the spring season at the First Grade level.
  • The structure for Second Grade is intentionally different to A) differentiate from the first two years of Instructional training, and B) to prepare the players for the Academy Division (Third Grade). Each Second Grade weekend session will be seventy-five minutes in length. The first forty-five minutes will consist of activities that are geared towards teaching the basic skills necessary to play the game well. The final half hour will be a 4v4 small-sided scrimmage (with no more than 4 players per team on the field at any one time) where players will get the opportunity to apply and develop these skills in a match situation. Additionally the Spring season will progressively introduce new rule changes throughout the season for the scrimmage portion only (kick-offs, goal-kicks, throw-ins, goalkeepers).
  • The Second Grade spring season will also provide the opportunity for the teams to "visit" the Academy Division on one Saturday (in lieu of their regular session that week) by participating in matches using the Academy 5v5 format of fifty to sixty minute games with a referee.
  • A maximum of one (1) weekday practice will be offered for Second Grade. While this FYSA run midweek training is included in the registration fees, a separate sign-up form needs to be completed by families prior to participation. Attendance of such practices should be considered voluntary and lack of attendance cannot be grounds for non-participation in the scrimmage.
  • For scrimmages, each roster will be divided into two groups and play on two different fields versus another similarly split roster. Division of the children for scrimmages should be done so that no child is embarrassed on the playing field and to help enhance the child's learning process.
  • Every child is entitled to play at least one half of the scrimmage unless individual conduct justifies less time.
  • At the end of the scrimmage, players from both teams will assemble at midfield for handshakes.
  • Player Evaluation. Each team of coaches will be expected to fill out an evaluation sheet for each Second Grader prior to the end of each season.