Coaches Philosophy

This video by Don Lucia on youth hockey is a must-watch. It applies equally well to coaching youth soccer and stresses the importance of fun. Our objective, first and foremost, is to ensure that all kids are enjoying the sport of soccer.

Please review the materials regarding team composition and fair playing time. In summary, here's a breakdown at the various levels:

  • U9
    • no cuts
    • balanced teams
    • as close to equal playing time as possible - the target is a minimum of 50% of the game
    • non-results oriented (no playoffs or standings)
  • U10
    • no cuts
    • balanced teams
    • as close to equal playing time as possible - the target is a minimum of 50% of the game
    • non-results oriented (no playoffs or standings)
  • U11
    • no cuts
    • balanced teams
    • as close to equal playing time as possible - the target is a minimum of 50% of the game
    • non-results oriented (no playoffs or standings)
  • U12
    • no cuts
    • balanced teams
    • equal playing time is no longer guaranteed but every player must still play a minimum of 50% of the game
    • results oriented (playoffs and official standings)
    • coaches can choose whether their team plays in the "A" (Division 1) or "B" (Division 2) league; Colts registers all teams in "A" (Division 1) by default
  • U13, U14
    • If there are only enough players for two teams (one U13 & one U14) there will be cuts based on evaluations. Note that at this age (7th & 8th grade), players also have the option of playing for the school team, where there are no cuts.
    • If there are enough players for three teams (one U13, one U14 & one combination U13/U14 team), and there are appropriate coaches for each team, selections for each team will be made based on evaluations.
    • Equal playing time is no longer guaranteed. The target is to have each player play in each half of each game and that hopefully, over the course of the entire season, each player will play significant minutes. Depending on many factors, players will likely play more in some games than others.
    • results oriented (playoffs and official standings)
    • coaches can choose whether their team plays in the "A" (Division 1) or "B" (Division 2) league; Colts registers all teams in "A" (Division 1) by default