Small-sided games with fewer players and smaller pitches are implemented for youth football to encourage participation and involvement. Compared to 11-a-side games, small-sided games allow children to have more touches on the ball, make more decisions, and experience all aspects of the game attacking and defending. The rules are modified according to the players' ages and skills to ensure they have success, feel active, and learn teamwork while having fun.

2.  Similarities and differences
 Will look at youth football and min
games, and the Australian version, small
sided games

3.  Small-sided football is a modified version
of 11-a-side football and it is designed to
encourage the participation of children
from an early age
 With a smaller pitch and less players on
the field the children have more touches
of the ball and are more involved in the
game.

4.  Small-sided games are implemented for
children under the age of 13.
Demonstrated benefits over 11-a-side
football based on observational study are
as follows;
 Far more touches of the ball by all players
 Repeated decision making experiences
 The ball is in play far more often
 More passes and skills attempted
 More experience in all aspects of the
game; attacking and defending

5.  Kids are no longer able to hide on the
field.
 The laws of the game also gradually
change throughout this progression to
reflect the changes in
understanding, awareness as well as the
physical development of players

6.  Mini- soccer is thought to be the
appropriate introduction to football. If
children are to enjoy and take part in
soccer they need to:
 Feel success
 Take an active part in the game
 Learn to play as a team
 Understand the laws
 Develop soccer skills
 Be able to take part whatever their ability
 Develop fitness

7.  All available research and observation
shows that children will have more fun
and learn more playing a game with
smaller teams and modified rules
 This is thought to be more
advantageous for the young players
rather than making a game with only
minor similarities which leads to confusion
from the players

8.  Football associations that are serious
about the game’s health and growth
are duty-bound to promote mass
participation and interest.
 It was found that the leading countries in
world football all have similar aims and
systems in developing young players

9.  When the players start off at six or seven
years of age, they are given a rather
small space to work with
 Even though the actual field sizes for the
two countries are slightly different, the
system for both still integrates the same
objective.

10.  That aim is to simplify the rules of the
game to concentrate more on the
overall enjoyment experienced through
playing the game as opposed to
incorporating competiveness and
emphasising winning

11.  In Australian small-sided games, you are
not allowed to field a goalkeeper until
the under 9 age group
 Having no goalkeeper on the field
places emphasis purely on ball skills and
teamwork

12.  Australian small-sided games
incorporate a sliding scale of goal sizes
relevant to the age group.
 This shows that Australian football is
focusing on a longer preparation of
youth football players in the belief that it
will prevent young players leaving the
game.

13.  The aim is to encourage more players to
participate in football and to maximise
the enjoyment out of playing. Both mini-
soccer and small-sided games have
been developed to proved the best
vehicle for enjoyment and activity