Team Formation

The U5-U6 program is entirely recreational, and teams are formed as much as possible around keeping schoolmates together.  Maximum roster size is 6 players.

Brief Rules Summary

The game is 3 v 3 on a small field. No keepers are used. The length of the game is 2 16 minute halves. All kicks are direct. On a goal kick, the defending team must wait behind the halfway line until the ball is kicked. No offside violations are called, nor are any pentalty kicks. No defending player should loiter near the goal.

U6 games are parent-refereed. Games can be rescheduled at the discretion of the coaches due to bad weather or other conflicts.

U6 players use a Size 3 ball.

League Play

The teams play in a league we administer iin which teams from other local also participate.  Schedules and rules Games are posted on the league site: www.cisleague.org. At this age, we play 3 vs. 3 as it allows more individual teaching time with the coaches, players receive more touches on the ball, greater exposure to both attacking and defending situations, increased opportunity to score goals, and more involved playing time. No scores or standings are kept. Sportsmanship by players and parents is of the highest importance.

Practice Structure

The Ames Soccer Club practice sessions take place within an academy system.  The academy system utilizes academy coaches and parent coaches in coaching our youth players.  The club’s coaching staff produces a practice curriculum that all players and coaches will follow throughout the season.  The academy coaches receive training, supervision and direction from the club’s Director of Coaching and Player Development. 

Practices are once a week and last for 1 hour.  Players will practice with another team to form a larger training group of 10-12 players.  All practices are held at the Hunziker Youth Sports Complex.

Practice Curriculum

Emphasis is placed on introducing players to the game of soccer through fun games and activities that are easy to explain and simple to follow.  The individual player is the focus and so the vast majority of sessions involve dribbling type exercises that help the players become more comfortable with the ball.  The U6 player does not understand the team concept and so is still very much into the “me” mentality.  Sharing the ball with other players is not an option and so the majority of games involve each player having their own ball. Players are just beginning to develop psychomotor skills such as running, jumping, skipping, hopping, and maintaining balance.  When the ball is introduced these movements, including changing direction, become even more challenging.

Players will be introduced to basic tactics such as which way do they score (attack) and which goal do they try to stop the other team scoring (defend).  Basic restarts such as throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks are also taught during scrimmages and league play.

Academy Coaches

The club’s Director of Coaching & Player Development selects and trains the academy coaches.  All academy coaches will be versed in the club’s philosophy and be familiarized with the various age group curriculums.  The club will encourage and support the academy coaches’ continued training through attendance at licensing courses, symposiums, and seminars.

Age Bracket for U5/U6

• For insurance reasons, we cannot accept players that are not at least 4 years old on the specified dates given here.

 

Team Formation

The U7/U8 program is entirely recreational, and teams are formed as much as possible around keeping schoolmates together.  Maximum roster size is 8 players.   

Brief Rules Summary

The game is 4 v 4 on a small field. No keepers are used. The length of the game is 2 20 minute halves. All kicks are direct. On a goal kick, the defending team must wait behind the halfway line until the ball is kicked. No offside violations are called, nor are any pentalty kicks. No defending player should loiter near the goal while the ball is in the offensive half.

U8 games should and will almost all have a certified referee, often a teenager learning the trade. However, parents should be ready to step in if need be, since we prioritize referees for older games over younger games. Games can be rescheduled at the discretion of the coaches due to bad weather or other conflicts. Rescheduling should be done through Charlie Ramsey in order to get a referee.

U8 players use a size 3 ball.

League Play

The teams play in a league we administer iin which teams from other local also participate.  Schedules and rules Games are posted on the league site: www.cisleague.org. Games are 4 vs. 4 as it allows more individual teaching time with the coaches, players receive more touches on the ball, greater exposure to both attacking and defending situations, increased opportunity to score goals, and more involved playing time. No scores or standings are kept. Sportsmanship by players and parents is of the highest importance.

Practice Structure

The Ames Soccer Club practice sessions take place within an academy system.  The academy system utilizes academy coaches and parent coaches in coaching our youth players.  The club’s coaching staff produces a practice curriculum that all players and coaches will follow throughout the season.  The academy coaches receive training, supervision and direction from the club’s Director of Coaching and Player Development. 

Practices are twice a week and last for 1 hour.  Players will practice with their team, or join up with another, to form a larger training group of 14-16 players.  Parent coaches in conjunction with academy coaches will coach the players so that there will be 2-3 coaches per training group. All practices are held at the Hunziker Youth Sports Complex.

Practice Curriculum

The emphasis is on teaching the soccer fundamentals within a fun learning environment.  Fun games and activities are utilized in continuing player development.  Players are beginning to understand the idea of the team concept by working with a teammate. Nonetheless, a primary focus is players learning individual moves, fakes, and turns that they can use in 1 v. 1 situations. The majority of practice sessions will also involve players working together as partners or within small groups.  Games that involve passing are introduced.

Players will continue to learn the basic tactics such as which way do they score and which goal do they defend.  Basic restarts such as throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks are also taught during scrimmages and league play.

Academy Coaches

The club’s Director of Coaching & Player Development selects and trains the academy coaches.  All academy coaches will be versed in the club’s philosophy and be familiarized with the various age group curriculums.  The club will encourage and support the academy coaches’ continued training through attendance at licensing courses, symposiums, and seminars. 

Age Bracket for U7-U8

• The U7/U8 age bracket is normally students in first and second grades. See this page for the birthdate cutoffs.
• First graders that are young for their grade (i.e., were 5 on the specified date) may play U7 or U6 and the parents' discretion. Please contact Gary Eyles if you would like advice.
• Other U6 players that are dominating their games may also play up to U7/U8 with consent of Gary Eyles. Please contact Gary regarding moving to a U7/U8 team.

 

Team Formation

The U9/U10 program is entirely recreational, and teams are formed as much as possible around keeping schoolmates together.  Maximum roster size is 10 players.  

Brief Rules Summary

The game is 6 v 6 on a mid-sized field. Keepers are used, but no offsides is called. The length of the game is 2 25-minute halves. Free kicks are direct or indirect as appropriate, and penalty kicks are awarded for fouls or handling in the box.

U10 games must have a certified referee, often a teenager learning the trade. Games can be rescheduled at the discretion of the coaches due to bad weather or other conflicts, but rescheduling must be done through Charlie Ramsey to secure a field and referee.

U10 players use a size 4 ball.

League Play

The teams play in a league we administer in which teams from other local also participate.  Schedules and rules are posted on the league site: www.cisleague.org. Games are 6 vs. 6 (with keepers) as it allows more individual teaching time with the coaches, players receive more touches on the ball, greater exposure to both attacking and defending situations, increased opportunity to score goals, and more involved playing time. No scores or standings are kept. Sportsmanship by players and parents is of the highest importance.

Practice Structure

The Ames Soccer Club practice sessions take place within an academy system.  The academy system utilizes academy coaches and parent coaches in coaching our youth players.  The club’s coaching staff produces a practice curriculum that all players and coaches will follow throughout the season.  The academy coaches receive training, supervision and direction from the club’s Director of Coaching and Player Development. 

Practices are twice a week and last for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Players will largely practice as their team and on occasion may possibly join up with another team to form a larger training group of 14-16 players.  All practices are held at the Hunziker Youth Sports Complex.

Practice Curriculum

The focus is on technical development.  Individually this means developing fast footwork skills including moves and fakes that can be used to beat defenders or simply to maintain possession when pressured by the opposition.  Training sessions will develop the first touch with all surfaces of the body, particularly the feet.  A good first touch allows the receiver more time and space and opportunity to play with his or her head up making the game so much easier. 

Tactically players will receive instruction on individual tactics within 1 vs. 1 situations both attacking and defending and basic team tactics such as defending and attacking shape and switching the play.  Possession type exercises will develop the player’s decision making in when and where to pass and how to move both with and without the ball.

This is the first age group that plays with goalkeepers.  The club will offer specialized training sessions that focus on the keeper position.  Typically players will continue to play both as keepers and field players and so it’s encouraged that teams rotate 2-3 players in this position.    

Academy Coaches

The club’s Director of Coaching & Player Development selects and trains the academy coaches.  All academy coaches will be versed in the club’s philosophy and be familiarized with the various age group curriculums.  The club will encourage and support the academy coaches’ continued training through attendance at licensing courses, symposiums, and seminars. 

Age Bracket for U10

• The U9/U10 age bracket is mainly for 3rd and 4th graders. The exact birthdate cutoffs are given here.
• Third graders that are young for their grade (i.e., were 7 on the specified date) may play U8 or U9/U10 and the parents' discretion. Please contact Gary Eyles if you would like advice.
• Other U8 players that are dominating their games may also play up to U9/U10 with consent of Gary Eyles. Please contact Gary regarding moving to a U9/U10 team.

 

Team Formation

Teams for Fall and the following Spring are formed based on a tryout system that is conducted in the first two weeks June of each year.  More information can be obtained by clicking here. Players will be assigned to teams based on abilities and numbers. U11 & U12 play 8 vs. 8 and U13 & older play 11 vs. 11.

New players interested in playing who missed tryouts should contact Gary Eyles:515/360-5117 or garykix@mchsi.com

League Play

U11 – U12 teams play in the West division of the Iowa Premier Soccer League (IPSL).  U13 – U19 teams play in the statewide divisions of the IPSL.  The IPSL is organized and run by the various club’s directors of coaching.  Teams are placed in divisions based on ability rather than age.  There are no roster restrictions and so players are allowed to play with other teams within their club system providing they have a player pass. Some teams play in the GDMJSL, a very large league which is independently organized, but has more rigid rostering rules.

Practice Structure

The professional club coaches conduct all practice sessions.  The club coaches receive training, supervision and direction from the club’s Director of Coaching and Player Development. 

Practices are two or three times per week dependent on age with each session lasting 60-90 minutes.  The teams will practice as an individual team.  There may be occasions due to numbers or scheduling conflicts that teams will train together.  All practices are held at the Hunziker Youth Sports Complex. Goalkeepers will receive specialized keeper training sessions on a weekly basis.

Practice Curriculum

U11 – U14:    Technical Development including but not limited to fast footwork, moves & fakes, 1st touch with all surfaces of the body, different types of passes.

Coaches

Each team will be assigned a professional club coach who will be assisted by an assistant coach (typically one of the parents of a player).  All club coaches are encouraged to further their education and qualifications through attendance at symposiums, clinics and undertaking licensing through the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) or United States Soccer Federation (USSF).

Team Formation

Teams are formed based on a tryout system that is conducted in the first two weeks June of each year.  More information can be obtained by clicking here.  Players will be assigned to teams based on abilities and numbers. All U15 and & older play 11 vs. 11. Ames Soccer Club does not field U15-U19 teams during Spring seasons and encourages players to participate in High School soccer.

League Play

All U15 – U19 teams play in the statewide divisions of the IPSL.  The IPSL is organized and run by the various club’s directors of coaching.  Teams are placed in divisions based on ability rather than age.  There are no roster restrictions and so players are allowed to play with other teams within their club system providing they have a player pass.

Practice Structure

The professional club coaches conduct all practice sessions.  The club coaches receive training, supervision and direction from the club’s Director of Coaching and Player Development. 

Practices are two or three times per week dependent on age with each session lasting for 1 hour 30 minutes.  The teams will practice as an individual team.  There may be occasions due to numbers or scheduling conflicts that teams will train together.  All practices are held at the Hunziker Youth Sports Complex.

Goalkeepers will receive specialized keeper training sessions on a weekly basis.

Coaches

Each team will be assigned a professional club coach who will be assisted by an assistant coach (typically one of the parents of a player).  All club coaches are encouraged to further their education and qualifications through attendance at symposiums, clinics and undertaking licensing through the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) or United States Soccer Federation (USSF).