The priority in FAST Soccer is to motivate players in an environment that is conducive to learning. The more pleasure kids derive from their participation, the more they wish to play and practice on their own. While their instinct to play is natural, their affection and appreciation for soccer must be cultivated. FAST Soccer is the foundation to such goals because it:

Goalkeeping, as it relates to the adult version of soccer, requires a combination of skill, athleticism, and decision making. A FAST Soccer goalkeeper learns all these things in the game of FAST Soccer with the added advantage that he learns to react faster because the ball moves faster, and he gets more involvement in the game since they are more shots on goal. Nevertheless:

Teaching FAST Soccer to children requires that the information provided to them is appropriate for their maturity level through some means (THE GAME) that makes sense to them. The environment for play must, essentially, meet the needs of players.

Reducing the number of players to 5 per team allows for all of the components that are present in the 11 v. 11 game: the ball, teammates and opponents, realistic pressure, appropriate space, guidelines (rules), direction of play (attacking and defending), and the combination of length and width in the game (team shape), and shooting on goal.

Youngsters recognize differing situations that are constantly repeated. Repetition influences: Skill required to play the game (dribbling, passing, shooting, etc.). Decisions and choices that occur during the game.

The primary objective for youth players under 12 years of age is the development of technical skill. This is due, in part, to the nature of youngsters and their willingness to experiment to find their own way to execute technical skill.

Another contributing factor for am emphasis on skill development is that skill is considered a shortcoming. Remember, technique is not an objective in and of itself but a tool. Technical skill must always have a relationship with the game (application). Problem solving, decision making, intuition, anticipation, and technical skill must be developed in the context of games.

Technical activities, outside of games, should not be considered the "end all and be all". The game, and involvement of playing the game, is most important. Too often, these activities on the individual basis are "drills" and are not realistic as far as the demands of the game are concerned. Technical skills should not be viewed as "tricks" or "gimmicks", but in the end, must be practical to use in the game.

FAST Soccer allows youth coaches to become familiar with the three main areas of the game.

FAST Soccer provides a much clearer environment to analyze the match and its individual components and is therefore not as intimidating to beginning coaches. The coach can observe:

Youth soccer coaches contribute to player development by:

While technique, decision making and physical talent can be distinguished from one another, they are not related.

• Can employ buildup by using the entire playing area in terms of length and width (spread out, possession).
• Can learn and determine team shape, which, in a group of 4 resembles a diamond.
• Can create goal scoring opportunities by taking action either individually or collectively.

• The aim is to prevent goals from being scored by getting behind the ball and to regain possession of the ball.
• Simple principles of defending are reinforced and amplified since there is no spare defender or goalkeeper.

Players need to evaluate and identify when to dribble and pass. The correct attitude (when to take a risk aggressively) and the technical development and execution of dribbling.

• Vision
• Changes in the direction and speed of play.
• Decision making skills because the player has a variety of options at his disposal (dribbling, passing, "shooting", changing directions)

Since the playing area is longer than it is wide, the emphasis is on creating length (height) in the game. In this game, there is a premium placed on playing the ball forward early. The ball can be played early:

• To a target player who is coming back for the ball with a defender behind them (as shown in diagram).
• To a player running forward away from the server.

• Stopping the ball anywhere on the line.
• Passing the ball through an open goal.

• Vision
• Changes in direction and speed of play.
• Appropriate use of firm touch.
• Long and short passing.
• Attitude and confidence that is essential for scoring goals. (Large net)
• Passing, shooting and dribbling skills required in the other 4 v. 4 games.
• Transition awareness since the team can attack quickly in the other direction.
• Team shape and the roles of each player because when there is a transition, the back becomes the front and vice versa.
• The priority of this game is shooting and scoring. Since the field is small, players should be looking to shoot almost whenever they get the ball. .

Basic Rules for the FAST Soccer Game

Part of the effectiveness of FAST Soccer is that it contribute to the developmental needs of young players. The basic rules are:

• The use of a goalkeeper.
• No offsides.
• When the ball goes out of bounds over the sideline (touchline), it is put back into play with a kick-in. The kick-in can not go directly into the goal.
• When the ball goes out over the end line, the result, at the disgression oof the referee, is either a corner kick for the attacking team, or a goal kick for the defending goalkeeper.
• After a goal has been scored, it is put back into play by a kick off.
• Kickoffs that begin each period of play are taken from the approximate center of the field.
• Players can score from anywhere on the field.
• The opponent must be 10 feet away from the ball at the time of the kick.