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It was all the way back in 1979 that McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal. It was an ingenious premise: menu options with kid-sized portions, allowing children to choose what they wanted and still finish everything — just like the grown-ups did. It was a runaway hit, and Happy Meals continue to be offered today.
Today, governing bodies for field sports are offering small-sided play formats, defined as smaller fields with fewer players, so that children can learn sports in a bite-sized way, with less running and more touches on the ball.
“We are always getting requests to look at constructions or renovations of soccer fields in the area,” says Mike Munie of Perfect Play Fields & Links. “Most of the time, they are full-sized fields that can be set up for small-sided events as well.”
Multiple organizations have realized the advantages of offering small-sided play formats. Private event owners have begun offering travel tournaments (located on land and on sand) in various sports, for all age groups. According to American Sports Builders Association’s (ASBA) publication, Sports Fields: Construction and Maintenance Manual, some sports have been making particularly big gains in the small-sided space. ASBA is an NRPA Sports Partner and will be exhibiting at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference. The following information can assist park managers with league set-ups:
Soccer: Play formats can include 3v3, 4v4, 5v5, 7v7, 8v8 and 9v9 (as opposed to traditional 11v11). In August of 2017, U.S. Soccer began implementing new standards nationwide, known as Player Development Initiatives (PDIs).
U.S. Soccer notes, “PDIs affect youth players from age 6 and under (U-6) up to 12 and under (U-12) with different standards for each age group”. The different standards include field sizes, goal sizes, game times, offsides and whether or not there is a goalkeeper.
Lacrosse: USA Lacrosse has developed a small-sided field diagram that, according to Brian Logue, senior director of communications, “can be used for a variety of purposes. It can be used for 4v4 games for 8U and below, and up to 7v7 for boys and 8v8 for girls, up to 12U under USA Lacrosse Youth Rules.” Diagrams of fields and markings are available on the USA Lacrosse website.
The lacrosse format that will be presented as a showcase sport in Los Angeles in 2028 is World Lacrosse Sixes, played on a 70 meter x 36 meter field featuring goals 10 meters in from the endlines. Six players, including a goalkeeper, are on the field, with games taking place during four eight-minute quarters.
Field Hockey: USA Field Hockey has introduced GAME ON Field Hockey, also known as GO Field Hockey. This format allows one full-size field (100 yards x 60 yards) to be divided into eight GO Field Hockey playing fields.
Football: USA Football has small-sided programs in two disciplines, grouped under its Football Development Model, meant to grow youth play in a natural progression of player skill. Its USA Football 7-on-7 Flag format teaches players the basics of the sport on a smaller field, in a noncontact environment. Its small-sided version of tackle football is Rookie Tackle®; the format is intended to maximize participation, player skill development and enjoyment at younger levels. Information on both disciplines, including diagrams and other resources, can be found on USA Football’s website.
Cricket: Popularity of the field sport of cricket in the United States has been fueled by demographic shifts and continues to grow. Accordingly, it has added small-sided Rookie League formats to its game, including Anywhere Cricket, Diamond Cricket and Quick Cricket. Information on all of these can be found on USA Cricket’s website.
Adults Love Small-Sided Play Too
Small-sided tournaments are wildly popular among adults who are forming their own recreational leagues; many former high school and college athletes want to continue playing their sports after graduation but find it difficult to get enough players together to make up a full team. For this age group, it is far easier to pull together enough people to play in a 5v5 format. Tournament operators, seeing the popularity of this demographic, are offering divisions for adults.
At the end of the day, it pays to become familiar with the various dimensions, since the demand for small-sided fields is expected to increase with time.
“Most of the athletic organizations in our area are constantly trying to grow and increase small-sided play,” says Munie.
Author’s Note: Few fields, natural or synthetic, are marked permanently for small-sided play; field builders advise using small plastic cones or another safe method (as endorsed by the appropriate governing bodies) to create playing spaces. Check with a field contractor before applying paint or any other substance to delineate playing areas.
Mary Helen Sprecher is Technical Writer at American Sports Builders Association.