These are some general questions about age-specific game format, age-specific game duration and other details related to youth soccer in San Marcos AYSO.
Q: I've been asked to bring game snacks for the team, what should I bring?
Soccer is an energy-intensive sport and snacks will help the players recharge their energy levels. For half-time snacks, fruit and water are recommended. The players can get recharged without getting overly full. Grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, or strawberries make great half-time snacks.
Orange slices are a great source of nutrition, but the citric acid found in orange juice can lead to upset stomach and heartburn. It's best to avoid fruits with a high acidity level when providing half-time snacks.
Hydration is key to high-performance for ALL players. Even players as young as six! Drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, and 100% juice drinks are excellent for re-hydrating players. Please avoid drinks that have high-sugar content or caffiene. Sodas and energy drinks such as Red Bull are great, but only for after the game.
Top
Q: Who will coach my child's team?
AYSO teams are coached by volunteers from your community, many of them parents with children in the program. Most likely, the coach of your child's team has a player on that team as well.
We encourage you to get involved with coaching a team. there are many opportunities for head and assistant coaches. It's fun, it's a great way to be involved with your son or daughter, and San Marcos AYSO will provide all the training and materials you need to be a successful coach. Check out our Coaches page for all the details on coaching clinics before and during the season. Be sure to stop by and ask any questions you have of our dedicated coaching staff as well. They love to help out and hear any comments, critiques and concerns that you may have. Or, send our Coach Instructor an email with any questions you may have at
[email protected].
Top
Q: Can I request a coach?
Requests will be accepted and considered for the lower divisions (U6-U8) only.
Top
Q: How long is a soccer game? Are games different lengths for different ages?
In general, for our U6 to U10 divisions, the games take about 1 hour to complete. For the older divisions, U12 and up, games take about 1.5 hours to complete.
The table below lists some age-specific guidelines that AYSO National has established (and San Marcos AYSO follows) for age-specific divisions in our club. Note that due to the number of players in the U8 division for 2014, we have gone to a side-by-side field format. Each field will have a 4 vs 4 game with a Coach or Assistant Coach as referee.
| Division |
Field Size |
Number of Players |
Game Duration |
Ball Size |
Keepers (Y/N) |
Referee Type |
| U-6 |
Dual 20x30 |
3 vs 3 on both fields |
25 minute game / quarters |
3 |
N |
Coach/Asst Coach |
| U-8 |
45x25 |
4 vs 4 on both filelds |
2 20-minute halves / quarters |
3 |
N |
Coach/Asst Coach |
| U-10 |
75x40 |
7 vs 7 |
2 25-minute halves / quarters |
4 |
Y |
Regional Referee/Linesmen |
| U-12 |
90x45 |
9 vs 9 |
2 30-minute halves / quarters |
4 |
Y |
Regional Referee/Linesmen |
| U-14 |
100x55 |
11 vs 11 |
2 30-minute halves / quarters |
5 |
Y |
Regional Referee/Linesmen |
| U-16 |
90x45 |
8 vs 8 |
2 40-minutes halves |
5 |
Y |
Intermediate Referee/Linesmen |
| U-19 |
120x70 |
11 vs 11 |
2 45-minute halves |
5 |
Y |
Intermediate/Advanced Referee/Linesmen |
Top