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Grade 1 Boys
Wednesday | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Smith Elementary
Saturday | 10:00-11:00 a.m. | John George
Sunday (Game)| 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. |Smith Elementary
Grade 1 Girls
Tuesday | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Gates Field
Saturday | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | John George
Sunday (Game)| 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. |Smith Elementary
Grade 2 Boys
Wednesday | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. |Smith Elementary
Saturday | 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. | John George
Sunday (Game)| 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. |Smith Elementary
Grade 2 Girls
Tuesday | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. | Gates Field
Saturday | 8:00-9:00 a.m. | John George
Sunday (Game)| 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. |Smith Elementary
Grade 3/4 Boys
Monday | 5:30 - 6:45 p.m. | Gates Field
Thursday | 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. | Gates Field
Saturday (Game) | 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Home games at Gates Field
Grade 3/4 Girls
Monday | 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. | Gates Field
Thursday | 5:30 - 6:45 p.m. | Gates Field
Saturday (Game) | 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Home games at Gates Field
**Travel Players- Please contact your coach directly for all schedule information**
Players should bring/wear:
PHILOSOPHY: These ages are critical years for shaping a child’s successful participation in soccer. The speed and capacity for pre-adolescent (prior to puberty) players to learn are high in the age range and the gains in performance and understanding the most dramatic. It is essential children receive coaching that takes into consideration the developmental stage of each child with the focus being on the individual player before the team. Players should be competent in basic soccer skills (e.g. ball control, dribbling, passing , receiving, and shooting), have a basic understanding of the essentials of attacking and defending (1 v. 1), and be able to perform fundamental movement skills (e.g. running, jogging, jumping, skipping, throwing and catching etc.) before graduating to large sided games (8v8+). Fundamental movement skills not only provide a foundation for soccer, but also provide the basis for participation in most other sports.
INTRAMURAL COMMITTEE OBLIGATIONS: It is the intent of the organization that the servicing committee(s) adhere to the policies and procedures provided in writing by the DYS organization. Some examples of this policy adherence is for league team formation, tournament team formation, coaches selection, evaluation processes in areas that affect player development, team formation and team play. Reason for policies is transparency to the membership, to set proper expectations and the player right to have a fair opportunity within the Danvers Youth Soccer Association. Directors and Coaches are also subject to adhere to the coaching policy and developmental guidelines that the organization has outlined in the Players Training Program. These policies, frameworks and guidelines must be published and shared in an environment where DYS publishes such information. This can be the DYS web-site but is not limited to just the internet. This applies to both intramural & travel entities.
CURRICULUM: Danvers Youth Soccer Association Player Development Curriculum (PDC) serves as the guide, framework along with a clear vision, objectives, and content to assure that all players, parents, coaches, and administrators are on the same page as far as player development. Additionally, the PDC assures that each player within Danvers Youth Soccer is taught the game of soccer sequentially (age appropriate) using similar methodologies from year to year. DYS has created a players training program that helps teach & educate coaches & players on player development. Danvers youth soccer uses Massachusetts Youth Soccer curriculum.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT: The game of soccer must be taught in stages (stages of development). Each year should be more challenging then the next. For many players and parents understanding the steps to success, the expected outcomes and the focus on education and training are extremely important. True player development provides a pathway, building the skills to be successful.
COACHING: The published guideline for coaches located in the Coaching section of the Danvers Youth Soccer web-site applies to ALL coaches from intramural to travel. In most cases intramurals serve as the introductory stage to soccer for both the player and the coach. Our Director of Coaching (DOC) will have the responsibility of assisting our coaches, new and veteran alike, to design creative, age-appropriate, and fun training sessions. To assure the success of each and every player as well as the personal success and enjoyment of each volunteer coach, your attendance and participation at each group training session and coaching event is highly recommended. The travel committee will look back at your good attendance and participation when applying for a head coach position in travel teams.
PLAYING UP: Playing up is only considered if this player is clearly an exceptional player and not being challenged within their appropriate age group. If a coach feels that a player could/should play up they must contact the coach’s education & player development director. The director/committee has final decision. Before making this decision this player must be assessed using the player evaluation of the above age group. If the evaluation score is at the top level of the above age group players, DYS may offer to allow this player to be a practice player only or a full time player if rosters allow us to do so. But of course the final decision will be the parents. Just because a player is asked to play up one year it does not mean they will stay there the next. We do provide ability based coaching which does challenge players at all level at each age group. But we never want to hold a player back if they need more.
COACHES EDUCATION: Intramural coaches in most cases are learning the game as they go. DYS will help provide coaching education, but also it is highly recommended that all coaches seek out educational opportunities on their own. DYS will have the DOC assisting them at all training session but will be expected to step forward and accept more responsibility at each higher age group.
DYS will provide on the field coaches education opportunities per season. This includes both on-the field sessions and may include “classroom” sessions, coaches’ roundtables, etc.
Attendance will be taken at all training sessions and on the field education session.
DYS would like all coaches to have received their G and F licenses while coaching in intramural.
Good attendance and receiving licenses will help your chance to coach travel teams and also shows that you are willing to learn the game so you can develop children.
WINNING vs. DEVELOPMENT: Unlike most youth sports organizations, Danvers Youth Soccer is moving away from the “winning” culture that signifies youth sports to a culture of player development. Research has shown that in competitive game situation players rarely touch the ball. These games are usually dominated by one or two players either through their athletic skill (speed) or size. To assure that each player has the opportunity to be successful and learn the game of soccer we need our coaches to be committed to player development. Often in youth sports the emphasis is on winning, which often leads to disappointment. Although DYS recognizes that coaches, players, and some parents value the competitive game, to assure proper player development we need our coaches to adhere to a strict developmental philosophy and embrace the methodologies being presented by Danvers Youth Soccer.
TEAM SELECTION: Grades 1 thru 4 (U7/U8/U10) Intramural balanced teams will be formed: Teams will be formed by the ranking score of the player, players rankings are based on player evaluations done each season and the coach’s discussions to help make sure the evaluation is valid. Teams will be formed based on ability using the players ranking score. Players ranking score are formed by the player evaluation and coach’s rankings that are done at the end of each season.
MATCH PLAY: Game play should be treated as a training session; we are committed to development, not winning.
SYSTEM OF PLAY: We highly recommend that the field formation should change each game. Changing the system of play will help put players in different situations which will help develop players.
Grades 3/4 (U10):
Grades 3/4 (U10) is a transition year, teams will continue to train as a group under the supervision of the DYS DOC. The focus should be on individual development not winning games. We ask all coaches to have players play all positions and to read/follow the players training program that will help teach & educate coaches & players on player development.
MATCH PLAY: Game play should be treated as a training session; we are committed to development, not winning.
Players are to play as close to equal time as possible.Players are to be encouraged to play all positions.
Players should be encouraged to dribble when field space is given, no matter what position that player is playing.
Players should be encouraged to take players on 1v1
Instruct all to move as a team
Offensively: Make the field big / encourage players to get wide / instruct defenders to get involved
Defensively: Make the field small / encourage all players to compress, protecting middle / instruct forwards to get back
As coaches, try to have ability based lines where the same ability is playing on the field at the same time.
SYSTEM OF PLAY: DYS highly recommends that the field formation should change each game. Changing the system of play will help put players in different situations which will help develop players.