Optus Small-Sided Football

Football Queensland has recently been advised of some minor changes to the 2010 formats for Optus Small-Sided Football.

Football Federation Australia has made these changes following feedback and talking to some associations and clubs. The changes refer to the standardising of penalty area sizes across the age groups and a better progression for the duration of matches.

FQ confirms that, in Queensland, the implementation in 2010 will continue to include the Under 10 age group as the highest age group.

• Age Groups

  The Under 7 age group have changed to play the 4 v 4 format. The Under 8 age group have changed to play the 7 v 7 format. The Under 10 age group have changed to play the 9 v 9 format. The Under 12 age group will now play 11 v 11 on a full size field.

• Field Size

  In the Under 8, 9, 10 and 11 age groups a slight range has been given in the field size. In the Under 11 age group, the final stage of development in the Optus Small-Sided Football formats before players commence 11 v 11 football, clubs are recommended to set-up the field from penalty box to penalty box and adjust the width of the field with use of markers to meet the maximum specified width.

• Goal Size & Penalty area

  For the Under 8 and 9 age groups, it is recommended that clubs that wish to and have the capacity to do so use 3m x 2m goals. Should a club not be able to do this, the 5m x 2m goal is most acceptable for use on fields for the Under 8 & 9 age groups. The penalty area is a standard size of 5m depth x 12m width regardless of goal size. FFA understands that clubs may have existing goals however when they need to replace existing goals or are in a position to make a change they should use these dimensions. Clubs are also reminded that they are able to apply for Optus Small-Sided Football goals (as well as funding) at the designated time through the FFA’s Grassroots Football Facilities Fund at www.myfootballclub.com.au

• Points Table & Finals

  FFA advises that the keeping of points table and playing of finals must not be done for the Under 6 - 10 age group. FFA recommends that the keeping of points table and playing of finals should also not be done for the Under 11 age group - this should not start until the Under 12 age group where children start playing 11 v 11 on a full size pitch.

• Complete Format here

Futsal

A few teams have pulled together kids to enter into the Smithfield YMCA Futsal Comp – started 8/9/09. All teams are called Yorkeys Hornets.
We have U10, U8 and U7.
I’ll take some snaps and send these thru soon also.

Five Yorkeys U10 boys trialled and all 5 were accepted (that’s nearly half of one team). I think we have the majority of kids playing.
Cairns are entered 3 x U10 Teams – Cairns Blue, Cairns Gold, Cairns White.

• Cairns Blue – James Dunne, Callum Hayden, Dylan McKenzie and Patrick Hawkins.
• Cairns Gold – Kaya Negara
• Cairns White – no Yorkeys players

Jim Dunne is the Yorkeys U10 Coach and has taken on Coaching the Cairns Blue Rep team, he’s doing a great job.

We had two of U10 boys (handpicked I may add) to be in the U10 Cairns Rep Team for the Fillipo Mele Carnival in Townsville – James Dunne and Callum Hayden.
Cairns entered 2 U10 Teams:

• Cairns White Team - James Dunne (this team won the Carnival)
• Cairns Blue Team - Callum Hayden (this team came 3rd)

Teams in the U10 division were: Cairns Dolphins Blue, Cairns Dolphins, Cairns Bluebirds, White, Burdekin Barras, Burdekin Muddies, Johnstone River Crocs, Mackay Redbacks, Mackay Taipans, Mackay Red Devils, Townsville Geckos, Townsville Curlews, Townsville Coral, Townsville Reef.