ORANGE COUNTY, CA - BREAKING NEWS!
Today Elite Soccer League announced its Winter 2009 Soccer Program. You can begin the registration process by registering an individual player or registering a team.
Winter season games will begin on Saturday, January 10th and run each Saturday through February 28th. Teams participating in tournaments or other activities will be allowed to pick black out dates so the season will not interfere with other priorities. Games will be played using an exciting 5v5 format.
According to Mats Affleck, Director of Player Development with Elite Soccer League, "There are some huge advantages to taking a number of weeks to play small-sided games during the off season." Mats specifically highlights a few of the many benefits of 5v5 as follows:
- With only five players from each team on the field at a time, individual players touch the ball more often than in traditional 8v8 or 11v11 match play
- These additional touches to the ball give the players more experience with the ball on the field of play, which increases skill level and confidence at a much faster rate than 8v8 or 11v11 where they may not be touching the ball as often
- Individual players tend to stay more involved and focused throughout the game - there just isn't time to sit and watch as the game is very fast paced
Additional detail surrounding the winter season, including registration information, can be found on the Winter 2009 Soccer Program main page.
For additional information regarding the 5v5 format and rules of play, please see Rules of Play for 5v5 Soccer.
