Episode 4, August 29, 2026
The small sided game is the best training a young player gets all week. The numbers back it up.
In 4v4, players touch the ball roughly 5 times more than in 11v11. A 2015 study by Hafeni, Hamilton and Simmons tracked U12 players across formats: 311.5 touches per game in 4v4, 214 in 7v7, 170.5 in 11v11. Scaled to a 7 minute game, that is about 39 touches per player in 4v4, 15 in 7v7, and 8 in 11v11.
In this episode we break down:
- Why small sided games force a decision every 3 to 4 seconds, while the big field stretches it to 8 to 10
- The US Soccer ladder: U8 plays 4v4, U10 plays 7v7, U12 plays 9v9, U13 and up plays 11v11
- Why the format is the curriculum, and the big field too early costs real reps
- How a 20 minute 2v1 in the driveway counts as a real training session
Key numbers:
- 4v4: 311.5 touches per game, about 39 per player in a 7 minute window
- 7v7: 214 touches per game, about 15 per player
- 11v11: 170.5 touches per game, about 8 per player
- Decisions: every 3 to 4 seconds small sided, 8 to 10 seconds on the big field
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