2017 Player Development Initiatives have been introduced by USSF. All organizations including AYSO have agreed on these measures. Included are some updates made in 2018.
Purpose:
- Encourage Skills development early on.
- One of the big things is "Short Sided Play" which AYSO has already done for years.
- Encourage building the game from a team's own half instead of punting the ball to the opponents' goal.
Detailed documentation:
https://bsbproduction.s3.amazonaws.com/portals/14058/docs/pdi%20docs/pdi%20implementation%20in%20section%202%202018-19%20v1.05.pdfRegion 995 Implementation:| Rule | Age Group | Restart/Comments |
| No Heading allowed in games and practices (already introduced 2016) | 12U and younger (unchanged 2018/19) | Indirect Free Kick (outside of goal area if violation was in goal area) |
| No Goal Keeper Punts: After controlling the ball with hands: Punts, Drop-Kicks or Half-Volleys are not permitted. Goalkeeper can pass, throw or roll the ball to a teammate. | 10U ONLY (new in 2018/19)
(8u does not have goal keepers) | Indirect Free Kick (outside of goal area if violation was in goal area) |
Build-Out Line: Before distributing the ball after a save or before a goal kick, keeper is allowed to wait (but doesn't have to) until all opposing players have moved toward their own half, to a spot beyond the "build-out line", a line half way between his/her penalty area and the halfway line. Then he/she distributes the ball to a team mate NOT beyond the build-out line (in other words close-by).
See also: Build-Out Line in 1 Page | 10U only | Opponent moves across build-out line toward goalkeeper before kick: retake. The build-out line can be marked out on the field or indicated, e.g.with 2 cones on each touchline, between half way line and "the 18" spot where penalty area ends. |
| Offside zone narrowed by build-out line: "Can only be offside in the opponent's half" changes to "Can only be offside behind the opponents' build-out line" (close to the target goal) | 10U only | Same as other offside infractions. |
| 4 players a side, no goalkeeper | 5U, 6U, 8U |
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| No Throw-Ins: For ball out of play - over the touch line, the Throw-In is replaced with the Pass-In. Opponents must be at least 2 yards away until ball is kicked. | 5U, 6U | Training of Throw-In technique begins with 8U.
Ball over Goal Line: Corner kicks and goal kicks are played. |