AVOIDING BLOWOUTS

One of AYSO’s six core philosophies is “Balanced Teams.” Our region works hard to create balanced teams at the beginning of each season, but there are times when teams on the field are mismatched for whatever reason. These regional policies were created to help level the playing field when those imbalances inevitably occur. The goal for our region is for EVERY player to have a positive experience at EVERY regular season AYSO game, win or lose.

No individual player may score more than 3 goals in a game unless their team is losing, in which case they can score until the game score is tied.

This is not meant to “punish” our talented players! Talented players who can easily score in their age division will be encouraged by the coach to challenge themselves by only shooting with the opposite foot, passing to other players, playing a different position such as goalie, etc. This allows the more skilled player to continue to improve while keeping the game within reach for the other players.

The AYSO mission is about participation, player development, and good sportsmanship. Our goal is to provide an atmosphere in which players can enjoy the game for its own sake without an undue emphasis on winning or losing (i.e. fun and development over winning).

Accordingly, Blowout games are contrary to the objectives of AYSO, and Coaches are expected to prevent games from becoming extremely one sided.  Please avoid blowouts at all costs.  Blowouts are a failure of Coach to plan ahead and to manage the game.  Don't let a blowout destroy the experiences of our players.

Any game with a 5-goal differential is considered a blowout.

The game is most fun and instructive for everyone when it is a challenge.  The closer the ending score the more fun the game and the better the learning experience for the players.  With the right management strategies, an otherwise lopsided, boring game can be managed to be close, without asking players to hold back.  The coaches need to keep all players engaged. 

The Coach of a stronger team needs to raise the challenge higher for scoring a goal, more than simply putting the ball in the net.  The Coach of the team with the goal advantage should take steps to make the game more even...this is known as "pulling back."

You are encouraged to take these steps prior to reaching a five-goal lead.  Coaches should quietly share the information with their team - not yell instructions across the field.

These steps should include one or more of the following:  

1.      Rotate player positions on the dominating team to assign goal-scorers to positions on defense or goalie (or sub them out for a quarter).

2.      Pick a player or two that has never scored and tell the team that only those players are allowed to score.

3.      Require 5 passes in a row prior to any shot on goal.

4.      Announce that everyone must touch the ball before the first goal is scored (can be consecutively but doesn’t have to be).

5.      Have the team play back to their own goal keeper at least once prior to going forward.

6.      Any shot taken must be from outside the penalty box (outside the 18).

7.      All shots must come from using the weak foot.

8.      One touch goal shot (outside the 18).

The idea behind the restrictions relating to blow outs is that the trailing team does not feel defeated and the dominating team is forced to challenge themselves, allowing growth for stronger players when playing against weaker teams.

Any coach that consistently blows out other teams, with no effort to avoid the blow out, may face game suspensions due to a lack of supporting one the six core AYSO philosophies--Good Sportsmanship.

These are regional policies, not part of the Laws of the Game, and therefore it is not the referees’ job to enforce these policies. It is up to coaches to follow these policies on the field and the regional board to make sure these policies are enforced.

Coaches and parents are requested to follow both the letter and the spirit of these policies, recognizing that AYSO’s mission is to develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on AYSO’s Six Philosophies: Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship, and Player Development.

We realize that these policies are unconventional in the soccer world and welcome your feedback at board meetings, in private or by e-mail to [email protected]. However, we ask for your support of these policies in front of the kids. The children will follow the lead and naysaying by parents and coaches. This creates confusion and unhappiness in our young players. Again, the goal of AYSO is for all players, regardless of ability, to play as much soccer as possible, learn, and have fun, and that is the intention of these policies.