Dayboro Soccer Club announces involvement in Small Sided Games National Program

In conjunction with the Samford Football Club, Dayboro junior soccer players in our Under 6, 7 and 8 teams will participate in a local mini-league based on the national development concept for football known as Small Sided Games, or SSG.

Small-sided games (SSG) are modified forms of 11-a-side football with fewer players in each team (e.g. Under 6 teams have 4 run-on players with up to 2 substitutes played on a small sized pitch), structured to suitably address the needs of young players, who have different developmental characteristics and needs to adult players.  The philosophy of SSG focuses on enjoyment and freedom of expression with limited emphasis on coaching per se, particularly in the formative years of a player’s development.  They benefit children by making their early contact with the game more enjoyable while simultaneously providing an environment that will facilitate greater skill development.
The basis of SSG is that participants, playing on smaller fields and with small numbers, interact with the ball on more occasions and are required to make less complicated tactical decisions.  The result for participants is more fun (more successful interactions) and better skill/technique development.
The rationale for the initiative is primarily based on experiences in numerous countries overseas and is broadly based on the following criteria:
  – 11-a-side football is in essence an adult game devised by and for adults to play
  – more fun and individual enjoyment due to smaller fields and simplified rules
  – more playing time, which maximises individual participation and involvement
  – far more repeated touches of the ball by all players on the field
  – more shots on goal
  – more involvement leads to greater improvement in fitness.
The Dayboro & District Soccer Club is also pleased to announce that our friends and neighbours at the Samford Football Club actively sought the involvement of our teams in the establishment of a Dayboro-Samford SSG league, based on non-competitive participation of our youngest players.  Our Club is thrilled at the prospect of joining this arrangement which has the full endorsement of Football Brisbane.  This new arrangement will have immense benefits to our parent supporters none the least being less time and distance traveled between Dayboro and Samford on cold Saturday mornings.
2008 has been a tremendous year already for our small club – with big milestones of the construction and investiture of the Colin Thiele Field on 2 February achieved and more recently the Dayboro Lions Club gift of a fully operational refrigerator.  To our friends at Lions who have displayed tremendous thoughtfulness and giving to our Club, we are immensely grateful for their consideration of our junior players by offering such a fantastic asset at no cost.  Thank you to all the Lions for their kindness and their support of junior football kids in Dayboro.

Dayboro Soccer Club’s new field, opened in February 2008, honours Children’s author Colin Thiele who “retired” to Dayboro some years ago – sadly passing away in 2006.
Pictured above at the opening of Colin Thiele Field are (Left to Right) Janne Minge and Sandy Paterson (Colin’s daughters), Elliott Morrison-Rose, Rhonda Thiele (Colin’s wife), John Jeliffe (past President and club legend), Bob Millar, Linda Lavarch, Dylan Brown, Caroline Oertel (current President).