Definitions of Small Sided Players and Teams

U6 Players

U6 players cannot hold a travel team pass and can not play travel team soccer. They may of course participate in the Club's Recreation program.

U7 Players

U7 players can play on a U8 Travel Team providing a majority (50% +1) of the team are U8. U7 players cab only play U8 Travel Team Soccer not higher. Whether a U7 player can play up on a U8 team is a club decision. U7 players cannot play out of state.

U7 Teams

NJYS does not allow for U7 travel teams.

U8 Players

U8 players can play on a U8, U9, or U10 travel team. Whether a U8 player can play up on a U9 or U10 team is a club decision. U8 players cannot play out of state.

U8 Teams

U8 teams can only have U7 and U8 players on its roster. The roster size is limited to 14 players at any one time and a maximum of 17 players being on the roster during the seasonal year. The team may not grow to a full sided roster during the seasonal year.

U9 Players

U9 players can play on a U9 or U10 travel team. Whether a U9 player can play up on a U10 team is a club decision. U9 players cannot play out of state.

U9 Teams

U9 teams can only have U9 and U8 players on its roster. The roster size is limited to 14 players at any one time and a maximum of 17 players being on the roster during the seasonal year. The team may not grow to a full sided roster during the seasonal year.

U10 Players

U10 players play on a U10 team. U10 players can play up on an U11 team as long as the U11 team has a majority of U11 players. U10 players cannot play out of state.

U10 Teams

U10 teams can only have U10, U9 and U8 players on its roster. The roster size is limited to 14 players at any one time and a maximum of 17 players being on the roster during the seasonal year. The team may not grow to a full sided roster during the seasonal year.

New Jersey Youth Soccer Concussion Awareness Training

The Legislature of the State of New Jersey passed a bill to raise the awareness of concussions amongst youth athletes. This bill requires coaches to have head injury safety training to help in the recognition of concussions.

To support this effort, the following was agreed to at the New Jersey Youth Soccer Board of Directors meeting of August 19, 2011 concerning Concussion Awareness Training.

• By October 15, 2011 all coaches will be required to have taken the on line Concussion Awareness Training and be able to present their certificate they receive from taking the course.
• All clubs will certify to NJYS by October 15, 2011 that their coaches have complied with the Concussion Awareness Training requirement and are able to produce a certificate. The required Concussion Awareness Certification form is available on the NJYS website.
• All coaches will have the certificate with them when they are coaching.
• This requirement pertains to both travel and recreation coaches.

There are two online training courses that a coach may take that will meet this requirement. Both of these course are free courses and will provide you a certificate that you have taken the course at the completion of the course.

1. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports is a free, online course available to coaches, parents, and others helping to keep athletes safe from concussion. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics and interactive exercises, and compelling storytelling to help you recognize a concussion and know how to respond if you think that your athlete might have a concussion. Once you complete the training and quiz, you can print out a certificate, making it easy to show your league or school you are ready for the season.
2. The National Federation of State High School Associations Concussion in Sports - What You Need To Know . Sports-related concussion in high school sports can be serious or even life-threatening situations if not managed correctly. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have teamed up to provide information and resources to help educate coaches, officials, parents and students on the importance of proper concussion recognition and management in high school sports. Mick Koester M.D., ATC, Chair of the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and Director of the Slocum Sports Concussion in Eugene, Oregon takes you through this course. In this course you will understand the impact sports-related concussion can have on your players, how to recognize a suspected concussion, the proper protocols to manage a suspected concussion, and steps to help your player return to play safely after experiencing a concussion.