5-A-Side Games - Spring 2024

A fun series of games for players to explore many positions, in an often high scoring game. The day is filled with many opportunities to network, as you move from one 15 min game to another.

Register Your Team Free Agent Registration

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Game Day: Saturday, June 1st 2024

Coaches, please check in at 8:30 on Saturday at the Info Shed.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• This has a cost of $5 per player, paid in cash or check (to AYSO) on game day.
  • Funds cover costs and raise money for field/playing space in Benton County.
  • Scholarship players can sign up/play for free.
• Each team plays 4-5 games, over about 3 hours on Saturday, between 9am - 1pm.
  
  
• Volunteers:
  • Team/Squad Coach: Any current referee, team manager, or coach can fill this role. You are tasked with checking in, organizing players for each game, assigning playing positions, and running substitutions.
    
    
  • Center Referee: Any current referee can fill this role. You would sign up in one hour blocks. You can swap on game day.
• Teams:
  • Each team needs a unique lead coach, you will likely have overlapping games, and you will need someone to lead the squad/team.
  • Players should be on and stay on a single team. Only exceptions are allowed for squads that are short, need balancing, or substituting for a sick/injured player.
  • 1st & 2nd grade is 3-5 players on a squad, games are 3 vs 3. (coaches run the game)
  • 3/4th, 5/6th, & 7/8th grade is 5-8 players on a squad, games are 5 vs 5. (referees run the game)
• Notable Rule Modifications:
  
  • Games are 15 min w/ 5 min between games, games start by horn or whistle.
  • Any time, on-the-fly substitutions like hockey.
  • Most restarts are direct except kickoff, drop ball, & throw-in/kick-in.
  • Keeper punts/throws cannot cross half in the air, restart is at half.
  • 1st & 2nd grade no keepers (no goal hanging allowed).
  • 7 min halves, 5 min between games (all fields signaled by horn).
  • No offside.
  • No deliberate heading (except 5/6th+) restart is a direct kick.
  • No build out line, no penalty area, and no penalty kick.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Signup Online (here)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

7 minute halves.

All restarts are direct (except kickoff, drop ball, & throw-in/kick-in)

No punts or throws in air across half, must touch playing half (restart at half line).

No offside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pets/Dogs/Goats/Cats?
No pets near any of the fields. No pets within 50 feet of the game fields. Hundreds of people, loud horns, music, it only takes one dog bite to ruin a love for animals.

Outside Players?
If they registered for AYSO this school year, they can play. Please be sure you balance if you have multiple squads.

Balancing, How?
5-A-Side favors big kickers and a lot of energy, look to balance those players first. Only distributions from the hands of the goalkeeper are restricted by how far they can go in the air, you can score a goal from a goal kick (Most free kicks are direct. Kick-off, drop ball, and throw-in/kick-in cannot score a goal directly).

Food?
Yes, you can bring food, but you cannot use a flame and cook the food at an AYSO event.

Free Substitution?
There is free, any time, substitution. The substituted player must leave the field before the replacing player comes on. Again, this can be done at any time without needing to check with the referee. If too many players are actively playing on the field, it is a restart for the other team at half, if a goal was scored and too many were playing on the field, the goal would be reversed.

Offside?
None. Players are in play anywhere on the field.

Goalkeeper throw or punt?
Cannot cross the half in the air. If it travels over half without touching anything else, the opposing team restarts from half about where it crossed.

Central Horn Timer?
Once that horn goes to start a half, you can start, even if the other team is not on the field. The horn decides the start and stop of play.

Kick-off?
Home team (team 1) starts the first kick-off, away team (team 2) kicks off after the half, see the game schedule. If the kicking off team isn’t ready, the other team may kick off if the referee allows. Teams cannot score directly from a kick-off.

Penalty Kick?
No penalty area will be marked, just a goal area, so no penalty kick.

Game Cards?
No game cards are required, no tracking of scores will be done.

Players Near Goal?
1st / 2nd grade players should be discouraged from goal hanging. Keeping at least a few feet away from the goal line. Since the goals are small, and no players can use hands, it is not recommended to have players stick in the goal.

Restart Distance?
3/4th it is 4 yards or the goal line. 5/6th it is 6 yards or the goal line. 7/8th it is 8 yards or the goal line. No restarts should take place in the marked goal area, except a goal kick. Since 1st/2nd has no goal area, move the ball 4 yards away from the goal (parallel to the infraction).

Register Your Team Free Agent Registration

Game Schedule v1 Fields Map