Spring 2024 Spring Soccer Season

U4 Division Overview

The 4u division is an introductory and development program lead by a volunteer coach with the support and assistance of RYSA’s Director of Coaching Education. The intent is to teach your player the very basics of soccer such as dribbling the ball, ball control, foot placement on the ball, and stopping and changing directions. Your player will also begin to learn how to distinguish between teams and get the feel for the initial concept of competition along with how to listen for coach’s instructions while in play.  

The program is a stair step approach to the game of soccer in which the players will work thru a series of exercises that start out simple then progress to a more complex activity. The goal for your player to get as many touches on the soccer ball as possible to increase his/her comfort level with the ball to then work toward controlling the ball and executing the play.  

Each session is approximately the same amount of time as a full game so your player can become acclimated to being in play on the field for the duration of a typical game. These game-like sessions are designed with 4 quarters that progress the player from a technical warm-up to a scrimmage starting out utilizing a small part of the field to the whole field. Each session will utilize repetition of the skills being taught to help build good soccer habits that your player can build upon as he/she progresses to the next level of soccer.  

The Spring/Fall Seasons will consist of 2 sessions then 6 normal games. 

1st Quarter - Technical Warm-up using 5x5 grid. 
2nd Quarter - Small-Side Game (SSG) using half of the field. 
3rd Quarter - Expanded SSG using the whole field. 
4th Quarter – Scrimmage using the whole field. 

Parent participation is highly recommended during each session, and necessary to make this program successful. This will give everyone an opportunity to help develop our young stars. 

Please be encouraging and supportive when your player is on the field even when he/she makes a mistake. At this age it will take several mistakes before they get it right and that’s ok. Be their cheerleader to let them know to keep trying and don’t give up.  

*May be a regular game and not a 'session'. Non-badged individuals should not be on field during play. Referee decision.