Departments Intramural Volunteer/Sponsor Playing Fields Information |
Outdoors in the Spring and Fall, the Fairmount Soccer Association Intramural Division is made up of age appropriate instructional leagues (the actual divisions may blur due to the age census of the Intramural Division). The age groupings are: Contest: 5 & 6 years old; Junior: 7 & 8 years old; Intermediate: 9 & 10 years old; and Senior: 11-13 years old. Both leagues are co-educational. Indoors in the Winter, the division is comprised of age appropriate, co-educational leagues according to the number of players available and their demographics. The general philosophy of the Intramural Leagues is to put emphasis on learning the game of soccer and substantial participation by all players in practice and games. Small-Sided Philosophy:The Fairmount Soccer Association has adopted the new national guidelines focusing on small sided play for young players with the dual purpose of improving soccer skills and keeping all players involved and having fun. We begin with our 5 - 6 year old Division, for children born before August 1, 2002. (Youth soccer in the U.S. uses the child’s age on August 1 as the playing age for the season.) These children play eight Saturday mornings from 10 AM to 12 Noon at Edgely Fields (for directions go to www.fairmountsoccer.org/wherout.html). The sessions are divided between small group instruction and small sided games. The games are played with a #3 ball on small fields with small goals, no keepers, and continuous play. There is lots of excitement, running, and enthusiastic soccer. There are no set teams, as teams are reformed at each session. Parents are involved as coaches, assistants, and “sideliners” keeping the ball in play. Our Intramural Division is divided into three co-ed groups. The 7-8 Division play 8v8 with no standings and no playoffs. Teams will practice only once per week, and we hope to schedule their games this year so that they play only one game per weekend. The 9-10 Division and the 11-13 Division also play 8v8, with standings and playoffs. Teams will have one and sometimes two games per weekend with either one or two mid week practices. In Intramural play, every player plays at least half of each game. The goals of Intramural play are to have fun and develop individual and team skills. This year we added a new Intramural Division for 14-16 year olds, modelled on our Spring Intramural sessions. Players gather late Saturday afternoon for one half hour of instruction and a one hour pick up game. No set teams are formed. Outdoors, the fields for the fall and spring outdoor seasons for the intramural are located at 34th Street and Edgely Drive (a block from 33rd and Diamond Streets) (Map) in Fairmount Park. We share these fields with the Friend's Select School, whose middle school and high school soccer programs are played and practiced there. Indoors (January through March only) we are once again grateful to the kind people at Greenfield School for allowing us to use their gym for our Indoor Intramural program. All regular season games will be played at Greenfield School at 23rd and Chestnut Streets. The entrance to the basement gym is through the parking lot in the rear of the building on Sansom Street. There is limited parking in the rear lot.
Outdoor practices are held during the week after school. The 5-6 age group will not have midweek practices. Practices are generally held once per week and last about an hour and a half. Midweek practices are scheduled by each coach once the teams are formed. If there are days when you cannot make a midweek practice, please note that on your registration form. There are no regularly scheduled practices in Indoor Intramural Soccer. Your total commitment is the one game each week.
The 5-6 year old division play eight Saturday mornings from 10 AM to 12 Noon. For the other Intramural Divisions, outdoor games are held on Saturdays from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM and Sundays from 12:30 PM until 4:00 PM. Games are played in 25 minute halves. Games take about one and half hours including warm-up time prior to the game. Games, including playoff games, are scheduled from the beginning of September, every weekend, through November, up until Thanksgiving. The season could be extended past Thanksgiving if the weather has forced game postponements. Indoors, the Junior Division (7-8 year olds) will play on Wednesday. The Middle Division (9-10 year olds) will play on Friday, and the Senior Division (11-13 year olds) will play on Tuesday. Children will play in the same Division as they did in the Fall, with their age on August 1, being their age for the season. There will be two Division games each evening. The first game will start sharply at 6:30 and the second game at 7:30. The gym opens at 6:15. The season will start in the second or third week of January and will last until late March. If the Public Schools close for the day or have early dismissal due to weather, the game that evening will be cancelled.
As an instructional playing division, the Intramural Division focuses on both the physical and mental skills required to play soccer within both the individual and team concepts. Instruction is tailored to be age appropriate, as much as possible. Instruction includes the following physical skills: passing, shooting, dribbling, juggling, heading, trapping, throwing-in, etc. as well as the following mental skills: principles of offensive and defensive play, individual play strategy, and the rules of soccer. Instruction during practice includes individual and group activities including small sided games.
Participation by all players in the Intramural Division is a mandated objective of the Intramural Division. All players are to participate in at least approximately one half the number of minutes in each game for which they are present, and on time, except when a coach reduces that time for disciplinary reasons. The league also complies with United States Youth Soccer Association guidelines which states that any player sent off (red carded) the field from a game may not participate in the next game in which his/her teams plays. Furthermore, the Fairmount Soccer Association reserves the right to further discipline the player according to the circumstances of the foul or misconduct which resulted in the send off (red card). At the end of the season all Intramural players receive a trophy and a certificate in recognition of their play.
The Player's health and safety are paramount. Therefore Fairmount Soccer has adopted the following rules:
Each Intramural player is supplied a uniform by the Association. Outdoors players receive a shirt, shorts and socks. Indoors they receive a shirt, and should wear the shorts and socks received for the outdoor season. Outdoors, each player must provide their own shinguards and soccer shoes, which must comply with United States Youth Soccer Association standards. Cleated shoes are not required. Indoors players must provide their own shinguards and sneakers or indoor soccer shoes. If you want more information about soccer equipment click on the underlined text.
The rules which govern the Fairmount Intramural games are those as stipulated by FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, amended by the United States Youth Soccer Association for youth play, with a few amendments specific to Fairmount Intramural Soccer.
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