How 5-a-Side Soccer Can Fast Track Player Development

Urban Soccer Park
Indoor soccer, football, or futsal player on court, with soccer ball running and kicking with opponent near

One of the major debates among soccer players is the use of a 5-a-Side Soccer to increase player skills. While the 11-a-Side has been the traditional way for the game for so long, the growing attraction for 5-a-side is heating up and there are several reasons why. Below are the benefits of 5-a-side soccer and how playing it, even for practice, can enhance player development on the field.

More Player Touches

If you are playing 5-a-Side soccer, each player must do more work and get more touches in on the ball. Defending the ball becomes everybody's job and dribbles are steadily moving. With an 11-a-Side Soccer, the ball is often out of play for a good bit of the game, leaving players standing around or just doing mass laps up and down the field. Players who may not have had much interaction with the ball in a traditional game will have that chance when there are only 5 per team working to get the ball down the field. 

Build Fitness and Endurance

With only 5 players on each side, everyone has to be involved throughout the duration of the game. This means that you are spending more time on your feet dribbling and working on moving the ball down to the goal. Essentially, a 5-a-Side soccer game is interval training because of the way players dribble and pass before sending the ball back down the field. Players are keeping their heart rate up through the entire game, and they learn to build speed, improving their overall fitness and endurance. 

Develop Player Skills

If you have been spending the majority of your time playing one position on a traditional 11-a-Side, then 5-a-Side Soccer will allow you to play on both offense and defense. Players why may not get to spend a lot of time dribbling get the opportunity to do more of it since there is more responsibility. Blocking and building defense strategies are also established more with the 5-a-side soccer, Players become more of a unit with their teammates because they are working closely with them and doing so more frequently. In a standard 11-a-Side Soccer, 3 or 4 of these players are often spread out and not getting much play at all. 

Games Are More Flexible

When you have 5-a-Side Soccer games, you can move your game indoors or become more flexible with the area where you are playing. Smaller teams mean that this can be played all year long, and moved to an indoor court when the weather is undesirable. 

Is 5-a-Side Soccer in Your Future?

If you are looking to upgrade your facilities to offer 5-a-Side Soccer for your community, contact us today for your personal quote. 

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