Rooball

“As a kid you need to touch the ball as much as you can. You should always be with the ball. You should have a feeling that wherever the ball is you can do anything with it. No matter where it is, where it is on your body, how its spinning, how its coming to you, anything. You can learn the tactical side of the game later. Its amazing to me that emphasis is on trying to be tactical & worrying about winning when it doesn’t matter. We are going to develop big strong fast players. We’re (Americans), we’re strong & fast, we’re athletes. But if we never learn at an early age to be good on the ball then its just useless”

Landon Donovan USA World cup player 2002

Rooball is the modified version of the game for junior players approved by Soccer Australia. It provides a safe and enjoyable opportunity for children to learn to play the game.

Rooball uses small fields and small goals that are more in tune with the developmental needs of junior players.

Are you a coach and would like tips on different drills to make training interesting? Then click here for a list of drills and games that can be played.

Click here for a few game day considerations for coaches, parents and supporters

The rules of the game are simple, as young players are more interested in the fun of playing than having rules.

Coaching Principles FOR COACHES

  Players have a short attention span.

• Can attend to only one problem at a time
• May understand simple rules explained briefly & demonstrated
• May or may not understand or remember what lines on the field mean & which goal they are going for
• We (coaches & parents) need to be patient & laugh with them
• Never criticize – give hints
• No external pressure – NO rewards for winning or scoring
• For the first few seasons players think there are 3 teams on the field; the other team, their team & themselves – they will not want to give the ball to the other 2 teams.
• No matter how loud we shout or how much we practice “it” they will not p[ass the ball..
• Players are often in motion but have no sense of pace – will run till they drop, fatiguing easily but recovering quickly
• Boys & girls will develop as players equally
• Physical co-ordination is still limited – eye/hand, eye/foot co-ordination not developed – they still need to explore the qualities of a rolling ball
• Most players will cry immediately when something is hurt – some cry even when nothing is not hurt
• Somebody will come off the field in need of a toilet – somebody will stay on the field in need of one
• The only person to hold position all the time will be the goal keeper
• 20 seconds after the start of play every player will be within 5m of the ball
• Several players will slap at the ball with their hands or pick it up – several parents will yell at them not to do so
• A model plane nearby will get 99% of the players attention – by all means stop & go & watch for a while
• They will do something absolutely hysterical – make sure you laugh.
• Team play is an alien concept – if they pass the ball they may never get it back
• They may steal the ball off their team-mates. Do not crush this enthusiasm – gently discourage it.
• Shout praise only –

CHEER THE GOOD PLAYS LOUDLY & IGNORE THE BAD PLAYS

 Training Principles

Generally players under 6 have not come by their own choice, consequently coaches need to do give them something to get excited about.

• Each session should be geared around touching the ball as many times as possible. Involve the ball in as many activities as possible. Basic movements such as running, skipping, hopping etc need to be emphasized. If these can be done while kicking, dribbling, catching, rolling a ball ……..then all the better.
• Training should last no more than 1 hour
• Players should come to training with boots, shin pads, a ball & a drink bottle
• Training should have 4 drinks breaks
• There will be a range of physical and mental maturity & activities should accommodate these differences
• It will generally be more successful if they do activities as individuals

Game Day Considerations

  Walk them around the field before the start of the first game – they won’t know about sidelines and goal lines

• Develop pre game warm up activities that warm the player up, not the coach! Every player should be doing things with a ball each. Pe3rhaps simplified versions of training games.
• Just before kick off point the direction they are going & ask them which way – several times - & again at the start of the second half.
• Have a simple kick off strategy such as one player kicks it out to a player near the side line – nearly every body else will kick it straight to you.
• DON’T CALL FOR THE BIG KICK – LET THEM DRIBBLE TO THEIR HEARTS CONTENT it is not a competition – so what if they lose possession – the other team will probably big kick it back to them anyway.
• When the other team has a goal kick, free kick or even when their goal keeper is going to kick it out bring your players back 5m and form an evenly spaced defensive line – the opposition will rarely kick past your line – if you are nervous about this drop 1 player back another 3m as a sweeper
• Whilst there is no offside goal poaching from both teams must be discouraged.
• Don’t waste time with long pre-game & half time discussions – they won’t listen for long & probably won’t understand because you will get to intricate or too detailed.
• Develop an after game chant, led by the coach, the kids enjoy it
• After the game congratulate praise them individually commenting on at least one good thing they did.

The Field of Play

Two field sizes are recommended:

Goals should be approximately 1.5 to 1.6 metres high and 5 metres wide (internal dimensions). Goals must be securely anchored to the ground. Nets, securely attached to the goals, are recommended.

Each field should have four corner flags, a minimum of 1.5 metres high with a non-pointed end.

A semi-circle with a 6-metre radius shall be marked on the field from the centre of the goal-line.

The Ball 

The ball shall be a size 3 soccer ball. In all respects it shall conform with the requirements for balls as noted in the Law 11 of the Laws of the Game.

Number of Players

For players under the age of seven: only 6 players (one of whom shall be the goalkeeper) from each team shall be permitted on the field at any one time.

For players over the age of seven: only 9 players (one of whom shall be the goalkeeper) from each team shall be permitted on the field at any one time.

Interchange of players is permitted during all Rooball games.

Players Equipment

A player shall wear a shirt (or jersey), shorts, socks, shinguards and footwear. Shin guards must be covered by the socks.

Goalkeepers must wear a shirt that distinguishes them from the other field players. Players may not wear anything that is dangerous to another player.

Referees

A referee shall be appointed for each game.

The referee shall stop the play if a player has been seriously injured. If, however, the player is only slightly injured the game should not be stopped until the ball is out of play.

Assistant Referees

Assistant referees are not used in Rooball.

Duration of the Game

The Start of Play

The choice of ends and the kick-off shall be determined by the toss of a coin. The team winning the toss shall have the option of the choice of ends or the kick-off.

The kick-off shall be taken from the centre of the field. All members of the opposing team shall be in their own half and at least 5 metres from the ball.

The player taking the kick shall not play the ball again until another player has touched it.

After a goal is scored the game shall be re-started by a kick-off from the team who have conceded the goal.

Ball in and out of Play

The ball is out of play when the whole of the ball has crossed the whole width of the goal-lines or the sidelines, whether on the ground or in the air.

The only other time the ball is out of play is when the game has been stopped by the referee.

Method of Scoring

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball has passed over the goal-line, between the goal-posts and under the cross-bar, provided it has not be thrown, carried or intentionally propelled by hand or arm, by a player of the attacking team.

Offside

There is no offside in Rooball, but deliberately placing a player or players in an "off -side position" is contrary to the spirit of the game and should be actively discouraged.

Fouls

Most fouls in Rooball are totally unintentional. They spring from the joy of playing rather than a desire to cheat. Law X11 of the Laws of the Game provide the list of offences that are punished by free-kicks. These should only be used as a guide for Rooball.

Players should not be allowed to deliberately push, pull, trip or run into other players.

Players, other than the goalkeeper, are not allowed to deliberately use their hands. Goalkeepers are only allowed to use their hands inside their own 6 metre semi-circle.

Players who use their hands to protect themselves from being hit by the ball should not be penalised.

Free-kick

All free-kicks are indirect (i.e. after the kick is taken the ball must be touched by at least one other player before a goal can be scored).

When a free-kick is taken, all the opposing players must be at least 5 metres from the ball.

If a free-kick is awarded to the attacking team, inside their opponent's 6 metre semi circle, it shall be taken from the point on the semi-circle closest to where the offence occurred.

The player taking the kick may not play the ball again until it has been touched or played by another player.

Penalty-kick

There are no penalty-kicks in Rooball.

Throw-in

When the whole of the ball passes over the sideline, either on the ground or in the air, it shall be thrown in from the point where it crossed the line, in any direction, by a player of the team opposite to that of the player who last touched it.

The thrower must face the field of play and a part of each foot shall be either on the sideline or on the ground outside the sideline. The thrower shall use both hands and throw (not drop) the ball into the field.

Should the player taking the throw-in not throw the ball in correctly, the player shall take the throw-in again. If the player taking the throw-in again throws the ball in incorrectly the throw-in shall be awarded to the opposing team.

The player taking the throw-in may not play the ball again until it has been touched or played by another player.

Goal-kick

When the whole of the ball passes over the goal-line (excluding the goals), having last been played by a member of the attacking team, the defending team shall kick the ball back into play from a point anywhere on the 6 metre semi-circle.

All members of the opposing team shall be at least 5 metres away from the ball when the goal-kick is taken.

The player taking the kick may not play the ball again until it has been touched or played by another player.

Corner-kick

When the whole of the ball passes over the goal-line (excluding the goals), having last been played by a member of the defending team, the attacking team shall kick the ball back into play from a point 1 metre from the nearest corner flag.

All members of the opposing team shall be at least 5 metres away from the ball when the corner-kick is taken.

The player taking the kick may not play the ball again until it has been touched or played by another player.