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Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Football Association is advocating for the reduction in pitch sizes for juniors in an effort to ensure football at the lower level is more developmental and less competitive.
Zifa technical director, Wilson Mutekede revealed the use of the standard maximum size pitch for top level football was detrimental to the development of young players.
He said the big length of the pitch meant a player has fewer touches on the ball while the huge distance impacted on physical endurance.
“I think we are lagging behind in the junior development aspect as we have not paid close attention to the changes taking place internationally in relation to pitch sizes. We have maintained the pitch sizes for top flight football which is mainly for competitive soccer instead of moving to the development aspect that allows players more contact with the ball. This has been the norm over the years but little has been done to effect changes for junior football as we have not adopted the notion of mobile goalposts,” said Mutekede.
“Those organising junior football can also opt for futsal which provides for a smaller pitch with fewer players as this will allow more ball handling by the players.”
He revealed they are engaging the National Association of Primary Schools Heads (NAPH) and National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH) on the matter to ensure changes start being made.
Most of the school football pitches are the senior sizes and if any meaningful development is to come from the school soccer system then changes will have to be made, added Mutekede.
He said they would also be engaging the organisers of the country’s most prestigious schools soccer competition, Copa Coca-Cola to ensure it meets the required standard.
The competition last year changed its boys’ section age-group from Under-16 to Under-15 while the girls’ age-group remained at Under-17.
The standard length of the football pitch for seniors is between 90m and 120m and the width not less than 45m and not more than 90m while goalposts stand at 2.44m x 7.32m.
According to England’s Football Association Guide on Pitches and Goalposts Dimensions, under 7 and under 8 should play 5-aside in a pitch measuring 37x27m and goalposts should be 1.83×3.66m for the under9/10 the pitch should measure 55x37m and goalposts be 1.83×3.66m and play 7-a-side.
The under-11/12 play 9-a-side in a pitch measuring 73x46m with goalposts at 2.13×4.88m while under 13/14 sides play with 11 players in a 82x50m pitch using 2.13×6.40m goalposts and under 15/16 use a 91x55m pitch and 2.44×7.32m goalposts, which are used by all the other higher age groups.
Under 17/18 use the standard senior football pitch size.
The ball size for under 8 players should be size 3 and under 12 should be size 4.
derick.khumalo