FAQ
BASIC QUESTIONS FOR NEW PARENTS
Table of Contents
BASIC QUESTIONS
1. What age can my child start playing?
A: The children can start as early as they can take and understand directions, often we start the children playing at intramurals at 3 ½ years of age. Want to join, register online, click here or contact a board member, or the intramural director. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
History of Soccer:
2. When does registration start and when does it end?
A: We have an open registration policy, for the fall, winter, spring and summer seasons, ( yes, we have summer camps) for more information, click here or please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
3. What should my child have on the first day?
A: The equipment your child will need a)cleats (when out doors) – regular sneakers or turf cleats (when indoors), b) shin guards, c) a soccer ball (an age appropriate ball) and; d) gym clothing (Jeans are not acceptable). Please look at question #6, it explains what is an age appropriate ball.
A: In the Intramural program, we provide the children with uniforms. However, in the pre-travel and the travel programs, it works differently, please contact a coach or manager for more details.
5. What do the Uniforms look like?
A: They vary in styles but they consist of Shorts, Socks and a Shirt; the colors of Elmont Soccer are Red, White and Blue.
6. What size ball should I purchase?A: Size 3 ball for children under 6; Size 4 ball for children under 12; Size 5 ball for children 13 and older.
A: They vary so look at the website calendar, please click HERE; or contact a Board Member, a Manager or a Coach.
A: The cost varies, depending on if you play in the intramural, pre-travel or travel league; thus, we suggest you check out the registration area on the website click here or contact a Board Member for more information: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
9. Where do the children play?A: Home games are played in various parks in Elmont, most of the games are played at the Dutch Broadway Complex, 2161 Dutch Broadway, Elmont, New York (the Sump) or the Dutch Broadway School, 1880 Dutch Broadway, Elmont, New York. However, when it begins to gets cold, we play and practice indoors. We play and practice at the Gyms located at the following Schools, Gotham Avenue School, 181 Gotham Avenue, Elmont, NY 11003, or Alden Terrace School, 1835 North Central Avenue, Elmont, NY 11580, or the Dutch Broadway School, 1880 Dutch Broadway, Elmont, New York 11003. For more details look at our Calendar, please click HERE or contact a Board Member, a Manager or a Coach.
10. Are there rest rooms where the children play?A. Absolutely YES!!!. Candidly speaking that is one of the many things that makes the facilities at Elmont Soccer fantastic.
11. What is and where is the SUMP?
A. The SUMP is another name for the Dutch Broadway Complex, 2161 Dutch Broadway, Elmont, NY 11003, it is located across from the street from Elmont Memorial High School. For Directions Click Here
12. Do you have teams for Girls?A: Of course, we have teams for girls and boys ranging from 4 years to 18 years. If you are interested in having your child try out for a team, please contact the team coach, or manager or the board at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
13. Do you need volunteers?A: Volunteers are always welcome. Contact us at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
SOCCER JARGON
14. What is intramural?A: It is a league that consists of children from the Elmont Youth Soccer Club that play against one another. If you want to know more about the intramural progrm - click here.
15. What is the Soccer Academy?
A: The Soccer Academy is a pre-travel program and travel program. It was designed for parents who wish to have their children play at a more competitive level. As such, the children receive additional training and compete against teams in the local area.
16. What is the Pre-Travel League?
A: It is a league that children under 9 participate in. Here differently from Intramural, these children play against children from other Clubs. The children in the Soccer Academy play in the Pre-Travel Leagues.
17. What is the Travel League?
A: Travel League Soccer is a league that children 9 or older participate in. At this level, wins and loses are more of a priority than the Pre-Travel League.
18. When do they start playing for a travel team?
A: Usually they begin playing travel soccer at age nine (9); however, if they are in the Elmont Soccer Academy they can begin playing Pre-Travel at age six (6).
19. What is a Pitch?A: A pitch is another name for a Soccer Field.
A: Boots are another name for Soccer Cleats.
21. What is recreational Soccer?A: Recreational Soccer is a league for children that want to play soccer but not competitively.
22. What is BU8s, GU10s, BU13s....etc?
A: It is the way the children are categorized...it is best explained by clicking here.
23. What is the "G" or the "B" in front of the U10s stand for?
B = Boys; G = Girls; U = for Under; 10 = Ten Years of Age. For example, GU9 stands for Girls Under 9.
24. What does it mean when I see "moved to DBS"?A. That usually means the game or the event has been moved to the Dutch Broadway School.
25. What does it mean when I see "moved to DBC"?
A. That usually means the game or the event has been moved to the Dutch Broadway Complex.
26. What does it mean when I see the game was canceled because of field conditions?
A. That often means the field conditions are unfit to play soccer, usually because of the rain. In other words, the children may get hurt if they play on a field that is unfit.
27. What are the positions called in Soccer?
A. BASIC POSITIONS: The number of players who play on the field vary by age and league; it can range from 5 per team to a maximum of 11 per team. If there are only 5 on a team they may not have "Midfielders". Here are the basic positions for each team: One Goalkeeper ("GK"); usually 2, 3 or 4 Defenders who are called Fullbacks ("FB"); usually 2, 3 or 4 Midfielders ("MF") aka Halfbacks ("HB"); and usually 1, 2 or 3 Forwards ("F").
Hopefully this link will help: Click Here!
A more visual explanation: please click here: Click Here!
A. A hat trick is the accomplishment of a player scoring three goals in the same game (some definitions also require the goals to be consecutive). The term originates from cricket in England; when a player who took three wickets in a row (s)he was given a special hat to commemorate the accomplishment, and it is now used in virtually every sport.There is also "the perfect hat trick", that is when a player scores with his/her left foot, right foot and a header, in any order.
A. A scoring forward, usually a center forward (as distinguished from a "wing" forward, whose job might be to cross the ball to a striker) who is very skilled at scoring. There could be one or two of them. The term implies a player who is great at shooting & "finishing". This player will sometimes stay "pushed up" when the rest of the team is back on defense. Many great strikers are poor defenders & if so, they are called "pure strikers". You can argue that a great striker is born & that the instincts & quickness that is required can't be taught.
A. A fast & tough player who usually plays just behind the fullbacks, although (s)he is allowed to roam. The player's job is to cover the space between the fullbacks & the goalkeeper & to stop "breakaways" & "sweep up" the ball or kick long "through balls" out of bounds so the defense has time to recover. Using a sweeper increases your "depth" & field coverage and therefore allows your fullbacks to push up to support your attack. A Sweeper is like a free safety in American football. A good sweeper must be fast & willing to make contact to steal the ball. A Sweeper can be like a coach on the field and can help direct adjustments, since (s)he is usually the deepest field player and in a good position to view the game. The trend with pro teams is to not use a Sweeper but instead to use a "flatback four", which is 4 Fullbacks playing a zone defense and using a lot of "offside traps". A Sweeper was originally used to back up man-to-man defenses. However, using a Sweeper can also be used with a "Zone Defense" (i.e., "Spatial Defense"). A great Sweeper who has speed and great coverage skills can allow your Fullbacks to push up to support your attack, even if they aren't fast, because (s)he will slow down the attack and give your Fullbacks time to recover.
A. In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby (pronounced in British English as 'dar-bee' /dɑːbɪ/ and as 'der-bee' /dɚbɪ/ in North American English) means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football. In North America, "crosstown rivalry" is a more common term. Click Here!
A. If a team has good passing skills, they should spread their forwards and midfielders so they have more "width" in their attack. Otherwise, it is best to stay compact so they are in a good defensive position in case they turn over the ball. They should especially keep their Fullbacks compact to protect their goal.
The receiving team must stay out of the "Center Circle" until the ball is moved by the kicking-off team.
For young teams or weaker Rec teams, the greatest danger is the opponent attacking straight down the center of the field (i.e., going straight to goal). Thus, when on defense, it will be best for those teams to stay compact toward the center and to force the opponent to attack to the outside (down the sidelines or "wings").
Hopefully this link will help: Click Here!
Very simple videos to help you understand:
HERE IS A SOCCER DICTIONARY IN CASE YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS: Click Here, Click Here!
RULES OF THE GAME
33. What are the rules of the game?A. Well, that question can best be answered by looking at the following links.
US Youth Soccer Rules: Click Here!
US Soccer Federation (FIFA): Click Here!
Long Island Junior Soccer League Rules: Click Here!
Just Say Soccer League Rules: Click Here!
Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League: Click Here!
34. What is a direct free kick?
A. A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
35. When is a direct free kick awarded?
A. There are10 offences that can lead to a direct free-kick.
When a player: 1) Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent 2)Trips or attempts to trip an opponent 3)Jumps at an opponent 4)Charges an opponent 5) Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent 6)Pushes an opponent 7) Makes contact with the opponent before touching the ball when tackling 8)Holds an opponent 9)Spits at an opponent or10) Handles the ball deliberately
If any of these offences are committed by a player inside their own penalty area then it's a penalty; and a penalty kick is awarded.
36. What is an indirect free kick?
A. An indirect free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. Unlike a direct free kick, a goal may not be scored directly from the kick. The law was derived from the Sheffield Rules that stated that no goal could be scored from a free kick. This law was absorbed into the Laws of the Game in 1877 and later adapted to allow direct free kicks as a result of dangerous play.
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
37. When is an indirect free kick awarded?
A. When, in the opinion of the ref, a player: 1) Impedes the progression of an opponent (obstruction) 2)Plays in a dangerous manner 3) Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands.
Or when a keeper, inside their own penalty area:
a) Holds on to the ball for more than six seconds b)Handles a back pass c)Handles the ball after receiving it from a team-mate direct from a throw-in d) Touches the ball again with their hands, before it is touched by another player, after releasing it from their possession
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A. A penalty kick (or penalty) is a type of free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards (approximately eleven metres) out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.
Penalty kicks are performed during normal play. Similar kicks are made in a penalty shootout in some tournaments to determine who progresses after a drawn match; though similar in procedure, these are technically not penalty kicks and are governed by slightly different rules.
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A more detailed explanation Click Here!
A. A corner kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football. It was first devised in Sheffield under the Sheffield Rules 1867. It was adopted by the Football Association on February 17, 1872.
A corner kick is awarded to the attacking team when the ball leaves the field of play by crossing the goal line (either on the ground or in the air) without a goal having been scored, having been last touched by a defending player (including the goalkeeper).
In most cases, the assistant referee will signal that a corner should be awarded by first raising his flag, then using it to point at the corner arc on their side of the pitch; however, this is not an indication of which side the kick should be taken from. The referee then awards the corner by pointing to the relevant arc.
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A. A goal kick is awarded to the defending team when the ball leaves the field of play by crossing the goal line (either on the ground or in the air) without a goal having been scored, having been last touched by an attacking player.
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A. It is also known as a Yellow penalty card; Misconduct may result in the player either receiving a caution (indicated by a yellow card) or being dismissed from the field (indicated by a red card). When a player is cautioned, the player's details are then (traditionally) recorded by the referee in a small notebook; hence a caution is also known as a booking. The referee has considerable discretion in applying the Laws. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences.
There are seven different offences that can get you a yellow card: 1) Anything that can be deemed as unsporting behaviour 2) Dissent by word or action 3) Persistent infringement of the laws, for example, a series of fouls 4)Delaying the restart of play 5) Not retreating the required distance at a free-kick or corner 6)Entering or re-entering the pitch without the referee's permission 7)Deliberately leaving the pitch without the referee's permissionhopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A more detailed explanation: please click here
A. It is also known as a Red penalty card; Misconduct may result in the player either receiving a caution (indicated by a yellow card) or being dismissed from the field (indicated by a red card). When a player is cautioned, the player's details are then (traditionally) recorded by the referee in a small notebook; hence a caution is also known as a booking. The referee has considerable discretion in applying the Laws. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences.
hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A more detailed explanation: Click Here!
A. The back-pass rule refers to two clauses within Law 12 of the Laws of the Game of association football. These clauses prohibit the goalkeeper from intentionally handling the ball when a team-mate uses his feet to intentionally pass him the ball, or from intentionally handling the ball when receiving directly from a throw-in. The goalkeeper is still permitted to use his feet and other body parts to redirect the ball. Conversely, if an outfield player passes the ball back using any part of the body besides the feet, the keeper may pick up the ball. An unintentional pass or touch is not considered an offence.
Hopefully this link will be helpful: Click Here!
A. Offside is a law in association football which effectively limits how far forward attacking players may be when involved in play. Broadly, a player cannot gain an advantage by waiting for the ball near the opposing goal when there are fewer than two opponents between him and the goal.
You can't be offside if:
For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free-kick to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
Hopefully these links will be helpful:
Some more helpful hints: Click Here!
Here is simple test to see if you really understand offside: Click Here!