LTPD Outline
Canada Soccer's Pathway within Ottawa South United
Since the introduction of the Wellness to World Cup plan from Canada Soccer, OSU Soccer has actively worked to embrace and implement the principles of Long-Term Player Development (LTPD). As a full-service club, OSU strives to provide programming which is age and stage appropriate for all participants.
What is LTPD?
LTPD is a model of athlete development that parallels what doctors and psychologists have long used to better understand human development: as a series of distinct stages, which takes us from infancy through to adulthood. A person's abilities, behavious and emotions, as well as their understanding of the world around them, varies from stage to stage.
Similarly, experts in sport science have identified seven stagesof development — each with its own physical and psychological characteristics —that form the basis for LTPD. When young soccer players are able to train and compete in an evironment that's appropriate to their stage of development, they not only perform at their best, they also have more fun.
Why LTPD?
We don't expect kids to compete in spelling bees without first teaching them their ABCs. When activities and expectations don't match with a child's developmental stage, this can set them up for failure.
The same is true when young children are thrust into a soccer environment that over-emphasizes winning at the expense of developing skills and having fun. The negative consequences can last a lifetime: Some kids develop bad habits and poor skills and can become discouraged. Many don't achieve their performance potential. Others end up leaving the sport altogether because they don't enjoy the game.
Below are a few ways in which OSU Soccer embraces the principles of LTPD within our programming
Active Start
Active Start 1:
Active Start 2:
Active Start 3:
Active Start 4:
Active Start 5:
Active Start 6:
Active Start 7:
Active Start 8:
Active Start 9:
Active Start 10:
Active Start 11:
Active Start 12:
Active Start 13:
Fundamentals
FD1: Click Here for Ontario Soccer's Grassroots Curriculums
FD4: Click Here to see Recreational & Developmental Options at OSU in U8
FD5: Click Here to see the recommended playing formats as endorsed by OSU from Ontario Soccer
FD6: OSU implements game day rosters, by selecting how many players are available to attend an event, and from there we determine where each player plays, based on the following factors;
- positional distribution amongst the teams
- overall number of players needed for each team
- opponents, and their relative ability/strength
- attendance and performance in training and games
FD7: OSU uses size 3's for the FUNdamentals age groups
FD8: OSU at the FUNdamentals age groups has one-hour blocks, of which 20 minutes is allocated for physicaly literacy, and 40 minutes for the technical theme of the week, along with game play. Overall, the expected "focus" time is between 30-40 minutes, with some informal play at the beginning and end.
For Recreational stream they have 1one session a week which incorporates practice and game elements. For U6 and U7, 70 Minutes of time is allotted and for U8, 90 Minutes is allotted. During this time span the coaches have half the time to work on the OS session provided. The last 30 or 40 minutes is then dedicated to their game portion.
FD9: OSU implements approximately 12 week summer programs, as found by the start and end dates here: Click Here for Summer Recreational Outlines
FD11: OSU endorses the player developmental model
FD12:
FD13: OSU's Pre-Academy Program holds Trials, which allow parents to have 5 weeks of programming before determining if they would like to committ to the program. No players are de-selected from the program, and everyone is offered a position in the program.
FD15: OSU endorses Ontario Soccer's guidelines towards recommended playing time, per play, per game event as found here: Click Here for Guidelines from Ontario Soccer
FD16: OSU offers two training sessions per week, plus one game-day, over the course of the season. If an extra game or festival is scheduled, then their regular game-day will be cancelled or moved. For recreational, their progam now includes one game per week plus one training session is available in addition to this.
FD17: Game durations for the FUNdamental age groups at OSU are recommended to be 50 minutes total.
FD19: OSU implements the dribble-in for the FUNdamentals age groups and strongly encourages this. We have been doing this internally since 2014. No throw-ins are implemented at these ages.
FD20: OSU implements the retreat line, and encourages all coaches to have access to this document which helps them better understand how to implement it: Ontario Soccer - Guideline to the Retreat Line
FD21: OSU utilizes the recommended goals and field sizes as appropriate to their ages. From U6 to U7 and U8, the field sizes will adjust slightly.
FD24: OSU aims for a 1:8 Ratio in both Recreational and Pre-Academy streams at the FUNdamental ages.
FD25: OSU recommends the following practice building methods:
- Game-Activity-Game
- Technique Sessions
- Technique-Skill-Game
- Futsal
- Street Soccer / Free Play
FD26:
Learn to Train
L1. OSU provides all our coaches with a curriulum and session plans that are age and stage appropriate
L2. How do we know our coaches are implementing the curriculum?
L3. How OSU incorporates physical literacy into all of our training sessions
L4. How do we find the appropriate opportunities for all? OSU offers both recreational and development (competitive) programs at U9-U12
L5. OSU utilizes the following playing formats below which we believe are age and stage appropriate
L6. On game-day, we implement the following roster sizes:
L7. OSU uses the following ball sizes for our players:
L8. OSU implements the following practice durations during the Learn to Train stage:
L9: OSU utilizes the following length of season:
L10: OSU utilizes game-day rosters, based on the principle of open movement of players as necessary:
L11: OSU utilizes the following models for multiple teams training at the same location:
L12: OSU strongly belives in creating a training environment which encourages players to solve problems and make their own decisions
L13: OSU believes that everyone who wishes to play in development (competitive) soccer should get the chance to do so. Here is how we facilitate this:
L14: OSU wants to ensure that we appropriately plan training to game ratio's, and as such we implement 20 competition days per season for each team. We track this through:
L15: OSU believes that everyone should play when they attend a game. As such, we utilize the following:
L16: OSU feels that training is very important, and as such we want to ensure we maintain a 2-1 to 3-1 training to game ratio, we monitor this through:
L17: OSU follows the recommended game durations as per below:
L18: OSU utilizes off-sides as per local league rules and Ontario Soccer recommendations at U11 and U12
L19: OSU strongly supports the use of dribble and pass-ins at U9-U10
L20: Within U9-U12 during our games, we utilize the retreat line to help with development of both team's playing out of the back
L21: During game-play, we ensure players are placed on the correct sizes fields and goals as per below:
L22: Our coaches utilize SportSessionPlanner to help develop and plan their training sessions
L23: OSU wants all coaches to create a welcoming and friendly environment for players, where they are challenged to be their best through a well-designed curriculum.
L24: OSU strives to maintain the following coach to player ratio's at training:
L25: With training session delivery, OSU utilizes the GAG Methodology
L26: When evaluating and training players, OSU utilizes the four-corner model towards player development. Within each session, we want the following elements to occur:
L27. OSU coaches are required to complete the age and stage appropriate coaching certification course, along with Making Ethical Decisions and Respect in Soccer
