NORTH ANDOVER SOCCER ASSOCIATION

 G4 Structure & Philosophy

The North Andover Soccer Association (NASA) is committed to providing an inclusive, development-focused recreational soccer program for the children of North Andover. North Andover follows an in-town recreational structure through the G4 level (through 4th grade). NASA travel soccer begins at the G6 level (5th grade) and continues through 8th grade.  

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The in-town G4 structure places children on balanced teams that are structured to create a fun and collaborative learning environment in which the players can develop their skills.  In G4 there are 2 practices a week and one 7v7 game with a goalie.  

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NASA believes that the in-town model is optimal for the program’s participants for several important reasons. First, many towns do not have as large of a registration as North Andover does. Without enough players to form an in-town league, travel soccer becomes the only option at 3rd/4th grade. North Andover is fortunate to have a program that is large enough to support in-town competitive play for boys and girls.  

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Additionally, travel at the G4 level does not have the same competitive structure that players participate in once in G6 and above. G4 travel divisions are organized by location to minimize driving - they are not grouped team ranking. (In comparison, G6 and G8 travel teams are all organized into divisions and groupings by ranking to ensure relatively even, competitive play) Accordingly, G4 games are often very unbalanced.  Additionally, there are no division winners, playoffs or Massachusetts Tournament of Champions (MTOC) at the G4 level. The games are viewed as recreational and standings and scores are not publicized.   

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Further, the in-town league allows NASA to structure teams and work with coaches to ensure a consistently positive experience for all players. Specifically, NASA strives to facilitate the narrative around expected parent and coach behavior, running up the score, and sportsmanship.  We are able to provide coaching resources and tools (the NASA coach handbook, Mojo training app, etc) and work with coaches to help them provide the best training session possible for their team.  And most importantly, in working to design a consistent and inclusive experience across all the teams, we hope to create a positive, fun and supportive environment that kids want to stay a part of. Travel soccer at too young of an age may put undue pressure on children at an impressionable age - pressure that can hinder development and may lead some to walk away from the game. 

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Further, travel at the G4 level carves out a select few to a "top" team, and NASA believes that many children are not ready to be divided by skill level at such a young age. All children develop at a different rate, especially through the 3rd and 4th grade years, and NASA wants to ensure that children have that opportunity to do so before being evaluated into leveled teams. Leveled teams at too young of an age can lead players to quit soccer, erroneously thinking that it is not the right sport for them simply because they did not make a top team at age 8. In keeping with the in-town league through G4, we are able to keep a large number of children playing, developing their skills and enjoying the game of soccer. This gives another two full years of development before they enter the travel team evaluation process, and we think the children benefit from this immensely.  

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In the G6 level and above, North Andover has one of the largest travel programs in Essex County. NASA teams are consistently ranked high by the Essex County Youth Soccer Association, and have historically performed very well on the county and state levels. The success and size of the NASA travel teams from G6 upward is evidence that the in-town model for G4 soccer not only keeps more children in the program, but it is also helping them to develop on par or faster than neighboring towns that run G4 travel. 

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And finally, NASA believes the social element of G4 is one of the program's greatest assets. It is healthy and fun for the children to play against their friends and classmates. It is beneficial for participants to play on different teams from season to season, giving them the opportunity to meet new kids from other schools, and to work with different coaches. And the community structure of the program leads to a parent sideline that is typically very positive and supportive for all players on the field.  

At the NASA Board level we are continuously monitoring the strength of our travel program, and the G4 program that feeds into it. We are always looking for ways to improve the experience of the kids in the NASA program, to further develop our young players and to ensure they fall in love with the great game of soccer.  ​The NASA Board and Directors of Coaching are always available to discuss this or any other matters relative to the NASA soccer program.