Our junior players participate in Small Sided Football (SSF) in either mixed or all girl age group teams. SSF is a non-competitive game format that allows players to develop their skills. The number of players and the size of the pitch increases as players move through the age groups.

MiniRoos National playing formats and rules

Winter Season April to August
Teams Mixed and girls teams are formed through social and school friendship groups with the exception of Division 1 graded teams (U8+) which are formed through the Club’s annual grading process.
Training
  • Non-graded teams attend one training session per week and can choose to attend optional development sessions
    • All teams are led by parent or volunteer coaches and managers, and graded teams have BDFC coaches for their DP sessions
  • Division 1 graded teams attend one team training session (led by parent/volunteer coach) and one compulsory development training session (led by DP coach) per week
  • Training takes place at one of BDFC’s grounds – Birchgrove, Easton, Glover St, or Cohen Park – on a weekday afternoon/evening
    • Training allocations are usually finalised in early March and the day/time depends on the team and age group
Equipment
  • All players are expected to wear the club’s full kit (shirt, shorts, and socks)
  • Players bring their own football boots and shin pads
Coaching Volunteer coaches drawn from our parent and player community provide coaching for our Junior teams. Parents are encouraged to participate as coaches or assistant coaches and will be provided with all the resources required to support their team, including opportunities to complete relevant coaching certificates.
Managing Each team has a volunteer manager drawn from the parents and carers of the team players. For these age groups, the manager’s role is to:

  • Communicate games and training sessions times and locations
  • Manage player cards and game record sheets
  • Pay referee match fees (U10 and above)
  • Assist the team coach in managing game day activities
  • Coordinate the team to complete the teams ground official duties

Volunteer Managers are fully briefed and supported by the Club
Ground Official Duties Each Balmain home team needs to provide ONE volunteer for EVERY HOME game EVERY WEEK, however only for the one game prior to their own HOME GAME. For example, if you are playing at one of Balmain’s Home Grounds (as the HOME team) at 11am, you will need to provide Ground Official service for that field at 10am (or whatever time the game before yours is scheduled for – as per the CDSFA-published fixtures).

Teams playing the first game of the day do not need to provide a Ground Official as there are no games before theirs. Club Staff will also act as Ground Officials for the last game of the day.

There are national playing formats and rules for small sided games. Additional Information for each age group can be found below:

Age Group Game times – Mixed teams Game times – Girls teams Game Format
U6 & U7 Saturdays
Waterfront Oval, Callan Park
U6 – 8.15am & 9.20am
U7 – 10.30am & 11.30am		 Sundays
Cohen Park, Annandale
U6 – 7:50am & 8:50am
U7 – 9am & 10am
  • Four-a-side games
  • No goalkeeper
  • Mini pitch (30m x 20m)
  • Size 3 Ball
  • Non-competitive format
U8 & U9 Saturdays at home &
away fields from 8.30am-1pm		 Sundays at home &
away fields from 8.30am-4pm
  • Seven-a-side games
  • Goalkeeper
  • Mini pitch (40m x 50m)
  • Size 3 ball
  • Non-competitive format
U10 & U11 Saturdays at home &
away fields from 8.30am-1pm		 Sundays at home &
away fields from 8.30am-1pm
  • Nine- a-side games
  • Goalkeeper
  • Half pitch
  • Size 4 ball
  • Non-competitive format

For more information on Junior teams contact the coordinator for your age group