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 U6-U7: May to August

U8-U12: April to August
Teams Mixed and girls teams are formed through social and school friendship groups with the exception of Graded teams (U8-U12) which are formed through the Club’s annual grading process and are part of the Development Program.
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
  • Graded teams attend two team development training sessions (led by DP coach) per week at Waterfront Oval
  • 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
  • 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 MUST provide one volunteer for EVERY home game they play, regardless of the ground they play on. Your team must provide a Ground Official (GO) for your own game. If you are the home team on another club’s field, you must in that instance also provide a GO for your game.

Please go here for more detail on Ground Officials and their responsibilities.

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 – 8am to 11am

Waterfront Oval, Callan Park:
U7 – 9am
  • 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-5pm
  • Nine- a-side games
  • Goalkeeper
  • Half pitch
  • Size 4 ball
  • Non-competitive format
U12 (from 2023) Sundays at home &
away fields from 8.30am-5pm		 Sundays at home &
away fields from 8.30am-5pm
  • 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