1. What is the Soccer Star Challenge?

The challenge focus upon six essential soccer techniques

• Running with the ball
• Turning with the ball
• Speed (Changing direction without the ball)
• Dribbling
• Heading
• Shooting

The tests will reflect technical ability of the players in these techniques. A learning programme of practices and games with key coaching factors is provided for each technique.

2. For whom is the Soccer Star Challenge designed?

It is designed for the use of coaches and teachers, with boys and girls of any ability from 6 to 16 years of age.

3. What facilities and equipment are required?

The minimum area required would be approximately 40 x 30 yards, either outdoors or indoors, on any suitable surface. The tests are easy to organise, requiring only five soccer balls and a supply of markers or cones. A class of 12 can be tested on all the tests within one hour.

4. How does the challenge operate?

Coaches are recommended to follow this format:
- Register as a Soccer Star coach - click here.
- Conduct an assessment test to establish the players strengths and weaknesses.
- Follow the recommended programme and instructions.
- Test the children through the six Soccer Star Challenges.
- Input the test scores into the appropriate page of this web-site.
- Print off The Football Association official F.A. Soccer Star Challenge Certificate.
- Present the certificates to the children.

5. What feedback is provided?

For the player?
Free certificate to indicate the player's grading.
For the coach?
A readout of the group's performance.

6. Validation

The Soccer Star tests have been validated by Professor Tim Holt of the Social Statistics Department of Southampton University, England following extensive research with over 10,000 children before the launch in 1988. They have been proven to display over 90% reliability and over 90% validity in being able to distinguish between young players in the following categories:

A. Academy/Centre of Excellence players.
B. Players not selected for Academies but representing their town or country on 'all star' teams.
C. Players not selected for (A) or (B) but playing for their school or club team.
D. Players not registered with a club or school team.

Six grades or stars are available to be awarded on the basis of the test scores of the child and the 'norms' for the child at that age. The 'norms' have been refined over the years since the launch in 1988 and reflects the scores of the half a million children who have completed the tests in this period. The six star graded represents the top of players tested in any country to date.

THE SOCCER STAR CHALLENGE, THEREFORE REPRESENTS THE LARGEST WORLDWIDE OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF YOUNG PLAYERS' TECHNICAL ABILITY

The Football Association accept that the challenges do not predict or reflect playing ability as there are other factors (physical, mental understanding) related to playing ability but the challenges clearly do reflect personal technical proficiency.

7. Goal Setting

The Soccer Star Challenge allows children to set simple performance goals and view development in terms of personal improvement. Children who rely too heavily on favourable comparisons with other children in sport are in danger of being disappointed. Children who focus upon their own improvement are more likely to be motivated, enjoy their sport and maintain participation.

The Soccer Star Challenge provides simple opportunities for children to achieve success and improve their overall self-esteem by focusing upon their own performance not others. The reward and feedback provided in the challenges can be immediate and intrinsic.

8. Practice

The best introduction to the world's greatest game is mini-soccer. Playing small-sided games like Mini-Soccer has been proved to be the most effective way to introduce children to soccer, enjoy the fun of playing and begin to understand the game. Small-sided games do provide the opportunity to practice some techniques- passing and control are for example best practised in small-sided games that allow for the realistic and dynamic movement of the ball and players.

Small sided games do not, however, provide the opportunity for other techniques to be practised: for example in a game of Mini-Soccer whilst there will be many opportunities to practice passing and ball control there will be limited opportunities and repetitive practice for turning, dribbling, heading and shooting. Indeed for many young players there is an over emphasis upon passing at the expense of dribbling and turning.

In these circumstances the Soccer Star Challenge has a value in focussing the player's attention on personal goals, based on mastering the specific technique to gain more enjoyment.

9. Feedback

Research by The Football Association in 1993 showed that 76% of all Soccer Star coaches had access to a computer and so the provision of the Soccer Star Challenge on the Internet allows coaches anywhere in the world to obtain certificates and readouts to enhance the value of their soccer education programmes. The process of the star grading will allow coaches and their players to evaluate their own development.

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