We continue to receive a fair number of emails asking what size is a youth soccer field should be depending on the age as well as the corresponding penalty and goalie boxes.
Here's a typical question, "We have been using the Soccer Field layout Tool (not the next generation). But when we do some of the smaller fields U12 or U10, should we maintain the same size Goal Box and Penalty Box even though the field is smaller. Or should we scale back the Penalty and Goal box? If we scale it back, how do we decide how far to scale it back?"
We searched through many different references and have not found any "hard and fast" rules to help answer the question.
From my experience when the field size changes the goalie and penalty box dimensions also should change. The boxes seem to drop in size by increments of 2 yards/meters when the overall field size drops. For example if the penalty box is normally 18 yards deep x 48 yards wide, the size drop would be 16 or 14 x 42 or 36. I used a simple algebraic formula to maintain the same ratio (18/48 = 16/x). Some fields may be shorter or wider so the box dimensions should follow a similar relationship. Our website provides some of the standard dimensions for youth fields.
Sometimes the state youth soccer association my have some guidelines, but from my experience it is up to the local club, tournament director, and field restrictions.
What the "next generation" soccer field layout tool can help you do is get a better perspective of the distances between the associated intersections to see if the field dimensions are appropriate for a particular age group. Visit our site to download the free field layout tool.
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