NorCal Premier believes league play should play an important part in a players development. Around the world league play is offered on a year round basis - with appropriate winter and summer breaks - while tournaments are played, primarily, before or after the fall or spring season. This allows clubs to focus on training (practicing) which speeds up a players development. League play also is less demanding physically than playing 3-6 games over 2-3 days and which allows less physically developed players to compete according to their soccer ability - not their physical ability.

Our leagues have different aims depending on a teams age and level of play.

U8 - 9 - 10 - 11 Boys and Girls:  Our aim for U8 - 9 -10 ages is to organize more year round local league competition, with multiple levels of play (when possible) and an emphasis on a player’s development and enjoyment of the game.

• During these ages we believe the game should be about enjoyment and improvement with the competition being a secondary, less important aspect.
• Focusing on enjoyment and improvement will assist clubs to introduce club soccer to its motivated players and parents in a more player friendly environment and family friendly manner.
• Players need to spend their time playing soccer during these years and limit the time spent traveling to play games.
• At these ages, most games should be free of coach and parental stress - two of the biggest reason kids quit playing.
• Of course, a few tournaments during their season also offers a nice way to bring teams together, to offer players a exciting, competitive weekend of soccer but NorCal believes these events should be limited in your season schedule.
• Multiple levels of play offer teams a chance to compete at their level during league play.
• While removing 3 players from an 11 versus 11 will not offer every player equal touches on the ball, playing 8 a side soccer games increases the number of touches and individual actions a player has in each game and will improve the players more rapidly.
• A properly organized warmup can help develop a player by providing extra touches on the ball and an opportunity to "train" before their game.
• The game itself should be viewed as a learning opportunity with an emphasis placed on allowing players to be creative, to practice what the coach has taught and to begin to learn to play as a group.