- November 23, 2024
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The high school girls' 6v6 soccer league kicked off on Saturday, June 12 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Organizer Jim Lundy welcomed four area teams to the soccer fields: the Seabreeze Sandcrabs, DeLand Bulldogs, Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs and Pine Ridge Panthers.
A 6v6, or 6-a-side, game consists of six players per team on the pitch at one time as opposed to the maximum of 11 in regulation games. It is a fast-paced, strategy-based game that is a welcome change for the players. Rules are modified to accommodate the field size. In Saturday’s games, no slide tackling was allowed and offsides does not exist in 6v6 soccer.
“This is why I do this,” Lundy said. “The girls do so much, all the time but this is a chance for them to do something fun and different in their sport. Once they figure it out, it gets competitive.”
The FPC Bulldogs said they are always ready to play. Coach Pete Hald said his team does not practice for this league, but they do meet.
“We are in the weight room for 90 minutes, (three mornings per week,)" Hald said. "On Wednesday nights we meet to play indoors and usually have about 30 girls. Last Thursday was our first night of free play and there were about 20 girls that showed up.”
Teams will play doubleheaders beginning Saturday, June 19, followed by two additional game days to establish seeding for the league tournament later in the summer.
This story was updated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 15, to add context to Coach Pete Hald's quote.