skip navigation

Clarification on Grassroots Standards for 2020

By Staff, 01/20/20, 5:15PM EST

Share

The new standards align with Canada Soccer principles of player development and provide best practices in line with LTPD in Sport and Physical Activity from Sports for Life Society.

Play. Inspire. Unite. 

On January 4, 2020, Ontario Soccer sent out an Information Bulletin on the Approved Game Related and Non-Game Related Soccer Operational Procedures for 2020. In that Bulletin, included the statement that the Grassroots Standards, formerly known as the “Ontario Soccer LTPD Development Matrices”, are now recommended standards for players U12 and under, in order to be aligned with Canada Soccer. In 2019, Canada Soccer developed their new Grassroots Standards working closely with their provincial and territorial members so that they are to be followed across the country, starting in 2020.

Ontario Soccer have been the leaders in Long Term Player Development (LTPD) in Canada since 2012, working in collaboration with Canada Soccer and Sport Canada. 

Ontario Soccer created Player Matrices for Recreational and Development players, and for the Indoor and Outdoor Seasons. No other province in the country followed guidelines at the grassroots level that Ontario had created. These matrices were mandatory for the Ontario Soccer membership up until this year.

Ontario Soccer member organizations are not required to transition their programs into the updated Grassroots Standards immediately, and can continue to operate under the framework provided by the former “Grassroots Matrices”.

The new standards align with Canada Soccer principles of player development and provide best practices in line with LTPD in Sport and Physical Activity from Sports for Life Society.

In 2019, Canada Soccer took the Ontario Soccer matrices, adjusted some items, and created their own Grassroots Standards for the country. This meant that Ontario Soccer needed to remove their Player Matrices and align with the Canada Soccer Grassroots Standards, starting in 2020.

As a result Canada Soccer and Ontario Soccer have made these Grassroots Standards as recommended, to allow all of the provinces to move in this direction over the course of 2020. Canada Soccer and Ontario Soccer are working on the creation of educational material and workshops to assist the membership in understanding the full effect of the new Grassroots Standards.

For further information, please contact Gary Miller.