TWO Suffolk Youth leagues will feature under-7 divisions for the first time this season. 

The leagues concerned are the Suffolk Youth Football League (SYFL) and the Ipswich & Suffolk Youth Football League (ISYFL). 

Suffolk FA Mini-Soccer & Youth football Development Officer James Morley said: “Building on the success of the under-7 programme which has been organised and run by Suffolk FA over the past few seasons, both leagues have implemented a division to carry on the development of football at the youngest age.  

“Both leagues will take on a similar structure for the first season which will include 4v4 festivals up until Christmas, these festivals will then migrate into 4v4 Futsal festivals during January and February and culminate in fixtures from March until the end of the season.  

“This provides under-7 players who are starting their journey into football with a well-rounded experience and gets them used to playing football for when they continue their development as under-8s and beyond.” 

The dates and venues for these festivals can be found below for each league: 

To be able to participate in any of the above festivals you must affiliate with your chosen league. If you would like to play on Saturdays throughout the season, please contact the SYFL or if you would like to play on Sundays please contact the ISYFL through your club secretary.  

Once you have affiliated with either league you will be able to participate throughout the course of the 2019-20 season.  

James Morley continued: “As this is early in the season, we are conscious that you might not have a team ready to participate in an under-7 festival yet. This is fine, you have until the start of February to affiliate a team to either league in preparation for the fixtures to begin shortly after Futsal has ended. Please be aware any player who wants to participate in an U7 team will have to be six-years-old, but as soon as they have turned six, they will be able to play. 

“The new U7 divisions should provide more teams with the opportunity to participate in football against other teams for the first time. We see the development at the under-7 age group as an important age and playing in festivals is a great tool for players to get plenty of game time, touches on the ball and weekends with football.  

“This also provides a great tool for new coaches who might be starting their journey in coaching from the youngest age group to work with their players and network with fellow coaches.  

“Also, a big thank you to those clubs who will be hosting a festival throughout the season and helping their leagues and Suffolk FA organise and run the festivals on the day. I am really looking forward to working with all the clubs and providing a great first football experience for all of the players involved.” 

Allan Girot from the Ipswich & Suffolk Youth League said: “For a six-year old football fanatic, this programme offers him or her the chance to put on a team kit for the first time and appreciate that his/her team-mates are all wearing the same colours. It may not be Ipswich Town or Manchester United – yet – but it’s their team and that six-year old is living the dream."

If you have any questions on the under-7 programme for the season, please contact James Morley via email  james.morley@suffolkfa.com or call him on 07976 957094 or 01449 616606. 

Please find below contact details for the SYFL and ISYFL 

SYFL - Tony King. Email: Syfl16@hotmail.com 

Once you have contacted the league to affiliate, please click here to provide information of your team and the festivals you wish to enter. 

ISYFL - Allan Girot. Email: Allan.girot@talktalk.net Tel: 01394 272683 

Once you have contacted the league to affiliate, please click here to provide information of your team and the festivals you wish to enter. 

Please note you can only enter one league