Once you know who is available, you need to decide who starts, who plays where, and how to tell everyone. Doing it well takes a little thought in the week and saves a lot of confusion on the morning of the match.
Start from availability
Your starting point is the list of players who have said yes. Before you pick anyone, check a few things:
- Is anyone unsure or likely to be late? Don't put them in a key position at kick-off.
- Is anyone coming back from injury or illness? Plan shorter spells for them.
- Who had less time on the pitch last week? They should start this week.
- Do you have enough players for your substitution plan, or will you be short?
If you haven't got clear answers yet, see managing availability without the chasing.
Positions by format
The shape of your team depends on the format and the number of players on the pitch. In football, for example:
- 5v5: a goalkeeper and four outfield players, often a diamond or a simple 2-2.
- 7v7: a goalkeeper and six, commonly 2-3-1 or 3-2-1.
- 9v9: a goalkeeper and eight, often 3-3-2 or 3-2-3.
- 11v11: the full-size shapes, such as 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.
Other sports have their own fixed positions. In netball, each of the seven positions has its own areas of the court, so selection is really about who plays which bib. In hockey and rugby, the numbers and positions depend on the format you are playing.
Keep shapes simple for younger players. A clear idea of where they should be most of the time is more useful than a clever system they can't remember.
Rotate positions for juniors
At junior level, the aim is to develop rounded players, not to win this week by keeping your quickest child up front. Children who only ever play one position miss out on learning the game from other angles, and it is often not clear until they are older where they will be best.
Some simple ways to rotate:
- Give each player a different position in each half, or each period.
- Keep a note of who has played where across the season, and fill the gaps.
- Let every child have a go in goal at the younger ages, but don't force a child who is really unhappy about it.
- Pair a less confident player with a more experienced one in the same area of the pitch.
Your substitution plan and your positions should work together. The substitutions guide has a worked example you can adapt.
Captaincy
For junior teams, rotating the captaincy is a good way to give every child some responsibility. The captain might lead the warm-up, do the coin toss, shake hands with the officials and thank the opposition at the end.
For older teams, a regular captain can make sense, but talk to the group about what the role involves so it isn't just about being the best player.
Publishing the squad
Once you have picked the team, tell players and families. When you do it matters as much as what you say.
When
Aim for the day before the match at the latest, and earlier if you can. That gives families time to sort out lifts, kit and timings. For an early kick-off on Saturday, Thursday or Friday evening works well. Avoid announcing the squad on the morning of the match unless something has changed.
What to include
A good squad message covers:
- The fixture, date, kick-off time and meet time.
- The venue, with a postcode or a link to the location.
- Kit: which colours, and anything else to bring such as shin pads, water and a coat.
- The squad list, in first names only for junior teams.
For example:
Squad for Saturday: Riverside U11 v Hillside U11, 10am kick-off, meet 9.15am at the main pitch. Home kit, shin pads and a water bottle please. Squad: Ava, Finn, Isla, Leo, Mia, Noah, Ollie, Ruby, Sam, Zara. Everyone will get a fair share of time on the pitch.
What not to say
In junior teams, avoid publishing the starting line-up as a ranking or explaining why individual children are on the bench. It invites comparisons and puts pressure on children. If you use positions in your message, keep it neutral and remind everyone that positions and starts rotate.
If a family asks why their child isn't starting, answer privately and briefly: explain your rotation and when their child will start next.
How Match Report GO helps
In Match Report GO, the line-up builder works from who has said they are available, places your starters on a drawing of the pitch or court for your sport, and lets you name a captain. When you are ready, you publish the squad to players and parents from the same fixture.
You can also turn the line-up into a share graphic for your team's channels, and in junior teams public pages and graphics show first names only.