Smaller Space + Fewer Players = Faster Development

Written By Founder Gunnar Lucuk

At Unrivaled, one of our biggest priorities is simple: getting players as many touches on the ball as possible.

More touches lead to more development.

At the youth level, players shouldn’t be spending the majority of practice playing large games like 9v9 or 11v11. Those formats are important for matches, but practice is where development happens. When we reduce the numbers to games like 3v3, 4v4, or 5v5 and place players in tighter spaces, a few important things happen immediately:

• Players get far more touches on the ball

• Players must make quicker decisions

• Players develop tighter control under pressure

• Players experience more realistic game repetitions

In short, the learning environment becomes more intense and more efficient.

Research supports this approach.

One study led by Dr. Keith Davids at Sheffield Hallam University found that players training on faster indoor surfaces must process information more quickly because the ball moves faster. This forces players to increase their visual fixation rate, essentially training the brain to read the game 0.3 seconds faster than in outdoor environments. In soccer, that small difference can determine whether a player keeps possession, beats a defender, or creates a scoring opportunity.

Another study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that players make up to six times more touches on the ball in indoor or small-sided training environments compared to traditional outdoor soccer during the same training period. A long-term study from Liverpool John Moores University, which tracked 200 youth players over three seasons, found that players who incorporated these environments into their development showed significantly stronger technical growth. They improved ball mastery and first touch 43% faster, processed game situations 0.3 seconds quicker, and demonstrated 52% more creative problem solving in attacking situations.

Surface also plays a role. Research from the University of Limerick compared player performance on grass, artificial turf, and indoor hardwood using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test. The results showed players were 6% more successful completing passes and controlling the ball on the indoor court. This is largely due to the “true roll” of the hardwood surface. Because the ball bounces less and travels more consistently than it does on grass or turf, players spend less time adjusting to unpredictable bounces and more time refining their technique.

When you combine smaller spaces, fewer players, and faster surfaces, players are constantly forced to scan, think, control, and execute. They are involved in the game far more often, which accelerates their development.

That’s why at Unrivaled we prioritize small-sided play and tighter training environments.

Because players don’t develop by standing around waiting for the ball. They develop by being constantly involved in the game.