Player Development Initiatives

Player Development Initiatives (PDI)

US Soccer's Player Development Initiatives were instituted in 2016, drilled down to all grass-roots soccer organizations and every youth organization in-between. The PDIs were mandated for some, but not others. AYSO was not mandated to implement them, therefore Sections, Areas, and even Regions were given the choice as to follow them or not. That choice will eventually go away. US Soccer is expected to mandate the implementation of all Player Development Initiatives across all youth organizations in the near future. Below (and to the left), you will find a video from Area 1P, which outlines a specific PDI: the Build-Line (BoL). Please review the video in it's entirety and then review the current changes to the BoL and how we are to govern it's use as referees. The current changes to the BoL will be outlined below (and to the right), to the best of our ability, as the video does not encompass the most recent changes. US Soccer still reserves the right to make further changes.

AYSO Region 106, our Region, will be implementing ALL PDIs for Spring Select and Extra matches, plus the Fall 2018 season. It is very important that all referees in our Region familiarize themselves with the PDIs and the BoL.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Erik Veach, Regional Referee Administrator ([email protected]) or Judy Gilmore, Assistant Regional Referee Administrator ([email protected]) for assistance.

Thank you very much for volunteering to referee for our children!

Yearly Update Documents

2018 PDI Updates:

2018 PDI Changes - reformatted

2018 PDI Changes to BoL

2018 Changes:

There is no longer an infraction or restriction on whether the goalkeeper plays the ball across the BoL to a teammate. The goalkeeper may still wish to play the ball quickly, prior to all opponents retreating, at a risk.
On a goal kick, all opponents must retreat behind the BoL (and the referee should encourage the players to do so) until the ball has exited the penalty area, at which time the opponents may cross the BoL to play the ball.
On a goalkick, there is no longer an infraction should the attacking team decide to play the ball directly to a teammate who is across the BoL.