Sources & Methodology
Soccer Training Pro uses different research methods for rules, youth soccer, tactics and training because those topics do not all have the same kind of authority.
Laws of the Game
For general soccer-rule articles, our preferred primary source is The IFAB Laws of the Game.
When a page explains a specific law, it should link readers to the relevant IFAB law page.
Examples include:
- field markings and dimensions — Law 1;
- assistant referees — Law 6;
- match duration — Law 7;
- fouls and misconduct — Law 12;
- free kicks — Law 13;
- throw-ins — Law 15.
We also review published law changes when a new season changes the rule being explained.
Youth soccer
Youth rules can vary by age, country, federation, state association, league and tournament.
For U.S. youth content, we use U.S. Soccer material as a national development reference and clearly tell readers to confirm the competition rules that apply locally.
We avoid presenting a local match duration, substitution procedure or safety rule as universal when it is not.
High-school and college soccer
U.S. high-school soccer and NCAA soccer have their own rule structures.
When an article discusses those formats specifically, it should use the current NFHS or NCAA source rather than assuming the general IFAB procedure is identical.
Positions and tactics
Position names and shirt-number traditions vary by era, country and tactical system.
Our position pages describe common usage and identify where terminology can vary.
Formation diagrams are teaching examples. They show one useful interpretation of roles and spacing rather than claiming every team uses the shape in exactly the same way.
Training drills
Training pages are evaluated by the game problem they are intended to develop.
A drill should explain:
- organization;
- player numbers;
- equipment;
- how the activity works;
- coaching points;
- progressions;
- the match behavior it is designed to train.
We prefer activities with repeated decisions and limited waiting.
Images and diagrams
Original diagrams are used when shape, movement, spacing or a rule is easier to understand visually.
Third-party photography should only be used when its license or permission allows publication.
Review dates
Rules and time-sensitive factual pages should be reviewed when their primary source changes.
A page's updated date should not be changed solely to make an old article appear new.
Corrections
If you find a source conflict or factual error, please use the Corrections page.