Bermuda's youth coaches will have the chance to assess their players when the Bermuda Football Association stage a series of matches over the next three weeks starting on Saturday at the BFA Field in Prospect.

Tomorrow a dozen matches involving the Under-8s will be played with the Under-10s next Saturday, November 14 and the Under-12s on Saturday, November 21.

BFA Youth Director Devar Boyles said yesterday the coaches of the various teams will be able to assess their players against other teams so they can decide if they want to put them in the developmental league or the competitive league when action starts for real in January.

Boyles said: "What we are trying to do over the next few weeks is to allow the coaches to participate in a game and let us know where they want their team to be placed in the league – developmental or competitive.

"After they have played their matches they have until the middle of December to indicate which division they want to play in.

"We are trying to eliminate some of the big scores we have had in the past – some of the games have been so one-sided. We are allowing the coaches to make the decision as to what league they want to be in. It is not us (the BFA) but the coaches who are going to make the decision – and then they have to live with that."

The games will divided up into three 20-minute periods and each squad will be limited to 14 players. Seven players will be on the field for each team in the Under-8s.

"After the first period the coaches will put on the boys who didn't play for the next 20 minutes and then the coach can decide what to do for the third period.

"That way every player gets a minimum of 20 minutes."

A club, or school, will be allowed a maximum of four teams in a particular age group.

Leading up to these youth matches, all the coaches have been getting their D License and Boyles said he has been happy with the turn out.

Derek Broadley, the BFA's technical director, has been overseeing the courses since May and Boyles said they had a big turnout initially and then it eased up in the summer. "It fell off because of vacations and other sports but since the season started up again everything it picking up.

"Last Saturday we had over 39 coaches come out. We have been putting on the courses in Somerset, St. George's and also centrally so that it allows the coaches to make the course within their schedule."

The BFA have also put into place a Code of Practice for the youth matches which deals with players, coaches and parents.

The matches tomorrow start at 11.30 a.m. and there will be two matches going on at the same time.

Boyles added: "The theme for the Under-8s and Under-10s will be Learning while Playing while the theme for the Under-12s will be Learning to Play Correctly."