Ligi rules for sports and activities are designed specifically to promote safety and the well-being of the participant. They also promote fair play, which helps to prevent injury and to bridge the gap between what the referee and umpire can and cannot enforce.
Children and young players require modified rules to cater for their specific needs. Of particular concern with children is their underdeveloped sweat glands and poor ability to regulate body temperature. Children are also smaller and all rules take their size into account.
Each age category is matched by age, size, sex (Note: At an early age in Ligi Ndogo, girls can be categorized with boys) and skill level and has its own set of rules that are designed specifically to keep the player safe. These cover a wide range and are inclusive of:
Matching opponents by Growth and Development
The size of the field
The length of the competition (time)
Number of breaks
Equipment to be used including the size of the ball
What constitutes a foul or unfair play
Smooth transition from one age group/category to the next
A tailored curriculum to suit their requirement at all ages and
An evaluation process for kids who want to pursue a pro career
All children aged 13 years and above play games over two (2) halves and on a field 100 m long and 50 m wide, unless otherwise stated by the coach. They will feature 11 a side. Breaks increase in frequency within the lower age groups. This is to help ensure the safety of the participants and that they have adequate access to water and allow their bodies to get a chance to refresh before, during and after the competition.
Other rules safeguarding legal and illegal contact also help promote the well being of the player and are enhanced by the referees (who, most of the time, are coaches),with most rules styled to avoid contact until at a certain age.
Conditioned rules for children under 13 years of age include modifications to ball sizes, field sizes, and duration of competitions, smaller distances, and closer and smaller goals. These rule modifications help make participation in sports safer for the child and enhance their well being. They give the children greater access to fluids, less distance to run, and balls that they can actually kick or head without placing too much stress on their body.
Other rules are modified in order to enhance participation and enjoyment in the sport. Closer/smaller goals make it easier for children to score goals and provide positive feedback to enhance enjoyment.
Please note that age is limited in its ability to reduce injuries and to appropriately match opponents. This is because children and young players grow and develop at varying rates and have varying levels of skill.
Matching opponents by size helps to reduce the risk of injury as players are not forced to compete against people too much bigger than them. However, this is mostly done at the lower levels (Under seven years) Matching opponents by their growth and development helps to promote safety in sports as players compete against people of the same age and similar size to help prevent injuries.
Use of protective equipment helps to promote player safety and well-being. Protective equipment is purposely designed to help protect the player from injuries that may otherwise occur. And it is compulsory to wear shin guards anytime when playing, goalkeeping gear for goalkeepers and rubber studded boots.
It is important that these grounds are kept in a safe order. It is dangerous to the player when the field is uneven or has holes in them. Ligi Ndogo goes to great length to rehabilitate the playing surface every three months to enhance play-ability and reduce risk of injury.
Sports and physical activity require to be performed wearing appropriate gear. Ligi Ndogo goes to great length to provide playing kit that absorbs and retains heat during cold weather and dissipates sweat and cools the body during hot weather. We ensure that all training equipment suits the player. This is particularly important for children, who use modified equipment to promote their safety. Smaller balls, goals, fields are used to ensure the safety of the player and helps to decrease the occurrence of overuse injuries.
To reduce the risk of allergies, improve speed/flow of play due to even terrain and provide a cleaner playing environment, Ligi Ndogo offers an artificial playground for all categories.
Our facilities are safe both for the players and the spectators. There is enough room around all playing fields in case a player is tackled or runs off the ground at speed and close enough for the cheering spectators. This also relates to advertising boards and the placement of media to help ensure safety.