Playing up is standard practice in Academy soccer because the end product is the best player possible at the youngest age possible.

With pay to play the goal is to maximize profits for the club. To do this you want as many players playing for as long as possible.

Take a step back and think about it. If there was a 14 year old boy that could score at will against 18+ year old opponents. What would happen? They’d get identified, recruited to a MLSN team, and if they continued to do well would eventually play on a professional MLS team. Now take the exact same situation but the player was female. They’d get recruited to the top girls club in the area, they might play up but it’s not common, and they’d get prepared by the club to get recruited to play for a too college soccer team.

The question is why are talented girls treated differently than talented boys?

I can’t see birthdates but it appears there are no kids playing up at u16 on DS’s current team. He is on the A team of a large club. He has previously played on teams with mixed ages and generally it felt like kids played up to fill roster spots, rather than ability. Those teams struggled.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our large club (that generally has high performing teams), the best players played up at uLittle, but are all playing on-age group now.

There are still players playing up, but the club uses that to bolster weaker years, and they are not playing up the strongest players. So the best 2009 players still start for the 2009s, but if the 2008s need help at center back, the 4th best 2009 CB is playing up with the 2008s.

Seems to make sense and be a good outcome for good players that were born in strong birth years for the club.

Doesn't make sense to have a weak 2009 playing up with even weaker 2008's (since the development of the 09 should be the priority)

It depends on who the 2008s are playing. If the 08 team is in ECRL and the 09 team in ECNL. Then it does make any sense to play on the 08 team.

DD is 08 playing on 07 team. Sometimes they play against 05/06s. It’s great experience for her.

Anonymous wrote:At our large club (that generally has high performing teams), the best players played up at uLittle, but are all playing on-age group now.

There are still players playing up, but the club uses that to bolster weaker years, and they are not playing up the strongest players. So the best 2009 players still start for the 2009s, but if the 2008s need help at center back, the 4th best 2009 CB is playing up with the 2008s.

Seems to make sense and be a good outcome for good players that were born in strong birth years for the club.

Doesn't make sense to have a weak 2009 playing up with even weaker 2008's (since the development of the 09 should be the priority)

U14 we had two playing up.
U15 we were down to one playing up.
U16 now has nobody playing up.

Anonymous wrote:What does that have to do with culture of development?

In every strong soccer country that produces many high level professionals and win international competitions, kids playing up in age is a standard normal occurrence and part of the development philosophy.

(or did you know that and you were just being sarcastic?)

At our large club (that generally has high performing teams), the best players played up at uLittle, but are all playing on-age group now.

There are still players playing up, but the club uses that to bolster weaker years, and they are not playing up the strongest players. So the best 2009 players still start for the 2009s, but if the 2008s need help at center back, the 4th best 2009 CB is playing up with the 2008s.

Seems to make sense and be a good outcome for good players that were born in strong birth years for the club.

What does that have to do with culture of development?

DaniRojas wrote:Go ask the TDs and Age Group Directors.

Is there a local TD's and Age Group Directors blog?

Do parents talk to TDs and Directors? What kind of help can they possibly provide? I reluctantly talk to the coach unless it is needed.

On our top level u15- there is one player who is a year younger

Go ask the TDs and Age Group Directors.

Anonymous wrote:For folks who's kids are on teams U13 and older:

How many players on your child's (Division 1 or 2) team are playing up in age?

None. We have one who is playing down a year.

For folks who's kids are on teams U13 and older:

How many players on your child's (Division 1 or 2) team are playing up in age?