Anonymous
Post 10/29/2021 01:39     Subject: When to stop playing up?
In general so many good, reasonable answers. For a while, playing up got out of control but it seems to be calming down. Playing up when they are younger makes sense, but as puberty sets in, younger players often lose confidence when they continue to miss opportunities on the ball not for lack of skill, but lack of size. The best model I saw after the size differential set in is to play in his own age group, with an occasional experience against an easier team maybe 1-2 times a season. When they do well, they can feel good about it, stretch themselves, and then go back to their own age group with extra confidence and skill.
Anonymous
Post 10/28/2021 07:31     Subject: Re:When to stop playing up?

Soccer-wise age shouldn't play much into his decision on teams. If he has a good coach and a good atmosphere and is learning and developing that shouldn't really matter. The issue later is if he is looking to get recruited to play in college. This is a challenge that can be overcome or worked around, but it is definitely a challenge if coaches watching are looking for one class and he is graduating a different year. He will just have to be much more proactive about reaching out to coaches and inviting them to see him. Not that all prospects don't need to do that, just he will need to be even more diligent and active about it.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2021 23:57     Subject: When to stop playing up?
This is OP. Thank you everyone! This was all very helpful. We will continue to play up assuming coach thinks that’s the best for him and so long as he continues to start and play most of the games. He is a very late bday in his birth year playing up a year on a team with many early birthdays. So the difference socially and physically can be pretty wide or has the potential to be wide. That said, well just have to keep an eye on that and see if it becomes an issue for him. While he is shorter than most of his teammates and opponents because he is younger, he is built like a rock and can (most of the time) withstand the physicality of bigger players. In fact, it motivates him to work on getting stronger and faster.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2021 23:05     Subject: When to stop playing up?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My son has played up his entire soccer life and we are pre-ECNL. My husband thinks he can play up for the rest of his youth career while I think he should at some point, play his age group so he stands out more (essentially be a superstar) and is in a better position to compete for an academy spot. FWIW, he is very good and plays up because of overall skill and athleticism and not bc of size (he is average for his age with the potential to be tall like one parent). He is a top player (not the best nor a superstar) for his current team while playing up and in the upper divisions of the league they play in. I want to keep him playing up as long as we can bc I want him to continue to be challenged and to improve and I think he can be competitive playing up. I do wonder though if there are drawbacks to this approach. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks!


Past U14 there is no fundamental difference in skill of kids a year older.

People amusingly believe that a 15 year old is somehow better than a 14 year old. If your son played on a talented team at age he would learn quickly that playing up will not have made him a star or stand out.


I disagree with your statement based on my DS's experience. In boys at least, there was definitely a difference. Those boys, were bigger, faster, stronger being a year older. And my DS was pushed to keep up, which he did. When he went back down as a guess player to his age group, he said it was noticeably slower. And, the kids who came up for a game here or there always commented how much faster, more powerful, etc. the play was.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2021 22:55     Subject: When to stop playing up?
When all your kids teammates have graduated HS.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2021 22:50     Subject: When to stop playing up?
I'd stay down when he move to U13. Kids are enormous. My son is an October 09. Wish he could play down.