Altoona Soccer Club “Playing Up” Policy

Altoona Soccer Club “Playing Up” Policy Age Appropriate v Playing Up It is the Club’s policy that all players will play age appropriate if there is a team in the player’s true age group. Exceptions to this policy may be considered only when it makes sense for the club and the player and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. These exceptions would be very rare in the lowest age groups. Recently however, for developmental purposes, US Youth Soccer has become more tolerant to the idea of playing up in the very oldest youth age groups and varsity ages. Any player to be considered an exception to the age appropriate policy and permitted to play up an age group must meet the following criteria: 1. Parent/guardian for players U8 and U9 must complete a waiver holding harmless the club, club coaches/trainers, other club players, parents and other player parents, the league and it’s staff, referees, all tournament/showcase personnel, staff/teams/coaches/players/parents and anyone else that the player may come into contact with while playing up with the team they will be joining. 2. Consideration for age appropriate exception will be capped at two years above the player’s true age group for youth playing U11 and under. 3. A team will not be permitted to accept a move up player if their roster is full or if they play in a considerably lower division than the move up player is currently playing in. 4. Teams with low roster numbers will not be permitted to send a player up if the coach/trainer and DOC feel it will jeopardize the stability of the sending team by doing so. 5. Players for consideration will be evaluated by the training staff with final approval by the DOC and must be ranked by the training staff as one of the top 3 players from the sending team and in the top half of the receiving team. These players must meet all the competitive criteria of the receiving team including technical, tactical, physical, emotional, social, and psychological demands for the new age group 6. No input from parents/guardians as to playing ability will be considered. 7. No player younger than U8 shall be permitted to play on travel or classic soccer teams. No exception. (This policy is part of the by-laws and cannot be changed here.)

Altoona Soccer Club “Playing Up” Rules & Recommendations AGE

# of Years

RULE

AUTHORITY

U7 and Below

0

Players are NOT permitted to play on a travel or classic soccer team.

ASC By-law

U8

1-2

Can play up on a U9 or U10 ASC Policy team if the team consists of >67% U9/U10 players, and if approved by the DOC. U8 players cannot play on a U11 or higher team.

U9

1-2

Can play up on U10 or U11 team if approved by the DOC U9 players cannot play up on a U12 or higher team.

ASC Policy

U10

1-2

Can play up on U11 or U12 team if approved by the DOC. U10 players cannot play up on a U13 or higher team.

ASC Policy

U11

1 -2

Can play up on U12 or U13 team i if approved by the DOC. U10 players cannot play up on a U14 or higher team.

ASC Policy

U12

1-4

Can play up on U13 to U16 team. U12 players cannot play up on a U17 or higher team.

ASC Policy

U13 and Above

1-6

Can play up on a U14 to U19.

ASC Policy

1. Where only even age divisions exist, as is the case for most Division 5 leagues in the Mountain District, a team is considered the age division they are playing, not the age division of the players making up the team. 2. U8 and U9 players must fill out and have notarized a waiver to play up. 3. “DOC” - Director of Coaching.