Request to

Play Up in Age

 

SAYSO generally recommends that players stay in their own age group, if for no other reason than NOT to lose a year of youth soccer. Nevertheless, SAYSO occasionally permits young players to play up in age for a few seasons. For example, promising U7 players routinely play up as U8s for a season or two because there are no competitive U7 opportunities. However, SAYSO will generally request that such players return to their own age groups after a few seasons when the need to play up no longer exists. Permission to play up in age is granted on an individual-by-individual basis. Permission to play up in age is granted by SAYSO's board of directors, not your coach. Permission is granted for only one season (i.e., spring or fall) at a time. Permission is granted only if you agree in concept to return to your own age group in some future season if requested by the SAYSO board.

There are many more reasons for not playing up in age than there are reasons for playing up. The board's official position is that playing up is appropriate only in the most extreme cases, but that most cases do not rise to the level of need. Most requests to play up are based on the premises that a player is exceptional in ability and needs exposure to higher levels of competition in order to develop in soccer. The concepts of accelerating a young player's development, wanting to take a player to the next level, or exposing a player to 'better' players (to describe some of the reasons parents give) have little merit before puberty. And, even then, there are very few Freddy's.

This website contains three articles regarding playing up, and the SAYSO board requests that you read them prior to applying to play up.
     Article 1: Should Your Child Play Up? [A frank discussion listing the pros and cons of playing up]
     Article 2: Playing Up and ODP [A discussion of the benefits of playing up for U12-U13 players and older whose parents want them to try out for Olympic Development Program]
     Article 3: And, then, there's Freddy [Freddy is old news, these days, but he's an example of someone who needed to play up as a teenager.]

If after reading these articles, you still wish to request permission to play up in age on a SAYSO team, please complete the form below. You will be notified after the SAYSO board of directors has made its determination. In some cases, more information may be requested of you, and it may be necessary for you and your child to appear personally before the SAYSO board.

Request/Application to Play Up in Age
Information about you What is your first and last name?   Your relationship?  

If the board has more questions, what phone numbers should we use? (You may list several.)  

What are your email addresses?  

What city do you live in?

Information about your child Child's first and last name       Gender  

Child's date of birth    Child's true age group    [What is this?]
Age group you are requesting permission to play in          

How many seasons (spring and fall are two separate seasons) has your child already played up in age in club soccer? (Playing up in AYSO should not be counted, since AYSO forces players of two age groups to play together.)  

Child's weight in pounds?   Child's height in feet and inches  

Child's grade in school  
Compared to other children in his/her correct age group, my child is

Taller in height About the same height Shorter in height
Heavier in weight About the same weight Lighter in weight

Please list soccer awards, achievements, or participation on 'championship' teams that you'd like the board to know about.
Some information about your request If you know already, which team are you requesting permission to play up on? (It's okay to identify the team by SAYSO designation or the coach's name.)

Have you already been accepted to play up on that team?  

Other than with the coach, with whom did you explore your options for playing within your own age group within SAYSO, if anyone?

Did your child tryout for or visit with a SAYSO team in his/her own age group?  
The reason for your request What are the top 1-2 reasons that you want your child to play up? (Use the "Everything Else" box below to give additional reasons.)

My child is a Freddy.
 I was told by a SAYSO coach that my child should play up.
 SAYSO does not have a team in my child's age group.
My child is part of a carpool with an older player.
 I want my child to play with an older sibling.
 I want my child to play with children in his/her own school grade.
 The older team practices closer to our home.
The older team practices at a more convenient time.
I want my child to be challenged, to play at a higher level, to experience better competition, and so on.
 My child player better soccer than the players on the age-appropriate team SAYSO team.
 If we play up on a different team, my child will get more game time or will be permitted to play in a particular position on the field.
 My child wants to play with his/her school friends.
 We want to stay with the same group of players that we have been playing with for many seasons.
 My child was already playing up in age before we came to SAYSO.
 I want to prepare my child for U13 or older ODP.
 I want my child to be on a winning team.
 I want my child to be trained with the coach of the older team.
 We don't like the coach of the team in our own age group.
 We don't like the players on the team in our own age group.
 We don't like the parents on the team in our own age group.
 
Looking into the future How many more seasons, after this one, will you want your child to play up? 

If your request is granted, will you agree to play in your own age group when the board of directors requests that you do so? 

What would you do if the SAYSO board of directors were to deny your request to play up for this current season?
  
Everything else Would you like to provide additional information or comments for consideration by SAYSO's board of directors?

Thank you for providing the information the board needs to make its decision. To complete your request, please click on the "Submit" button.