PLAYING UP GUIDELINES

Patriot FC recommends that most children play with their birth-year team.  We feel this provides the ideal environment for social and soccer development. We also recognize that advanced players may benefit by playing in an older age group. Patriot FC will allow players to try out for a team that is one (1) birth year older. Before making this decision players and families should speak with their coach and our Director of Coaching to see if playing up is the right decision. 

Players who are interested in playing up are required to attend at least one (1)  tryout for their birth-year team.  This will allow the club to understand the landscape for each age group and help tryout evaluators determine the best fit for each player. 

In a typical year there will be two (2) tryout dates for each age group.  Players are encouraged to attend all tryout sessions for the team(s) they want to play on.  For example, a player who wants to play up could attend up to four (4) tryouts; two (2) for their birth-year team & two (2) for the year older.

PLAYING UP CONSIDERATIONS

“Can my child ‘play up?” is a common question that parents ask.  We ask you to review the information below while considering if playing up is the best thing for your child:

• Our goal is to have age pure teams especially at the younger ages.

• Is playing up the right thing for my child’s soccer and social development?
  

• Depending on when your child was born, they will be between 12 and 23 months younger than the oldest players. See tables below for age group information.

2024 - 2025 AGE GROUP MATRIX

PLAYING UP AGE DIFFERENCE

This table outlines the age difference between a child born in each month with the oldest players in the ‘playing up’ age group. For example, a child born in June who decides to ‘play up’ will be 17 months younger than the oldest players on their team and the teams they play against.