Play Up/Down Request Policy

The following guidelines are provided to streamline requests for changing your player's school year registration.

Play up requests will not be accepted for Lil' Kickers and U6 divisions. 
Second-year U8 players with birthdays between September 1 and December 31 may be considered for play-up to the U10 division.
Second-year U10 players with birthdays between September 1 and December 31 may be considered for play-up to the U12 division.
Due to heading restrictions, U12 players are not eligible to play up to the U14 division.

From time to time, Atascadero Youth Soccer may receive requests from parents/guardians for their child to be placed in an age division other than his/her standard division. These requests for an exception should be handled on a case-by-case basis and considered in the context of what is in the best interest of both the specific child as well as those children affected by the granting of the request. As a general rule, Atascadero Youth Soccer players are expected to play at their birth age group. "Playing up" is discouraged, particularly with respect to players
who have not yet begun high school. It is ordinarily in the best interests of the player if players play at their proper age group.  Requests to “play up” in the next older age division may be considered if doing so would be of genuine benefit to the child socially, developmentally, as well as
athletically and as long as it does not adversely affect the other children in the division.

Atascadero Youth Soccer generally follow the US Soccer Guidelines, but allow for some exceptions. One such exception is when a division does not have enough players to form complete teams in two consecutive age divisions. In this case, AYS may combine the players from the two age divisions and form one team. This team would need to compete at the older age division. For example, if 16U players are combined with 18U players to form one team, the combined team will play in the 18U division. This type of play up will be initiated by the AYS Committee. Parents wanting their child to play up need to fill out the Play Up Request form during open registration. Simply texting or verbally stating the desire to have a child play up is not sufficient.

Some things to consider:

• Playing up is not automatic
•  The US Soccer guidelines do not normally allow for players to play up beyond one year(*). Atascadero Youth Soccer will consider single year requests in the aforementioned age groups only.
• There is no "Two Year Rule." A player will not be automatically played up just because they've already played two years in a given division.
• Players are not “grandfathered in” because they were granted permission to play up in past seasons.
• The Atascadero Youth Soccer Committee has the final say on all requests.
• No player may play up without authorization. No individual coach nor Committee member can grant permission for a player to play up - it is a Committee decision.
• Requests will only be considered if space is available in the older division. This will not be known until the final day of open registration.
• The player must miss the cutoff date for the next age division by no more than 4 months - December 31 of that birth year.
• Requests to Play Up that are accompanied by a parent or guardian volunteering to coach are more likely to be granted. The coach must complete the necessary coaching requirements - volunteer application, background check, age specific online training, in person coach training.

Atascadero Youth Soccer does not honor the following reasons for playing-up:

• Player wants to play with friends in his/her class or grade level.
• Player wants to play with players in his/her neighborhood.
• Player is too big or too tall to play at his/her current level.
• Player cannot attend certain practice times.
• Parents/guardians want siblings to play together.

If you have questions or concerns regarding how to complete the form, please contact [email protected].
Remember, no request will be considered unless the form is complete and submitted. Please only email if you do not understand how to complete the form or if you have a question regarding something on the form.

Play down:

Play down is only considered in extreme medical situations. If you believe your player is in need of this option, please email [email protected].