Knowing Your Players: Playing Up And Down Age Groups

Written by Steven Crane Oct 3rd, 2017

The traditional model for organising teams is by school year (UK) or by calendar year (USA and RoW). This means that there can be a wide variation in biological age (there could be almost 1 year age difference between your oldest and youngest players). Professional clubs are now identifying late developers and are creating strategies to help individuals develop and reach their full potential.

1. My player is finding it difficult because he/she is too small, what can I do to help him/her develop?
2. My player is not strong enough to compete, what can I do to help him/her develop?
3. My player is finding it too easy at his own age group, what can I do to help him/her develop?

We are asked these questions by users of The Coaching Manual regularly. It’s a big issue in the game and a lot of coaches choose to ignore it which prevents players from developing or, in the worst-case scenario, causes them to leave the game. Encouraging players to play up or down an age group can have a massive impact on a player’s long-term development and enjoyment of the game.
 What are the implications for player development?
There are two possible implications for the development of your players, which are determined by where they are in their individual development pathway.

 Scenario 1: Player is more advanced than his/her team-mates:

1. Has too much success in matches – Don’t enjoy it as much and become frustrated.
2. Games aren’t physically demanding– Develop bad habits/become lazy.
3. Believes they are the best – Become over-confident/arrogant, doesn’t involve team mates and alienates them.
4. Games aren’t technically demanding - Don’t achieve potential.

 Scenario 2: Player is less advanced than his/her team-mates:

1. Has little success in matches – Don’t enjoy it as much and become frustrated.
2. Games are too physically demanding– Risks injury.
3. Believes they are the worst – Loses confidence, gets upset in matches and withdraws from team mates.
4. Games are too technically demanding - Don’t achieve potential.

Why have they not progressed?

It could be due to the physicality (height, weight, strength) of the player, a comparative lack of technical ability to the rest or their social and psychological maturity.
Physicality– Due to various legislation, not everyone will be able to move players up and down age groups to aid their development. So, here is how you, as coaches, can help the player.
1. An under 15 player is not able to meet the physical demands of the game. Encourage them to train with the U14s as well as the under 15s. This will allow the player to play with players of their own physicality and will give them an opportunity to develop.
a) Be careful when you do this. Be truthful with the player and make sure they are fully aware that this is not a punishment, it is more of a challenge to see if they can improve the u14's and challenge them to be a leader in that age group.
b) If the player has to stay with their own age group for games then allow them to play in the less competitive games, and surround them with stronger players. This will help them get some success on the pitch.
c) Use the examples we give in the interview to illustrate how even great players have benefited from this approach.
2. An under 15 player is too strong for their age group. Challenge the player by moving him/her to play up a year. This will allow the player to use their body in a more realistic environment.
Technical Ability - If the players are physically able to compete with their age group but are lacking technical ability then here are a few things you could do.
1. Encourage them to play in the league/team below. Still, allow the players to train with your team as a lot of their friends will be there. However, the league/team below may be best to help his/her development.
a) Set goals and simple challenges they can do away from training that will help them improve their technical ability, for example, passing with a friend or against a wall. Please take a look at our 1 to 1 coaching content.
2) A player is technically better than his team-mates and is at risk of his technical development stagnating.
a) Allow the player to train with an older age group, where their technical ability is put under pressure, forcing them to improve both their technical level and their speed of play.

Psychological Age

1. An under 9 player is enjoying training but getting upset every time it comes to game day.
a) Sit down with the player before a game and discuss all the great things they are going to do in the game ahead which will give them confidence.
b) Consider starting the player as a substitute and allow them to watch the game from the side so they can get a feel for the environment. Also, consider allowing the player to play games with the younger age group to build his/her confidence.
c) Give the player certain roles and responsibilities in the team to motivate them.

Social Age

1. An under 11 player is superior to their peers and they are not passing the ball in training. His friends have started to get frustrated with him/her and alienate him/her from the group.
a) Set the player individual challenges during training sessions, for example, can he/she make 20 passes in a game. He/she can only score with a one-touch finish.
b) Allow the player train with the age group above to challenge the player.