How Age Groupings Work
The age group a player is a part of depends on the age of the player at the start of the year. For example, if you’re 5 at the start of the year then you’re in the under 6s age group, etc. For players born on the 1st of January the grouping is based on how old you were on the 31st of December of the previous year. So if you turn 6 on the 1st of January you’re in the under 6s too.
Generally all kids in the same team are the same age. Although in certain exceptional cases a player might be a year younger than everyone else in the team. For example, you might have an under 9s team where one of the players in the team actually qualifies for the under 8s age group and should technically be in a team in the under 8s.
The practice isn’t recommended but it does occur sometimes. Particularly when a player has joined the club very young and plays with the same team as it progresses through the years.
As a club we generally discourage kids playing “up” in higher age groups due to the potential safety risks of playing against opponents who are a year older. The style of game that each age group plays is tailored to the skills and abilities of that specific age group and from a duty of care perspective we prefer if players play in their own age group.
However, there are exceptions to this rule, particularly when kids want to play with their mates, and requests are assessed individually by the appropriate Vice-President and a decision made.