Play up or at the appropriate age level, what is best?

[Unregistered]

I heard Baysl U13G (A team) is really U12G...they lost all year playing up at U13 but win tournaments when they play at the true age level at the end of the season.

So the question is, what is better...playing up in regular season and losing most of time....but win tournaments at the end of the season when they play at the kids' true age level, or something different?

If the game is for the kids...what exactly is being accomplished here?

[Unregistered]

I heard Baysl U13G (A team) is really U12G...they lost all year playing up at U13 but win tournaments when they play at the true age level at the end of the season.

So the question is, what is better...playing up in regular season and losing most of time....but win tournaments at the end of the season when they play at the kids' true age level, or something different?

If the game is for the kids...what exactly is being accomplished here?

You're obviously not part of the team. Don't know what happened. Stay in your small
Little club and go attend Halloween Havoc @ BRSC.

[Unregistered]

they should play where they can be competitive. Sunrise U-13 girls for example can not find competition in their age group.

How badly did they lose all season? were they getting mercy ruled? or were they competitive, 1 point games, and just couldnt finnish because of bigger, faster defenders?

no you should not play up during the season if you cannot be competitive. If the kids get used to going out on the field expecting to lose, they will stop trying to win.

Tournaments are another story. Clubs seed the teams so they put on a good showing to further their reputation or atleast not hurt their reputation. D1 plays in classic because they can not compete with the premiere teams in the top bracket. D2 teams get pushed to the third bracket or stay in the second bracket and whine about the D1 team they had to play that should not have been there. Clubs will seed a U14 premiere player in with their D1 U-15 team for the same reason, to protect their reputation.

as all clubs should. it is as much part of the game as taking a yellow card to stop a break away. it is what it is. dont hate the players, hate the game.