FFT Age Policy

SOCCER TASMANIA LTD
PLAYER AGE POLICY
and
PLAYER ASSESMENT PROCESS
2006

Soccer Tasmania requires that all matches/fixture competitions are to be regulated to players’ age groups. To provide uniformity throughout the State and to ensure that the league operations address sound Risk Management practices this shall be achieved by compliance with the following rules.

1. MINIMUM AGE

The minimum age of any registered player eligible to participate in any match/fixture or associated activity shall be five (5) years by date of birth.

2. AGE GROUPS

Players shall be registered in the correct single designated age group e.g.: under 10 or 11 etc. Eligibility for each age group shall be determined by the player’s age on 1st January of the year for which he /she is registering. The cut-off date shall be midnight on the 31st December of that year. This is in accordance with Federation International Football Association (FIFA) regulations.

An example is an Under 10 program shall primarily contain players who are 9 years of age at the cut-off date and who will have their 10th birthday during the fixture year.

3. LOWEST AGE GROUP

The lowest age group recognized by Soccer Tasmania is Under 6, which shall include all players who have attained the ages of 5 years, or 6 years by date of birth during the playing season/year.

4. MAXIMUM AGE GROUP SPANS

A player may play, without requiring approval from Soccer Tasmania, a maximum two (2) years above his/her correct age group.

Example: A player who is registered in the correct age group of Under 12 as per Clause 3 shall not be eligible to participate in an Under 15 match/fixture or associated activity without being subjected to the assessment process. The player in question shall be eligible to participate in, up to and including, an Under 14 match/fixture or associated activity when he/she is correctly registered by age by birth.

The criteria in determining the eligibility of younger age players to compete in an older age group match/fixture shall be the player’s year of birth – not his/her playing team.

* Refer to Special Circumstance’s Section

5. SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS.

Players who are registered and playing in an age match/fixture competition may be used as substitute and/or “fill-in” players in an older age match/fixture competition provided compliance with the two (2) years up by year of birth rule is maintained.

Refer to example above.

6. SOCCER TASMANIA AUTHORISATION.

Players wishing to compete in a match/fixture competition or associated activity greater than two (2) year span are required to apply to Soccer Tasmania and undertake Soccer Tasmania’s approved assessment process. Upon consideration of the assessment report and any other relevant information, Soccer Tasmania may grant permission for the player to participate at the higher age level.

7. ASSESSMENTS.

The assessment criteria of a player’s capacity to compete safely at an extended higher age level as authorised by Soccer Tasmania shall be set by the Soccer Tasmania in consultation with the State Coaching and Development Manager. Assessors shall make recommendations to a Soccer Tasmania.

The assessor appointed by Soccer Tasmania shall conduct the assessment of a player to participate in matches/fixtures or associated activities at an age level greater than two (2) years above his/her age by date of birth. This shall be the State Coaching and Development Manager. In circumstances where the State Coaching and Development Manager is un-available to carry out assessments, Soccer Tasmania shall nominate an Assessor.

Any appointed Assessor shall minimally hold Senior Licence accreditation and shall be independent of the Club to which the player in question is registered. Where no Senior Licence accredited person is available, Soccer Tasmania shall appoint a suitable person.

The assessment shall include player ability, satisfactory monitoring of development and acceptable risk management in relation to the potential of sustaining undue serious injury.

All reports of assessments and relevant recommendations shall be in writing and duly signed by the Assessor and submitted to Soccer Tasmania. Upon receipt of an assessment report for determination, the Soccer Tasmania decisions related to the assessment report shall be kept on file at Soccer Tasmania’s office.

Soccer Tasmania retains the right to refuse permission for a player to participate in matches/fixtures or associated activities in an age group greater than two (2) years by year of birth.

8. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Below an Age Group

Under special circumstances, evaluated and assured by Soccer Tasmania to be consistent with Duty of Care and Risk Management requirements, permission for a small number of older age players to participate at an age level one (1) year below their ages by date of birth may be granted. Such players shall be dispersed among existing teams with no more than two (2) such players in any one (1) team. (An older age team shall not be permitted to participate in a younger age competition).

This eligibility shall be restricted to disadvantaged players where alternative avenues for participation are not available. Individuals in each category above are required to participate in an assessment process.

Senior Female Competitions

The following rules apply for the purpose of Junior Players participating in Senior Female Competitions.

Players not yet attained the age of 14
Players younger than the chronological age of 14 i.e. (they have not had their 14th birthday), should be discouraged from seeking an assessment.

If players and their parents insist that players below the age of 14 are assessed, they will then be assessed in accordance with the guidelines.

Players attaining the age of 14
Players having attained the chronological age of 14 (they have had their 14th birthday) may play senior football provided that they have been assessed and approved in line with the Player Age Policy.

Players attaining the age of 15
Players having attained the chronological age of 15 (they have had their 15th birthday) can play senior football without assessment.

Senior Male Competitions

The following rules apply for the purpose of Junior Players participating in Senior Male Competitions.

Players not yet attained the age of 15
Players not having attained the chronological age of 15 (they have not had their 15th birthday) are to be assessed as per current procedure prior to playing in a senior competition. They will then be assessed in accordance with the guidelines.