Sounds like a great idea to have your son (or Daughter) play up a year or 2, to get more experience playing in a higher age group. But is it? Your child may have the early skills, size, social temperament to play with older kids. Seems like a natural progression to play up and age or two; many, many parents encourage it. But I wonder, is it really for the good of the child? Or for the pride of the parent?
Not so long ago I was one of those parents. Always pushing to have my child play in a higher age group. Played u8s at 7yo, u9s at 10yo. At one point, he played u12s at 9yo. And was in a GF winning side to boot! The motivation for that large jump was he didn't like the zones imposed at u8-10s level. As such, didn't like Aussie rules and wanted to just play RL. So I found a way to get him into an older age group so he would continue to play Aussie rules.
At 12yo I moved him to u13s. At 13 he played u14s. Never has he played in his own age group. He has however, despite the age obstacle found early success and been selected in rep sides. So on the face of it, seems like a good idea that worked out, right?
I'll tell you now. It was the WRONG thing to do. He should have played in his own age group at every opportunity. I was wrong, DESPITE him making rep sides. The reason it was wrong is because in playing against more mature kids, bigger kids constantly, he has had to develop a different playing style to that which is natural for him. Contests on the ground become more confronting against bigger bodies. Taking the game on is a bigger risk in a bigger faster age group. So a child is more likely to shrink into ones self and to avoid those things and just be a contributor. His skills were above age. But skills come eventually anyway. It is personal and game style development, and self confidence that is most important.
In his own age group his natural game would have had more chance to develop. A more confronting ground game, a more expansive running game, more risks taken, more personal satisfaction, reward and self confidence.
"It is better to temper the overconfidence of a child playing in his own age group, than to try inflate the confidence of a child playing up an age group."
There are many of you there that will play your child up an age group regardless. They can handle it, right? But think about it; Having more enjoyment, and a chance to play with against kids closer to your own size, has got to make a child more confident, more likely to be himself, develop his own style, and perhaps, have more control over his own footy journey?
I should have just asked him..
Not so long ago I was one of those parents. Always pushing to have my child play in a higher age group. Played u8s at 7yo, u9s at 10yo. At one point, he played u12s at 9yo. And was in a GF winning side to boot! The motivation for that large jump was he didn't like the zones imposed at u8-10s level. As such, didn't like Aussie rules and wanted to just play RL. So I found a way to get him into an older age group so he would continue to play Aussie rules.
At 12yo I moved him to u13s. At 13 he played u14s. Never has he played in his own age group. He has however, despite the age obstacle found early success and been selected in rep sides. So on the face of it, seems like a good idea that worked out, right?
I'll tell you now. It was the WRONG thing to do. He should have played in his own age group at every opportunity. I was wrong, DESPITE him making rep sides. The reason it was wrong is because in playing against more mature kids, bigger kids constantly, he has had to develop a different playing style to that which is natural for him. Contests on the ground become more confronting against bigger bodies. Taking the game on is a bigger risk in a bigger faster age group. So a child is more likely to shrink into ones self and to avoid those things and just be a contributor. His skills were above age. But skills come eventually anyway. It is personal and game style development, and self confidence that is most important.
In his own age group his natural game would have had more chance to develop. A more confronting ground game, a more expansive running game, more risks taken, more personal satisfaction, reward and self confidence.
"It is better to temper the overconfidence of a child playing in his own age group, than to try inflate the confidence of a child playing up an age group."
There are many of you there that will play your child up an age group regardless. They can handle it, right? But think about it; Having more enjoyment, and a chance to play with against kids closer to your own size, has got to make a child more confident, more likely to be himself, develop his own style, and perhaps, have more control over his own footy journey?
I should have just asked him..