The age exemption policy is intended to permit clubs to find teams for all players within league parameters. The request to ECSD for exemption must by initiated by club President or designee. The player and club should be prepared to provide any requested documentation to verify the validity of the request. Please make note of the following:
- Under no circumstances may a team roster more than three (3) play-down players on an active league roster.
- A “trapped player” is an athlete who, due to their calendar birth year, is placed in a soccer age group older than their actual academic school-year grade, separating them from their grade-level peers.
- U15 age Classic League players who are in 8th grade may be age exempted to play on a U14 team. (ECSD may call the league which includes these teams ‘ U14/15’).
- League approval is required for any player that does not meet the specific U15 “trapped player” criteria.
- For recreational leagues, players must not be more than six months older than the normal August 1 deadline.
- U10 and under players may not be allowed to play up more than two single age group levels from the age group they are age eligible for.
- Should any team with these exceptions wish to participate in a WYSA/US Youth Soccer sanctioned tournament other than those sponsored by ECSD, the approval would be at the discretion of the event.
- ECSD is NOT authorized to make age exemptions for any competitive players participating in other leagues (for example, WYSA State League, Midwest Conference League (MWC), USYS Leagues, US Club, MLS Next, Girls Academy, etc.) or for players participating in the US Youth Soccer Association Championship series events, including WYSA State Championships and President Cup events.
