Getting ready for the new season: moving squads up an age group

Every winter, each underage squad moves up a grade. Done on spreadsheets and group chats, it's where players fall through the gaps: a child nobody tells, a squad with no coach, a record left behind with last year's team.

Work from year of birth

Underage grades go by year of birth, so start from each player's date of birth rather than last year's squad list. Players held back or playing up are the exceptions to check, not the rule.

Find the gaps before they happen

Look at next year's grades and ask:

• Is there a grade with players but no squad yet?
• Is there a squad with no coach lined up?
• Is anyone leaving the club's age range, into adult or minor?

Decide what happens to coaches

Some coaches stay with their age group; others follow their players up. Agree it with them before the new season, not at the first session.

Keep each player's record with them

A player's attendance, development notes, injuries and stats are most useful when they move with the player. A new coach shouldn't start from nothing.

Tell families

A short message to each family saying which squad their child is in next year, who the coach is and when it starts saves a lot of phone calls.

In My Coaching App

Seasons and the move-up shows where every player goes next year, by year of birth. It flags any grade that doesn't have a squad for next year yet so you can create one, lets coaches stay or move with their players, and moves each player on one record, so their stats, development and injury history come with them. Only your own club's squads change.