West Florida Flames Parent Announcement

Transition to School-Year Age Grouping

As part of West Florida Flames’ ongoing commitment to long-term player development and alignment with U.S. Soccer’s player development framework, the club will transition from birth-year age grouping to school-year age grouping, beginning with the upcoming season. This change applies to all West Florida Flames programs, with the exception of the MLS Homegrown division.

This transition is designed to better support our players’ social, emotional, and developmental needs, while remaining consistent with best practices recommended by U.S. Soccer and other leading youth development organizations.

What This Means for Families

• Teams will be formed based on a player’s school graduation year, rather than calendar birth year.

• Players will train and compete with peers they attend school with, helping promote confidence, team chemistry, and leadership development.

• This model is widely used in top development environments and more closely reflects how young athletes grow and mature.

Our Approach to Player Placement

While school-year grouping provides structure, player movement (playing up) will continue to be determined by our club’s development philosophy, not automatic age placement.

Our coaching staff evaluates each player individually, considering:

• Technical ability

• Tactical understanding

• Physical readiness

• Mental approach and competitiveness

Only players who are truly ready, and for whom playing up will positively impact development, will be considered.

Playing up is earned, not guaranteed.
Long-term development will always take priority over short-term results.

Trusting the Development Process

We ask families to trust the process. Every decision is made with the individual player’s growth in mind, rather than labels, age brackets, or external pressures.

Player development is not linear. Being placed in the right environment, at the right time, is critical to long-term confidence, growth, and success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the club moving to school-year age grouping?
This model better aligns players with their school peers and supports social, emotional, and developmental growth. It also reflects best practices recommended by U.S. Soccer and widely used across top youth development environments.

Will my child still be able to play up?
Yes. Playing up remains an option when it is in the player’s best developmental interest. These decisions are made intentionally by our coaching staff and are not automatic.

Does this change affect roster spots or team levels?
Roster decisions will continue to be based on individual evaluations and developmental readiness, not solely on age grouping.

What if my child’s placement looks different than expected?
Each placement is made with the goal of providing the best possible developmental environment. We encourage families to reach out to their coach or club leadership with questions.

Does this apply to all West Florida Flames teams?
Yes, this applies to all West Florida Flames programs except the MLS Homegrown division, which follows separate guidelines.

2026/2027 Season Age Chart

We are excited for the season ahead! Thank you for being part of the Fames Family.

Executive Director

Gary Rach