As things stand in the Youth League we now have individual age group leagues for U12/U13/U14 you then move from U14 to U16 and play in a two year age group.
I know historically it was U12/U14/U16.
My side were involved in the first U13 league and I have to say I feel it has benefited that lads massively, I would have to guess that had we played in a two year age group there would have been some pretty horrendous score lines, score lines which benefit neither side. Keeping a single year group league has kept things far more competitive, you are always going to get the odd big score line here and there but far less than the two year age group I would have thought?
It is very difficult to keep older sides going as players develop interest in other sports and other things such as part time jobs, girls etc etc .... and if they are on the wrong end of some heavy score lines this I feel will only add to the problem.
I think the reason this has not been done in the past is concerns around the lack of teams at both U14 and U16 level meaning an individual U15 league is not really practical, a lack of pitches and lack of referees.
I am considering putting together a proposal for the next League EGM suggesting an U15 League be introduced from the 2015/16 Season and just wondered if people thought this would be worthwhile and get the support it would need to get it through.
Most managers In our age group think we are naturally going to progress from under14 to under15 ad previous years, my guess is when they find out this news theywill all back your proposals. Cheers Doylo.
