What does U-8 mean?
U-8 means that the players were “under eight” years of age on July 31st of the year. For example, in our fall season in 2004, the U-8 group will include no players who were born before 1 August 1996. During the fall season, most U-8 players will be seven years old, though some will already have had their eighth birthday. Some U-8 players will be six years old. This is called “playing up.” Playing-up is sometimes done to ensure more equitable playing time. If your player’s birthday is in August–and remembering that Portland schools place the cutoff at 1 September–then your player is among the youngest in her class in school. Technically, she will be playing up even though she is with her classmates.
