Three options on the table;;
National Policy on Club Age Grades
1. Maintain the core club championship age grades nationally at club level as U13/15/17 with decoupling nationally remaining at U17. At least one further age grade (as suits the particular needs of the County) should be organized between U17 and Adult in this circumstance.
2. A county that wishes to organize competitions at even age grades only (12/14/16/18) may do so provided they adopt an internal bye law to decouple at U18 (i.e. in such Counties U18’s would not be permitted to playing Adult competition). At least one further age grade (as suits the particular needs of the County) should be organized between U18 and Adult in this circumstance.
3. Alternatively, a county that wishes to organize competitions at even age grades only (12/14/16/18) may do so, and retain decoupling at 17 with at least one further age grade (as suits the particular needs of the County) being organized between U18 and Adult. Players in their 18th year will only be allowed to play for or train with Adult teams post March 1st and once the signed consent of the player, their parents/guardians and the Club Executive has been provided. The Task Force also recommends that no player should have to play an Adult and U18 game within 60 hours of each other and request County CCC’s to adhere to this policy.
In relation to Part 3 of the policy, it is envisaged that permission would be sought on a standard Association form (possibly digitally under the new Foireann system).The form would require to be submitted in the period from March 1st - April 1St and would essentially mean that a plyer in his 18th year would be ineligible for adult competition until post March 1st annually (i.e. until the school games programme is winding down).The form will alert those involved to the risks around burnout/overtraining/overuse injuries for players in their 18th year playing with and training for multiple teams across the Youth and Adult games programmes.
