UPSL has no official age limits on players, but there are some things you should be aware of.
Is UPSL a U23 league?
No, UPSL is not officially an under 23 league. While the league says the average age of its players is 22.5 years, it has no formal rules limiting UPSL players to being under 23.
This is different from USL League Two where the league rules have a limit on players over the age of 23 and many teams are the U23 team of a higher division pro team.
Of course, individual UPSL teams can set their own age limits, and some UPSL teams do operate as U23 teams.
Does UPSL have a minimum player age?
UPSL has no official minimum age for players. Since UPSL is an adult league, it would be hard for players younger than 16 or 17 to compete. Only a few players at that age are ready to play with older players at the level of UPSL teams.
Does UPSL require a minimum number of younger players?
No, the UPSL doesn’t require a minimum number of players below a certain age. USL League Two requires a few youth players to be registered to each team, but UPSL does not.
UPSL teams can require all of their players to be at least 18 years old. Some teams tend to have older rosters because they’re mainly filled with ex-college or professional players and don’t actively recruit younger players.
What do UPSL teams with minors need to do?
Having minors on a UPSL team forces teams to comply with many of the same rules that youth soccer clubs have to follow. This includes having all coaches, trainers, and staff complete SafeSport child abuse training and undergo background checks. Under a conservative reading of the regulations, even adult players on the team need to do the same thing.
Under the SafeSport guidelines, minors and adults shouldn’t share the same locker rooms or changing rooms. This technically means 17 and 18 year old players should be separated. Conversations about things like dating are also prohibited.
Many people would say these rules go too far especially with young players who are only a few years apart. However, that’s the U.S. legal system’s reaction to incidents of abuse and hazing.
Team owners and other people responsible for the team’s operations should be aware of the possibility of lawsuits. If something ever happens, a lawyer could use any technical violation of SafeSport rules or other policies to hold you financially responsible. Unless your UPSL team is operating as part of a youth soccer club, you may want to keep your team 18+.