The team formation process will be random in nature. "Special” requests by players, coaches, or parents for specific team assignments are strongly discouraged.

• Criteria for player assignment will include NO consideration for the ability of the player or the relative strength of the team.
• All forms of recruiting, invitations, and tryouts are specifically prohibited at the recreational level. Coaches will have no direct input to, or involvement with, the assignment of players to their teams.
• Deliberate creation of single birth year teams is not permitted. Team formation procedures will avoid assignment of a disproportionate number of players with the same birth year to the same team.
• Minimum half game playing time is mandatory for all Member Organizations in recreational play.

Teams which fail to meet one or more of the rules for Recreational team formation and player assignment specified herein may be considered as select teams in any Association sponsored competitions, including tournaments or inter-district competitions. The team status/eligibility will be determined by the State Tournament Committee for all competitions conducted by KYSA.

Member Organizations shall assign players to recreation teams in the following manner:

• Returning players (those who played in the Member Organization during the prior playing season) may be assigned to the same team on which he/she played in the immediately preceding playing season. If a player elects not to return to the same team, he/she MUST be placed in "open” registration and assigned as shown in the paragraph below.
• New players and players electing not to return to the same team will be placed in "open” registration and assigned to teams on a random basis without regard to the ability of the player.
• Players will be automatically moved up to the next Age Group on the basis of birth year only. All players moving up to the next age group must be placed in an "open” draw and not moved up as a team.
• Deliberate creation of single birth-year teams is not permitted. The random basis for team assignment should be in separate pools by birth year to facilitate the balancing of ages within age groups. Procedures should ensure that no more than two-thirds (2/3) of the players assigned to a team have the same birth-year (in the upper portion of the age group). The birth year of a player is determined by the player’s age as of August 1 of the seasonal year.
• Tryouts are not permitted as part of the player assignment process. Other forms of player evaluation for the purpose of balancing the level of talent and ability among teams and resulting in a random assignment process are permitted.
• Players may be assigned to teams on the basis of geographic location of residence provided such assignment is otherwise random in nature.
• Children of the head coach and not more than one (1) assistant coach may be assigned to that coach’s team regardless of the method of team formation, so long as the age requirements stated above are met.
• ​Deviations from Rules above may preclude participation in the KYSA-sponsored recreational competitions. Exceptions for valid reasons require the written approval of the KYSA Registrar.

Also see Birth Year Chart under Downloads section to explain how/when players move up....