How to Assign Players to Age Groups

Intro

Keeping players in the right age group is essential for fair competition and age-appropriate training. BallersBook lets you assign players to groups manually or let the system suggest the best group based on each player’s birthdate. This guide walks you through the process, from reviewing a player’s age to selecting the recommended group.

Prerequisites

• An admin or coach account with permission to manage players and groups (role must include manage_players or equivalent)
• At least one player registered under your club (added via /add-player or the club’s roster)
• At least one group already created with min_age and max_age fields set (see the Groups section in your club settings)
• The player’s birthdate must be saved in their profile (required for age calculation)

Step-by-step

1. Log in to your BallersBook account and navigate to the Roster page (click Roster in the main sidebar).

2. Find the player you want to assign. You can use the search bar at the top to filter by name or click on the player’s name to open their profile.

3. In the player’s profile, look for the Group Assignment section. Here you’ll see the player’s current group (if any) and a dropdown or button labeled Assign Group.

4. Click Suggest Group (or Auto-Suggest). The system will calculate the player’s current age from their birthdate and compare it against the min_age and max_age values of every active group in your club. A list of matching groups appears below the player info.

💡 Tip: The suggestion is based on the player’s age today. If the player has a birthday soon, consider manually adjusting to a group that fits the upcoming season.

5. Review the suggested groups. The list shows each group’s name and age range (e.g., “U10 - ages 8-10”). If only one group matches, it will be highlighted as the Recommended Group.

6. Select the desired group by clicking its name or radio button, then click Save Assignment. The player’s group_id is now updated.

7. To assign multiple players at once, return to the Roster list view and select the checkboxes next to each player. Click the Bulk Actions button and choose Assign to Group. Then pick a group from the list and confirm.

⚠️ Warning: Bulk assignment bypasses the auto-suggestion feature. Make sure all selected players are age-appropriate for the chosen group.

Tips & Pitfalls

• Age ranges must be precise. If a group’s min_age is 10 and max_age is 12, a player who just turned 13 will not see that group in the suggestions. Update the group’s age range if needed.
• Player birthdate missing. If a player has no birthdate on file, the system cannot suggest groups. Fill in the Date of Birth field under the player’s profile first.
• Group capacity. BallersBook does not automatically enforce a maximum number of players per group. Keep an eye on your roster size and manually split players into multiple groups if necessary.
• Season-based groups. For seasonal teams (e.g., Spring 2026 U12), create separate groups for each season and assign players accordingly. The suggestion logic compares age against the group’s range, not the season date.
• Override suggestions. You can always assign a player to any group, even if it doesn’t match their age. This is useful for advanced players playing up or for special circumstances. Simply ignore the suggestion and select a different group from the full list.

Summary

Assigning players to the right age group keeps your club organized and your teams balanced. Use the Suggest Group feature to quickly match players based on their age, or manually assign them when needed. For large rosters, use the bulk assignment tool to save time. After grouping your players, you can move on to creating sessions or scheduling matches for each group.