The USCF recognizes that parents have many choices when it comes to activities for their kids. The USCF offers a special ‘try before you buy’ program for players in 3rd grade and younger called the Junior Tournament Player (JTP) program. This is not a membership. Instead, the tournament organizer will obtain a USCF ID for your player. (Birth date and grade level are required in order to verify qualification for the program.) With this ID a player can participate as a non-member in sections that include no players older than 3rd grade. Once you have a JTP ID, you do not need to request another. You keep the same ID for all events….for the player’s entire lifetime! At any point the ID may be ‘renewed’ to full membership. Any rating and ratings-history accrued as a non-member are retained. Organizers are not required to provide this option.