@Izuriel Steam Well the story starts in spring. Time of new life, new chances, and heavy rainstorms. It'll be somewhere in april, and the Oak recruits have been book learning all winter. The bronze trainers, most of whom have served at least two years, have gotten some work done, but now things kick into high gear.
Oaks can be complete noobs to just verging on becoming bronze. Same with bronze but to silver of course. This doesn't mean years, but rather a combination of experience and skill. You won't be bronze just for showing off, but you also won't be bronze just for being oak for oh so long. Oaks to top class bronze covers a pretty solid amount of time.
Everyone except brand new recruits will have their pokemon. Technically recruits will have decided them already, but ownership is given during a public event where they are officiated to all the town as trainers. Exclusions exist such as a trainer using a pet pokemon who is not trained and such, but it's not super common. Most trainer pokemon are captured with the assistance of a silver trainer (of which there are about 6 in Letchworth. 2 gold. Jaklo and his long time partner in crime(stopping) Alice. maybe 15 bronze. Then 10 or so oak. 33 total in a town of about 350-450)
EDIT:I have the character sheet at a barebones point. no helpful info just the categories I'll need filled out.