ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is an atypical situation but curious what others think. My DD is Sept 2012 birthday and currently is a starter on her U13 ECNL team, but she’s not a standout (middle third of roster). She started school early, so she’s already playing with kids in the same grade. With Q4 2011 players likely to move down to her team, maybe she loses her starting spot and/or falls to bottom half of squad. If so, is it better for her to try to stay with the 2011-12 team or drop to the 2012-13 team, knowing that she’d then be playing with kids a grade below her (because she started school early) and off-cycle for recruiting. She wants to play in college, but not P4 is probably not attainable or even a goal (Ivy or D3 more likely goal, depending on her academics).

We are in a similar position. I have asked the question a couple times, but no real feedback (just a “you will be fine because at least DC may have 2 options - play up or down”)…. So I hope to hear what folks have to say!!!

So your daughter is a 7th grader and her options are to play within the new age cutoff and be playing with a bunch of 6th graders and be misaligned. Or, to play “up” under the new system to be with fellow 7th graders and most of her current team but not a standout?

I think it would be harder to be the oldest and potentially one of the only 7th graders on a team because that team won’t be looked at for recruiting purposes until a year after her peers would have been. Now if she were a 6th grader on a team full of 7th graders (think Aug holdbakcs) then that’s arguably an advantage, but certainly a better spot to be in than the reverse.

I think it’s probably best to try and play “up” with her current team and stay within her same grad year. Playing with grads a year prior might be a disadvantage for recruiting and put her in a bind come her Sr year.

Being a September / October kid on a top team gives you a lot of options, but the December kids may not be as keen to “play up” unless they’re physically mature enough to do so. Over time, the top teams will be filled with Sept - Q4 players, which means a late December kid would be playing against players 15 or even 16 months older than them (December 31 vs September 1) if they play up.

At 13-15 years old, being 15–16 months younger could be a huge physical disadvantage if the player is not an early developer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

How many Jan-Mar kids are playing up now? Very, very few at top teams in top leagues but more normal for smaller clubs and lower leagues.

A top Sept kid on a team will get knocked down the pecking order on a top team in fall 2026 when half the team is born Sept-Dec from the previous year especially for the boys. But it will most likely take a year of realizing this so maybe they try to hang for a year and then drop down in fall 2027.

I've been in 3 top teams (ECNL/MLS), and no player can play up. So Aug. parents to push the Aug. 1 cut-off agenda by saying Aug. players can always play up is a baseless claim.

That's your experience. Not all clubs are the same. They can still play up, happens all the time, especially on the girls side.

"They" mean "WHO?" 70% of Aug. players have to play up to stay in their grade with an 8/1 cutoff. Is that possible? I pointed that out in my previous post. Don't tweak my post for your own agenda.

Don't have an agenda, and I have no clue what your previous post was. I was just responding to your most recent post.

Is it possible for Aug. players to play up with an 8/1 cutoff? Yes, it is possible. Is it possible for an Aug. play to play down with their grade (if they started late) with an 8/1 cutoff? No, it is not possible.

Where are you getting 70%? Did you know, that 45% of all stats using percentages are made up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

Lots of soccer podcasts and talks on this subject. The benefits of playing up/down(with age group).

If a kid is too dominant for their age group then going up definitely can have some added benefits.

I would say it depends on the skill level of each team at their club and if the player can now handle having even older kids competing against them.There is a reason we have age groups for sports after all.

I would try for my kid to play showcases and about with my recruited age group and split league games with each team depending on the level of team you would play against.

Lots of parents (and kids) obsess over “playing up”, but there are many documented cases of a player benefitting greatly from playing down a year. In fact, several current and former members of the English NT played down when they were 15, 16 years old.

If you happen to be a very late developer (e.g., a 15 year old with the body of a 13 year old) with top technical and tactical skills, playing up or even at your age group could be detrimental to your development.

I once watched an MLS Next U15 match where one team was filled with very developed players. They had multiple 6+ feet +
170+ lbs + muscular players with a HORRIFIC touch and ball control. They could get away with the bad touches because they had the physical capacity to compensate. A highly skilled underdeveloped kid would stand no chance against these players, but this doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to eventually compete against these players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

How many Jan-Mar kids are playing up now? Very, very few at top teams in top leagues but more normal for smaller clubs and lower leagues.

A top Sept kid on a team will get knocked down the pecking order on a top team in fall 2026 when half the team is born Sept-Dec from the previous year especially for the boys. But it will most likely take a year of realizing this so maybe they try to hang for a year and then drop down in fall 2027.

I've been in 3 top teams (ECNL/MLS), and no player can play up. So Aug. parents to push the Aug. 1 cut-off agenda by saying Aug. players can always play up is a baseless claim.

That's your experience. Not all clubs are the same. They can still play up, happens all the time, especially on the girls side.

"They" mean "WHO?" 70% of Aug. players have to play up to stay in their grade with an 8/1 cutoff. Is that possible? I pointed that out in my previous post. Don't tweak my post for your own agenda.

Don't have an agenda, and I have no clue what your previous post was. I was just responding to your most recent post.

Is it possible for Aug. players to play up with an 8/1 cutoff? Yes, it is possible. Is it possible for an Aug. play to play down with their grade (if they started late) with an 8/1 cutoff? No, it is not possible.

Where are you getting 70%? Did you know, that 45% of all stats using percentages are made up?

Using 9/1 will allow more players to align with their grade than 8/1. Full stop.

Aug. parents try to push 8/1 cut off agenda by saying Aug. players can play up while conveniently ignores the fact that very few players can actually play up, esp. at the very top level. I have been to 3 ECNL/MLS clubs with 6 age groups of 18 teams, possible 2 or 3 players total actually play up. Now Aug. parents want 70% Aug. players to play up, so their kids can be the oldest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

How many Jan-Mar kids are playing up now? Very, very few at top teams in top leagues but more normal for smaller clubs and lower leagues.

A top Sept kid on a team will get knocked down the pecking order on a top team in fall 2026 when half the team is born Sept-Dec from the previous year especially for the boys. But it will most likely take a year of realizing this so maybe they try to hang for a year and then drop down in fall 2027.

I've been in 3 top teams (ECNL/MLS), and no player can play up. So Aug. parents to push the Aug. 1 cut-off agenda by saying Aug. players can always play up is a baseless claim.

That's your experience. Not all clubs are the same. They can still play up, happens all the time, especially on the girls side.

"They" mean "WHO?" 70% of Aug. players have to play up to stay in their grade with an 8/1 cutoff. Is that possible? I pointed that out in my previous post. Don't tweak my post for your own agenda.

Don't have an agenda, and I have no clue what your previous post was. I was just responding to your most recent post.

Is it possible for Aug. players to play up with an 8/1 cutoff? Yes, it is possible. Is it possible for an Aug. play to play down with their grade (if they started late) with an 8/1 cutoff? No, it is not possible.

Where are you getting 70%? Did you know, that 45% of all stats using percentages are made up?

Using 9/1 will allow more players to align with their grade than 8/1. Full stop.

Aug. parents try to push 8/1 cut off agenda by saying Aug. players can play up while conveniently ignores the fact that very few players can actually play up, esp. at the very top level. I have been to 3 ECNL/MLS clubs with 6 age groups of 18 teams, possible 2 or 3 players total actually play up. Now Aug. parents want 70% Aug. players to play up, so their kids can be the oldest.

Before you said no player can play up. Now they can? Ok.

[Anonymous]

We have girls in our club that are 9-1 thru 9-5 birthdays in 9th grade from one high school/district and then 4 girls that are 8-7 to 8-20 that are in 8th grade from another high school/district.

So next fall, the girl that will be a sophomore will play on a "younger" team than the four girls that will be freshman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

How many Jan-Mar kids are playing up now? Very, very few at top teams in top leagues but more normal for smaller clubs and lower leagues.

A top Sept kid on a team will get knocked down the pecking order on a top team in fall 2026 when half the team is born Sept-Dec from the previous year especially for the boys. But it will most likely take a year of realizing this so maybe they try to hang for a year and then drop down in fall 2027.

I've been in 3 top teams (ECNL/MLS), and no player can play up. So Aug. parents to push the Aug. 1 cut-off agenda by saying Aug. players can always play up is a baseless claim.

That's your experience. Not all clubs are the same. They can still play up, happens all the time, especially on the girls side.

"They" mean "WHO?" 70% of Aug. players have to play up to stay in their grade with an 8/1 cutoff. Is that possible? I pointed that out in my previous post. Don't tweak my post for your own agenda.

Don't have an agenda, and I have no clue what your previous post was. I was just responding to your most recent post.

Is it possible for Aug. players to play up with an 8/1 cutoff? Yes, it is possible. Is it possible for an Aug. play to play down with their grade (if they started late) with an 8/1 cutoff? No, it is not possible.

Where are you getting 70%? Did you know, that 45% of all stats using percentages are made up?

Using 9/1 will allow more players to align with their grade than 8/1. Full stop.

Aug. parents try to push 8/1 cut off agenda by saying Aug. players can play up while conveniently ignores the fact that very few players can actually play up, esp. at the very top level. I have been to 3 ECNL/MLS clubs with 6 age groups of 18 teams, possible 2 or 3 players total actually play up. Now Aug. parents want 70% Aug. players to play up, so their kids can be the oldest.

Before you said no player can play up. Now they can? Ok.

Dim wit. I never say No. Read some books and improve your reading comprehension.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

How many Jan-Mar kids are playing up now? Very, very few at top teams in top leagues but more normal for smaller clubs and lower leagues.

A top Sept kid on a team will get knocked down the pecking order on a top team in fall 2026 when half the team is born Sept-Dec from the previous year especially for the boys. But it will most likely take a year of realizing this so maybe they try to hang for a year and then drop down in fall 2027.

I've been in 3 top teams (ECNL/MLS), and no player can play up. So Aug. parents to push the Aug. 1 cut-off agenda by saying Aug. players can always play up is a baseless claim.

That's your experience. Not all clubs are the same. They can still play up, happens all the time, especially on the girls side.

"They" mean "WHO?" 70% of Aug. players have to play up to stay in their grade with an 8/1 cutoff. Is that possible? I pointed that out in my previous post. Don't tweak my post for your own agenda.

Don't have an agenda, and I have no clue what your previous post was. I was just responding to your most recent post.

Is it possible for Aug. players to play up with an 8/1 cutoff? Yes, it is possible. Is it possible for an Aug. play to play down with their grade (if they started late) with an 8/1 cutoff? No, it is not possible.

Where are you getting 70%? Did you know, that 45% of all stats using percentages are made up?

Using 9/1 will allow more players to align with their grade than 8/1. Full stop.

Aug. parents try to push 8/1 cut off agenda by saying Aug. players can play up while conveniently ignores the fact that very few players can actually play up, esp. at the very top level. I have been to 3 ECNL/MLS clubs with 6 age groups of 18 teams, possible 2 or 3 players total actually play up. Now Aug. parents want 70% Aug. players to play up, so their kids can be the oldest.

Before you said no player can play up. Now they can? Ok.

Dim wit. I never say No. Read some books and improve your reading comprehension.

"I've been in 3 top teams (ECNL/MLS), and no player can play up."

Your words. Not mine. It's fine to waffle and speak out of both sides of your mouth. It's a random forum, so who cares. No need for name calling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging, just wondering the thought process…why the best Q4 to play down?

Lots of soccer podcasts and talks on this subject. The benefits of playing up/down(with age group).

If a kid is too dominant for their age group then going up definitely can have some added benefits.

I would say it depends on the skill level of each team at their club and if the player can now handle having even older kids competing against them.There is a reason we have age groups for sports after all.

I would try for my kid to play showcases and about with my recruited age group and split league games with each team depending on the level of team you would play against.

Lots of parents (and kids) obsess over “playing up”, but there are many documented cases of a player benefitting greatly from playing down a year. In fact, several current and former members of the English NT played down when they were 15, 16 years old.

If you happen to be a very late developer (e.g., a 15 year old with the body of a 13 year old) with top technical and tactical skills, playing up or even at your age group could be detrimental to your development.

I once watched an MLS Next U15 match where one team was filled with very developed players. They had multiple 6+ feet +
170+ lbs + muscular players with a HORRIFIC touch and ball control. They could get away with the bad touches because they had the physical capacity to compensate. A highly skilled underdeveloped kid would stand no chance against these players, but this doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be able to eventually compete against these players.

This is my daughter, here in DMV, at U15. She stopped playing up last year for this reason but still hard even on age.

[Anonymous]

Any August player can play up on the 4th team. No issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is an atypical situation but curious what others think. My DD is Sept 2012 birthday and currently is a starter on her U13 ECNL team, but she’s not a standout (middle third of roster). She started school early, so she’s already playing with kids in the same grade. With Q4 2011 players likely to move down to her team, maybe she loses her starting spot and/or falls to bottom half of squad. If so, is it better for her to try to stay with the 2011-12 team or drop to the 2012-13 team, knowing that she’d then be playing with kids a grade below her (because she started school early) and off-cycle for recruiting. She wants to play in college, but not P4 is probably not attainable or even a goal (Ivy or D3 more likely goal, depending on her academics).

We are in a similar position. I have asked the question a couple times, but no real feedback (just a “you will be fine because at least DC may have 2 options - play up or down”)…. So I hope to hear what folks have to say!!!

So your daughter is a 7th grader and her options are to play within the new age cutoff and be playing with a bunch of 6th graders and be misaligned. Or, to play “up” under the new system to be with fellow 7th graders and most of her current team but not a standout?

I think it would be harder to be the oldest and potentially one of the only 7th graders on a team because that team won’t be looked at for recruiting purposes until a year after her peers would have been. Now if she were a 6th grader on a team full of 7th graders (think Aug holdbakcs) then that’s arguably an advantage, but certainly a better spot to be in than the reverse.

I think it’s probably best to try and play “up” with her current team and stay within her same grad year. Playing with grads a year prior might be a disadvantage for recruiting and put her in a bind come her Sr year.

Does your answer to this change if it means being on a better team vs not? So the choices would be:
1. Play up and be with your graduation year, but be on a lower level team (local games, no showcases, etc)
2. Play with your age group and be on a higher level team (with more opportunities for showcases, etc), but not be with your graduation year

[Anonymous]

People who are complaining about this want 1st team not 3rd team. Lets be real.

[Anonymous]

ECNL just went radio silent on the age change after stirring this up. Expecting to wait until 26/27 at this point

[Anonymous]

Technically that’s what the US Soccer statement said

[Anonymous]

Where are the promised supplemental support materials?