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ECNL moving to school year not calendar
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Anonymous
| Biggest youth soccer league in Southern California just announced they will begin SY cutoffs in Spring 26. |
Anonymous
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For the Spring 2026 season, creating Spring teams based on the upcoming changes will provide one season in which teams may adjust to the new Seasonal Year age group standard before the Fall 2026 season starts. Currently, we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.
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Anonymous
| We ask all Affiliate Member Leagues and Clubs to begin formal communications to their parents, players, and coaches explaining the upcoming changes to registration. The 2025-26 Fall season will be the last one in which Cal South offers both Birth Year and Seasonal Year options. |
Anonymous
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Preparing for the Spring 2026 season: Have Spring teams created based on the upcoming changes. Analyze your current teams to see what will need to change for each team when switching from the current season to the next when the shift from Birth Year to Seasonal Year occurs.
Team Adjustments: Some players will shift age groups, which may require clubs to reorganize teams, particularly at younger ages. Tryout Adjustments: Clubs will need to determine how they handle tryouts and roster formation for the 2026 season and potentially the 2025 season in preparation for next year. Communication to Parents: Clear messaging will be crucial to help families understand how their child’s team placement may change. |
Anonymous
| This makes a lot of sense in general and for next year’s trapped players especially. I guessing other leagues/organizations will do something similar. |
Anonymous
Weird but could make sense as at least a start toward a transition. All the Sep-Dec kids would be the same age (years wise) as the soccer team a year a lower for the entire spring season anyway. |
Anonymous
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For leagues that have separate fall and spring seasons, this transition makes sense.
The ECNL regular season runs from September to May. Changing teams mid season is not a good idea. |
Anonymous
Unless they do it from they start…. |
Anonymous
| Wow that's big! Messier than just doing it for Fall 25. Fun times! |
Anonymous
| So decmeber tryouts? 7 months away.... |
Anonymous
| So dumb not to just make the change fall 25/26. |
Anonymous
The gossip around town in SoCal has been clubs will make SY teams and just play up for fall 25. Won’t be mandatory but that’s what the big clubs will do. |
Anonymous
| What leagues do these teams play in? |
Anonymous
If ECNL let clubs play up, it would be big. |
Anonymous
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California is doing it right.
westside.... |