MLSnext 2 and GA moves to school year cutoff from 26-27 season
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Anonymous
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Mclean, now MLS next 2 and GA club, sent email about age group update.
Dear MYS Travel families, We would like to update you on an important change in the age group classification for youth soccer, effective for the 2026-2027 season. This change, mandated by US Soccer, will shift player age groups back to a school-year-based system (September 1-August 31) from the current player birth year system. Aligning with the school-year calendar is a return to the structure that was previously in place prior to the US Soccer decision in 2016 to move to birth year registration (January 1-December 31). That change was made in an effort to align with international soccer standards but after years of feedback, US Soccer has made the decision to return to the original format. They have also performed an assessment of available data and determined that September 1-August 31 represents most school districts’ calendars across the country. What This Means for Your Player Now - For the 2025-2026 season, there will be no change and we will continue with teams based on birth year. What This COULD Mean for Your Player for 2026-2027 Season - Age groups in 2026-2027 will be determined by the school calendar year rather than birth year. This change aims to better align teams with school-age peers and streamline player development. There will be some team adjustments and some players may shift to a different team than in previous seasons due to the realignment. Some players may shift into a new age group with players born September-December repeating an age group and playing with younger players than they did in 2025-2026. Note that player’s born before August 31 can not play down in a younger age group. Players born between January and August will mostly stay in the same group or have minor adjustments. As we receive additional information from US Soccer, the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA), and the leagues we participate in, we will communicate it to membership. |
Anonymous
| Seemed like it had to happen, but nice to see some actual information vs. rumors. Thanks for sharing. |
Anonymous
| We need to know league specific rule. It is possible MLS and MLS2 using different cutoffs. |
Anonymous
That sure looks like they know what the MLS people are thinking for MLSN2. |
Anonymous
| Of course. My kids got fkkd by thus when it first happened when they were younger. Then were trapped and now it will revert once my last graduates HS. |
Anonymous
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The rest of the email update
Our club will work diligently to ensure a smooth transition for all players and to make sure that regardless of age group, players are on the appropriate competitive team level. Coaches will work to implement these changes in a professional manner, ensuring that all players understand why roster adjustments may occur and providing support throughout the transition. Examples may include combined training sessions, gradual player integration, cross-team scrimmages, etc. We understand that this transition may bring questions and adjustments, and we appreciate your cooperation in making this a positive experience for all players. Please review the age group chart for the 2026-2027 season and the FAQS below. New Age Group Chart - 2026-2027 Season Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Why is the age group system changing? The change is being implemented by the governing bodies, US Soccer, US Club Soccer and AYSO to align player age groups with the school year, allowing players to stay with their school peers and providing better consistency in youth soccer development. How will this impact my child's current team placement? Some players may be moved to a different team due to the new classification system. Our coaches will work to ensure a smooth transition and provide support throughout the process. Will this change affect the level of competition? No, the competitive structure will remain intact - MLSN/GA, NAL/Aspire, White/Gold/Silver. Teams will continue to be formed based on skill level and player development needs. What if my child’s birthday falls near the cutoff? Players born near the September 1 cutoff will be placed in the appropriate age group based on the new system. If you have concerns, please reach out to our staff for guidance. Will there be an opportunity for players to appeal their placement? Our club will evaluate player placements on a case-by-case basis. If you believe your child’s placement needs reconsideration, please contact us to discuss options. Note that players may receive an offer to play up an age group but never down. How can parents and players prepare for the transition? Attend information meetings, review the new age chart, and reach out to coaches with any questions. We are here to help make this change as seamless as possible. How will player uniform numbers be handled during the transition to the 2026-2027 season? MYS will make every attempt to deconflict uniform numbers as possible during the 2025-2026 buy cycle based on school year ages. That may mean some players are assigned a new number this summer or heading into the 2026-2027 season. |
Anonymous
| This is nation-wide not restricted to MLS/GA...does anyone pay attention |
Anonymous
| Man karen is going to be day drinking today....whooo |
Anonymous
| Kudos to McLean getting out in front of this. Would also be nice to hear from GA/MLSN as well, but I'm guessing they want the clubs to be breaking the news. |
Anonymous
are you kidding me - they were the last hold out and lots of people wanted to know prior to tryouts. |
Anonymous
If you paid attention they haven't said anything so this is important news |
Anonymous
| This is not what I wanted to hear actually, I thought at least with our club moving to MLSN that we'd be free from dealing with it. (Q4 kid). |
Anonymous
| Until GA or MLSN puts an announcement out, not sure this fully applies yet. I do believe that it will apply to MLSN2 and GA but the collective that has been fighting for this doesn't have anything to do with GA or MLSN from what I understand. I believe both leagues self sanction themselves and don't work with USYS/USCS/AYSO. |
Anonymous
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Makes sense for MLSN2 to do SY. MLSN is a different animal.
This will greatly deconflict the tounament issues. |
Anonymous
| GA will do SY for same tournament reasons. If anyone stays BY it's maybe MLSN but we need that elusive announcement for that to be true. |