ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Honest question, How attractive to college programs are kids who didnt make the grade, had diciplinary issues etc? Grad year seems pretty out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who’s ready for the big ECNL bombshell!?

Coming Fall 26.

My trusted source who told me all about the age group change since last spring. Said ECNL is more than likely going to have U13-16 go off of 9/1 cut off for league play and showcases. U17/18 would be based of grad year for showcases.

The problem they are finding is because of COVID many kids were held back or started school late and also many July/Aug kids would be ineligible to play club their senior year due to a 9/1 curt off.

Starting Fall 27

U13-15 9/1 cut off. U16-18 league play and showcases will be grad year.
They see grad year as a way to better align with college recruiting and allow kids still in high school to play but not being able to be the older kid until their sophomore year.


ECNL should be announcing something in the next month or so about their plan to align with the greater majority. But the grad year stuff is being discussed in the back of the room. The way back and will be sent out June 26.

So the new info from this would be ECNL considering straight grad year for some age groups. No way anyone abuses that lol.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't matter for boys. ECNL will be tier 3/4 in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who’s ready for the big ECNL bombshell!?

Coming Fall 26.

My trusted source who told me all about the age group change since last spring. Said ECNL is more than likely going to have U13-16 go off of 9/1 cut off for league play and showcases. U17/18 would be based of grad year for showcases.

The problem they are finding is because of COVID many kids were held back or started school late and also many July/Aug kids would be ineligible to play club their senior year due to a 9/1 curt off.

Starting Fall 27

U13-15 9/1 cut off. U16-18 league play and showcases will be grad year.
They see grad year as a way to better align with college recruiting and allow kids still in high school to play but not being able to be the older kid until their sophomore year.


ECNL should be announcing something in the next month or so about their plan to align with the greater majority. But the grad year stuff is being discussed in the back of the room. The way back and will be sent out June 26.

So the new info from this would be ECNL considering straight grad year for some age groups. No way anyone abuses that lol.

It would be for Junior/Senior year so the logic is by then one year of age difference shouldn’t matter because the two age groups are already merged together U19.

[Anonymous]

Rubber baby buggy bumpers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rubber baby buggy bumpers

So, this is the sushi chef.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question, How attractive to college programs are kids who didnt make the grade, had diciplinary issues etc? Grad year seems pretty out there.

You're assuming kids were held back or started late because of intelligence which we don't know to be true. But if it was Covid was 5 years ago so to say that kid hasn't not been thriving and has matured is pretty closed minded. We don't know every kids situation so stop assuming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question, How attractive to college programs are kids who didnt make the grade, had diciplinary issues etc? Grad year seems pretty out there.

I'm a teacher have seen lots of held back kids mature and turn it around by high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who’s ready for the big ECNL bombshell!?

Coming Fall 26.

My trusted source who told me all about the age group change since last spring. Said ECNL is more than likely going to have U13-16 go off of 9/1 cut off for league play and showcases. U17/18 would be based of grad year for showcases.

The problem they are finding is because of COVID many kids were held back or started school late and also many July/Aug kids would be ineligible to play club their senior year due to a 9/1 curt off.

Starting Fall 27

U13-15 9/1 cut off. U16-18 league play and showcases will be grad year.
They see grad year as a way to better align with college recruiting and allow kids still in high school to play but not being able to be the older kid until their sophomore year.


ECNL should be announcing something in the next month or so about their plan to align with the greater majority. But the grad year stuff is being discussed in the back of the room. The way back and will be sent out June 26.

So the new info from this would be ECNL considering straight grad year for some age groups. No way anyone abuses that lol.

This is the worst possible outcome for any Q4 2009. Lots of clubs do not have a U19 team. Which leaves these players out of luck and trying to find a new team their last year.

[Anonymous]

If this is accurate intel — Where were these ECNL decision makers when the 9/1 date was selected instead of the historical 8/1, or allowing August (and July?) kids to flex and play with their enrolled grade. If these guys actually realize the quandary they are creating with GY implications for August players, they need to fix it before fall 2026 rollout. So dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is accurate intel — Where were these ECNL decision makers when the 9/1 date was selected instead of the historical 8/1, or allowing August (and July?) kids to flex and play with their enrolled grade. If these guys actually realize the quandary they are creating with GY implications for August players, they need to fix it before fall 2026 rollout. So dumb.

That would only fix the August kid problem not the held back kid problem. I think GY is unfair but 8/1 wouldn’t fix much.

[Anonymous]

I know one holdback he’s 11 and can’t read but he’s all about the soccer. He’s not getting an SAT score to get a scholarship so what the point in grad year?

Makes no sense to me.

[Anonymous]

If true
Grad year is not the best idea, so at U16 the team could possible get blown up again to add July and August kids or whatever hold backs. Doesn’t sound like a great plan, with this kind of thinking ECNL may be in trouble in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If true
Grad year is not the best idea, so at U16 the team could possible get blown up again to add July and August kids or whatever hold backs. Doesn’t sound like a great plan, with this kind of thinking ECNL may be in trouble in a few years.

oh man, all you hillbillies worrying about hold backs. You think there are July and August 5 yo kindergartners at Sidwell Friends?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know one holdback he’s 11 and can’t read but he’s all about the soccer. He’s not getting an SAT score to get a scholarship so what the point in grad year?

Makes no sense to me.

I would say that’s between his club and family to decide to play ECNL a college recruitment platform or MLSN a pro pathway platform.

Also if they are elite soccer players some D1 colleges don’t care if you can read or not unfortunately.