Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, a kid with an August birthday in a Sept or later K start date should attempt to stay up and play with grade if possible. For recruiting, for social, etc. But there are exceptions.

Very weak older team and very strong younger team. Where do you get the best development opportunities.

Very late maturing kid who would get more "fair" play playing with the younger team

Extremely good Older team where they would not actually play much and a weaker younger team where they could get on the ball significantly more.

What people seem to forget is that recruiting is not only random scout at random showcase.

I cant emphasize enough that ID camps are one of the critical ways for kids to get seen by college of their choice. That is where coaches get to see them in a controlled environment, with coach dictated positions and match ups. And ID camps are by graduation year.

It is NOT cheating or skirting the system to play on a team that corresponds to your birthdate. It may be sub optimal for recruiting or social aspects but it is unequivocally not cheating.

The part that you're missing is there's always the option of playing on the correct grade B team. If an Aug birthday isn't good enough for the A team thats their grade it shouldn't be assumed that they're good enough for the grade down A team. This is what many people here seem to be assuming on this thread. Maybe you play down and only make the B team. What do you do then?

You do what clubs and leagues say to do, play in your age assigned group. You are inventing convoluted solutions for problems that only exist for you and your daughter.

Nothing is being invented. Below are the facts.

1. Play on a team with players your grade and your friends in school
2. Don't have a weird 9th grade where you play HS soccer but the rest of the team is in 8th grade.

These are the reasons Aug birthdays should play on a team thats their grade.
3. College recruiting will be 1000% easier

Nothing is being invented. Below are the facts.

1. Play on a team with players your grade and your friends in school
2. Don't have a weird 9th grade where you play HS soccer but the rest of the team is in 8th grade.
3. College recruiting will be 1000% easier

These are the reasons Aug birthdays should play on a team thats their grade.

It's hilarious that given time to think and compile this list, you came up with nothing valid

September - December kids who are talented have been playing with and against kids not in their school grade for years
They have been recruited to colleges because of their talent
They all have school and neighborhood friends in their grades and club friends in and out their grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Not really. In the short term players will just shuffle around and find teams and teams will find players. The same amount of kids will quit next year as other BY years but they will be different kids. In the long term under SY, kids will play longer.

[Anonymous]

The same grade guy will keep saying it no matter what

Responding to him is a waste of time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Your sense of entitlement has removed all objective logical reality from your mind

Imagine seriously thinking your kid should be on a MLS Next team because of their birth month and demand this of a club

What's out-of-whack is thinking every soccer parent thinks their kid is going to be a college star. Some parents just want a club they've played at for most of their lives to treat them fairly. Nothing more and if they don't, they'll struggle with their bottom line, because those kids and families will move on as they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, a kid with an August birthday in a Sept or later K start date should attempt to stay up and play with grade if possible. For recruiting, for social, etc. But there are exceptions.

Very weak older team and very strong younger team. Where do you get the best development opportunities.

Very late maturing kid who would get more "fair" play playing with the younger team

Extremely good Older team where they would not actually play much and a weaker younger team where they could get on the ball significantly more.

What people seem to forget is that recruiting is not only random scout at random showcase.

I cant emphasize enough that ID camps are one of the critical ways for kids to get seen by college of their choice. That is where coaches get to see them in a controlled environment, with coach dictated positions and match ups. And ID camps are by graduation year.

It is NOT cheating or skirting the system to play on a team that corresponds to your birthdate. It may be sub optimal for recruiting or social aspects but it is unequivocally not cheating.

The part that you're missing is there's always the option of playing on the correct grade B team. If an Aug birthday isn't good enough for the A team thats their grade it shouldn't be assumed that they're good enough for the grade down A team. This is what many people here seem to be assuming on this thread. Maybe you play down and only make the B team. What do you do then?

You do what clubs and leagues say to do, play in your age assigned group. You are inventing convoluted solutions for problems that only exist for you and your daughter.

Nothing is being invented. Below are the facts.

1. Play on a team with players your grade and your friends in school
2. Don't have a weird 9th grade where you play HS soccer but the rest of the team is in 8th grade.

These are the reasons Aug birthdays should play on a team thats their grade.
3. College recruiting will be 1000% easier

And yet you honestly say you don't want GY. Insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

The issue is leagues have left clubs to decide what to do with young Aug/Sept players.

To address leagues should add a rule or provide a recommendation that Aug/Sept players should play on a team thats their grade in school.

Ambiguity causes drama and distracts from why SY is being implemented.

No ambiguity, clubs have said playing on age will be the status quo.

So we live in Texas where the start date for school is September 1, and our club said that playing on age will be the status quote EXCEPT for August birthdays who they will give options. So if you're an June birthday hold back, thats your problem, you'll play with the grade above, or an October birthday who started some random private or home school early, thats also your problem you'll play with the grade below, but if you're birthday is in August and you started school on time, then they'll have a discussion.

This is how clubs will start with Aug birthdays. After a couple of years of SY they'll just place Aug/Sept birthdays with their grade A or B team asap and be done with it. Explaining the same things over and over to parents gets old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Not really. In the short term players will just shuffle around and find teams and teams will find players. The same amount of kids will quit next year as other BY years but they will be different kids. In the long term under SY, kids will play longer.

Well, that's the thinking, but if clubs don't offer SOME flexibility, they could lose out to clubs that handle the transition better. If you demand quality and smarts of players, players and parents are right to demand the same from clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, a kid with an August birthday in a Sept or later K start date should attempt to stay up and play with grade if possible. For recruiting, for social, etc. But there are exceptions.

Very weak older team and very strong younger team. Where do you get the best development opportunities.

Very late maturing kid who would get more "fair" play playing with the younger team

Extremely good Older team where they would not actually play much and a weaker younger team where they could get on the ball significantly more.

What people seem to forget is that recruiting is not only random scout at random showcase.

I cant emphasize enough that ID camps are one of the critical ways for kids to get seen by college of their choice. That is where coaches get to see them in a controlled environment, with coach dictated positions and match ups. And ID camps are by graduation year.

It is NOT cheating or skirting the system to play on a team that corresponds to your birthdate. It may be sub optimal for recruiting or social aspects but it is unequivocally not cheating.

The part that you're missing is there's always the option of playing on the correct grade B team. If an Aug birthday isn't good enough for the A team thats their grade it shouldn't be assumed that they're good enough for the grade down A team. This is what many people here seem to be assuming on this thread. Maybe you play down and only make the B team. What do you do then?

You do what clubs and leagues say to do, play in your age assigned group. You are inventing convoluted solutions for problems that only exist for you and your daughter.

Nothing is being invented. Below are the facts.

1. Play on a team with players your grade and your friends in school
2. Don't have a weird 9th grade where you play HS soccer but the rest of the team is in 8th grade.

These are the reasons Aug birthdays should play on a team thats their grade.
3. College recruiting will be 1000% easier

And yet you honestly say you don't want GY. Insane.

The only thing people dont like about GY is the holdbacks/regrades. If you could group by grade and everyone was born in a 12 month window GY would work. Unfortunately this is not reality and why GY ruins youth sports. Theres always a parent that wants to make their kid a star by playing against other kids 1-2 years younger.

SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players play with their grade is perfect. It's GY without the holdbacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Not really. In the short term players will just shuffle around and find teams and teams will find players. The same amount of kids will quit next year as other BY years but they will be different kids. In the long term under SY, kids will play longer.

Well, that's the thinking, but if clubs don't offer SOME flexibility, they could lose out to clubs that handle the transition better. If you demand quality and smarts of players, players and parents are right to demand the same from clubs.

Clubs will have had 20 months to handle the transition. Clubs that offer too much flexibility will drop their quality of play and struggle to attract kids the next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

The issue is leagues have left clubs to decide what to do with young Aug/Sept players.

To address leagues should add a rule or provide a recommendation that Aug/Sept players should play on a team thats their grade in school.

Ambiguity causes drama and distracts from why SY is being implemented.

No ambiguity, clubs have said playing on age will be the status quo.

So we live in Texas where the start date for school is September 1, and our club said that playing on age will be the status quote EXCEPT for August birthdays who they will give options. So if you're an June birthday hold back, thats your problem, you'll play with the grade above, or an October birthday who started some random private or home school early, thats also your problem you'll play with the grade below, but if you're birthday is in August and you started school on time, then they'll have a discussion.

This is how clubs will start with Aug birthdays. After a couple of years of SY they'll just place Aug/Sept birthdays with their grade A or B team asap and be done with it. Explaining the same things over and over to parents gets old.

What's old explaining that this world is just far more nuanced than you want to admit. For example, what you miss is kids skip grades more than just in kindergarten. They play up in school sometimes just like in soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Not really. In the short term players will just shuffle around and find teams and teams will find players. The same amount of kids will quit next year as other BY years but they will be different kids. In the long term under SY, kids will play longer.

Well, that's the thinking, but if clubs don't offer SOME flexibility, they could lose out to clubs that handle the transition better. If you demand quality and smarts of players, players and parents are right to demand the same from clubs.

Clubs will have had 20 months to handle the transition. Clubs that offer too much flexibility will drop their quality of play and struggle to attract kids the next year.

They might have had 20 months but some act like they've spent about 20 minutes on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Your sense of entitlement has removed all objective logical reality from your mind

Imagine seriously thinking your kid should be on a MLS Next team because of their birth month and demand this of a club

What's out-of-whack is thinking every soccer parent thinks their kid is going to be a college star. Some parents just want a club they've played at for most of their lives to treat them fairly. Nothing more and if they don't, they'll struggle with their bottom line, because those kids and families will move on as they should.

Clubs have been making decisions forever that pains many entitled parents who think little Chad and Lizzy should get whatever they want because they pay the fees

The clubs are still thriving even after you left

By fairly, you mean in your favor to your liking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, a kid with an August birthday in a Sept or later K start date should attempt to stay up and play with grade if possible. For recruiting, for social, etc. But there are exceptions.

Very weak older team and very strong younger team. Where do you get the best development opportunities.

Very late maturing kid who would get more "fair" play playing with the younger team

Extremely good Older team where they would not actually play much and a weaker younger team where they could get on the ball significantly more.

What people seem to forget is that recruiting is not only random scout at random showcase.

I cant emphasize enough that ID camps are one of the critical ways for kids to get seen by college of their choice. That is where coaches get to see them in a controlled environment, with coach dictated positions and match ups. And ID camps are by graduation year.

It is NOT cheating or skirting the system to play on a team that corresponds to your birthdate. It may be sub optimal for recruiting or social aspects but it is unequivocally not cheating.

The part that you're missing is there's always the option of playing on the correct grade B team. If an Aug birthday isn't good enough for the A team thats their grade it shouldn't be assumed that they're good enough for the grade down A team. This is what many people here seem to be assuming on this thread. Maybe you play down and only make the B team. What do you do then?

You do what clubs and leagues say to do, play in your age assigned group. You are inventing convoluted solutions for problems that only exist for you and your daughter.

Nothing is being invented. Below are the facts.

1. Play on a team with players your grade and your friends in school
2. Don't have a weird 9th grade where you play HS soccer but the rest of the team is in 8th grade.

These are the reasons Aug birthdays should play on a team thats their grade.
3. College recruiting will be 1000% easier

And yet you honestly say you don't want GY. Insane.

The only thing people dont like about GY is the holdbacks/regrades. If you could group by grade and everyone was born in a 12 month window GY would work. Unfortunately this is not reality and why GY ruins youth sports. Theres always a parent that wants to make their kid a star by playing against other kids 1-2 years younger.

SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players play with their grade is perfect. It's GY without the holdbacks.

If it WERE perfect, we'd all agree with you and sing your praises here. And yet, all you get is pushback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By and large, a kid with an August birthday in a Sept or later K start date should attempt to stay up and play with grade if possible. For recruiting, for social, etc. But there are exceptions.

Very weak older team and very strong younger team. Where do you get the best development opportunities.

Very late maturing kid who would get more "fair" play playing with the younger team

Extremely good Older team where they would not actually play much and a weaker younger team where they could get on the ball significantly more.

What people seem to forget is that recruiting is not only random scout at random showcase.

I cant emphasize enough that ID camps are one of the critical ways for kids to get seen by college of their choice. That is where coaches get to see them in a controlled environment, with coach dictated positions and match ups. And ID camps are by graduation year.

It is NOT cheating or skirting the system to play on a team that corresponds to your birthdate. It may be sub optimal for recruiting or social aspects but it is unequivocally not cheating.

The part that you're missing is there's always the option of playing on the correct grade B team. If an Aug birthday isn't good enough for the A team thats their grade it shouldn't be assumed that they're good enough for the grade down A team. This is what many people here seem to be assuming on this thread. Maybe you play down and only make the B team. What do you do then?

You do what clubs and leagues say to do, play in your age assigned group. You are inventing convoluted solutions for problems that only exist for you and your daughter.

Nothing is being invented. Below are the facts.

1. Play on a team with players your grade and your friends in school
2. Don't have a weird 9th grade where you play HS soccer but the rest of the team is in 8th grade.

These are the reasons Aug birthdays should play on a team thats their grade.
3. College recruiting will be 1000% easier

And yet you honestly say you don't want GY. Insane.

The only thing people dont like about GY is the holdbacks/regrades. If you could group by grade and everyone was born in a 12 month window GY would work. Unfortunately this is not reality and why GY ruins youth sports. Theres always a parent that wants to make their kid a star by playing against other kids 1-2 years younger.

SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players play with their grade is perfect. It's GY without the holdbacks.

Isn't the 8/1 born kid a year older than the 7/31 born kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:G2016 was speaking with another parent this weekend about the BY the SY change. He said its weird. I asked why he thinks its weird. He said my kid is an August birthday. I said wouldn't that make your kid the oldest on a SY team? My kid is a july birthday shes screwed. He said its weird that my daughter would be playing on a team with players that are a year behind her in school. I said if you think that it's weird just tell your club that you're not paying unless shes on a team with players her grade.

Interesting exchange you could tell he instinctively knew that playing down was an issue. But he couldnt figure out why. His oldest is being recruited for swimming right so Im sure he'll put the pieces together reguarding his youngest and playing on the correct grade team.

In summary, you finally met someone with an child with an August birthday but couldn't convince them that they should kick and scream to have their kid to play up because they are special, not based on skill but because they are special. And this person didn't buy it. That would check out

I'm the person that wrote this.

I was just trying to listen to see what they were thinking. I thought it was interesting to hear their perspective. I specifically thought it was interesting that they thought it was weird for their kid to play down on a team with younger grade in school players.

You seem to have issues.

Not believable. They didn't have a problem with their daughter playing on age, just thought it was a little odd, and then you told them to go to the club and demand that they allow the girl to play up an age group. That isn't just listening.

Maybe, but the word they used was "weird" not "a little odd" and I know this guy he's 100% into his older kid getting recruited to swim in college. He said weird because playing down a grade goes against everything he's researched for his older kid. I did tell him to tell the club if he wants his kid to play with their grade. He pays the bills. You dont have to be in a weird situation just because some coach wants a big kid on their g2016 team.

The travel club doesn't care about a kids grade

Only their age and skills

That is where you're wrong.

Parents foot the bill so its up to them to protect their Aug birthday kids from being exploited by clubs/coaches playing down for short term wins vs playing with their grade for long term development and college recruiting.

If I'm a coach, no parent can tell me to take their kid to play up on my team if they lack the quality just because of school grade

Yeah, some parents may get their moronic request to play up. Then the coach doesn't play the kid so the kid quits.

Only the dumb parents ask for their kid to play up if they aren't ready and it has nothing to do with grades.

Hahaha nobody ever since the beginning of time has ever had an issue with players asking to play with players their grade.

Nice try though.

Coaches and teams absolutely hold it against kids when parents ask for special treatment.

So special treatment is asking to play with kids in your grade?

You are insane.

No serious coach or club will entertain a request for a player to play up if that player doesn't have the quality to do so.
None

Every club will let a player play with kids their grade if they're an August birthday and a grade older.

No club is going to force a player to participate in a way that is against what they want to do.

Again, nice try though.

This is where rubber meets road. Kids will just quit if you force them into a situation they don't want. It's not worth the time OR money, especially if it means joining a new team after playing with the same people for years.

What is unfortunate is this transition is going to put people into situations that won't give them good choices. Older players who want to play up to stay on grade may have to see less playing time or drop to a lower team VS. joining a team with a bunch of people they really don't know/perhaps less experienced/skilled who might resent the playing time THEY take as a stronger player. I mean, maybe some good life lessons here BUT this is why, IMO, they should have phased in the switch with younger teams first and left the HS ages alone.

People talk like this is Kindergarten social groups play-dates

Tell your kid this is how the real world works and what they will face as adults

The cutoff has changed to 8/1 and this is your new age group.
Go to training and put in the work or be a quitter

Yep, and clubs will have to face the adult reality of fewer customers if they manage things poorly.

Your sense of entitlement has removed all objective logical reality from your mind

Imagine seriously thinking your kid should be on a MLS Next team because of their birth month and demand this of a club

What's out-of-whack is thinking every soccer parent thinks their kid is going to be a college star. Some parents just want a club they've played at for most of their lives to treat them fairly. Nothing more and if they don't, they'll struggle with their bottom line, because those kids and families will move on as they should.

Clubs have been making decisions forever that pains many entitled parents who think little Chad and Lizzy should get whatever they want because they pay the fees

The clubs are still thriving even after you left

By fairly, you mean in your favor to your liking

Clubs thriving? In the time I've watched this space, I've seen plenty of clubs go out of business or have to merge with others. I guess you missed all that. Ignore market forces at your peril.