ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

https://usclubsoccer.org/age-group-cut-off-update-for-2026-27-season/

[Anonymous]

Age group cut-offs have no correlation or relationship with level of play or level of soccer aspiration. Various soccer age group cut-offs are used across the world in youth soccer, in both amateur and professional programs.

Why say this unless MLSN is staying BY?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://usclubsoccer.org/age-group-cut-off-update-for-2026-27-season/

Little late but thanks.

[Anonymous]

8/1 is better than 9/1.

But, US Club could have addressed all trapped players and what theyre calling force ups with SY+60.

Unfortunately the grade verification part of the +60 part adds an additional overhead. Which is likely why they dont want to do it. Keeping things simple with a birthcert and date range means no extra work for US Club.

[Anonymous]

Alas- long time coming. Too bad for the 2008 age group in particular-- who got screwed on the way in at U-9 (ripped from teams with 2 months notice when the move from SY to BY was announced), and screwed on the way out by the 18 month lead time on making this change back.Happy for all the age groups that will no longer have the trapped year bs anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Alas- long time coming. Too bad for the 2008 age group in particular-- who got screwed on the way in at U-9 (ripped from teams with 2 months notice when the move from SY to BY was announced), and screwed on the way out by the 18 month lead time on making this change back.Happy for all the age groups that will no longer have the trapped year bs anymore.

And trapped 07s. Thanks a lot US Soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to run it in but I was the one way back who said GA is going 8/1 and everyone called me a mad man.

I bet US Club heard that GA would do 8/1 so they made the change ASAP.

GA is "helping" ECNL to do the right thing and not shoot themselves in the foot with SY.

This is likely exactly what happened. Wanted to get out in front of GA picking the obviously better choice between 8/1 and 9/1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone was mad with Sept 1 now everyone’s mad about Aug 1?

8/1 is marginally better than 9/1 because it addresses 99% of all trapped players nationwide.

The problem is it introduces the possibility for Aug born players with a 9/1 school start date to play down.

Clubs will just ask Aug birthday kids what grade they're in school and put players on the right grade team. But some will play down for wins even if it screws them when recruiting.

It’s not playing down at all. It is playing within a year cutoff window. It’s not like the Biobanding BS that Mlsn pulls where they deviate past the 12 month cutoff (I.e cheating)

[Anonymous]

So, the relative age benefit of BY benefited those born at the start of the calendar year in club play while SY always benefited those born at the end of the year in school play.

That feels somewhat fair. My July birthday son was always small on school teams but middle-of-the pack on club teams.

How is disadvantaging him more consistently considered fair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone was mad with Sept 1 now everyone’s mad about Aug 1?

8/1 is marginally better than 9/1 because it addresses 99% of all trapped players nationwide.

The problem is it introduces the possibility for Aug born players with a 9/1 school start date to play down.

Clubs will just ask Aug birthday kids what grade they're in school and put players on the right grade team. But some will play down for wins even if it screws them when recruiting.

It’s not playing down at all. It is playing within a year cutoff window. It’s not like the Biobanding BS that Mlsn pulls where they deviate past the 12 month cutoff (I.e cheating)

For the billionth time MLSN exists to identify players for MLS Acadamies. If you're not playing up and dominating against older players you wont get a spot on an Academy team. In the Academy world biobanders are crash test dummies. Nobody cares if you win by playing down because you'll never get selected to play at the next level on an Academy team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Age group cut-offs have no correlation or relationship with level of play or level of soccer aspiration. Various soccer age group cut-offs are used across the world in youth soccer, in both amateur and professional programs.

Why say this unless MLSN is staying BY?

Not sure how you make that leap… unless your kid is a July bday

[Anonymous]

Can someone please help me translate this new cut off? I have a son that is late Oct 2012. Is he considered younger and now will be eligible to be bumped down off his 2012 team? I actually like it bc he is in 6th grade and his teammates are all in 7th. TIA!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please help me translate this new cut off? I have a son that is late Oct 2012. Is he considered younger and now will be eligible to be bumped down off his 2012 team? I actually like it bc he is in 6th grade and his teammates are all in 7th. TIA!

Yes. He’ll now be grouped with Aug 1 2012 through July 31 2013, which are mostly 6th, but now going into 7th, graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone was mad with Sept 1 now everyone’s mad about Aug 1?

8/1 is marginally better than 9/1 because it addresses 99% of all trapped players nationwide.

The problem is it introduces the possibility for Aug born players with a 9/1 school start date to play down.

Clubs will just ask Aug birthday kids what grade they're in school and put players on the right grade team. But some will play down for wins even if it screws them when recruiting.

It’s not playing down at all. It is playing within a year cutoff window. It’s not like the Biobanding BS that Mlsn pulls where they deviate past the 12 month cutoff (I.e cheating)

For the billionth time MLSN exists to identify players for MLS Acadamies. If you're not playing up and dominating against older players you wont get a spot on an Academy team. In the Academy world biobanders are crash test dummies. Nobody cares if you win by playing down because you'll never get selected to play at the next level on an Academy team.

Mmm mmm mmm mmm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please help me translate this new cut off? I have a son that is late Oct 2012. Is he considered younger and now will be eligible to be bumped down off his 2012 team? I actually like it bc he is in 6th grade and his teammates are all in 7th. TIA!

You are correct.

In BY the oldest kid on your son's team will be born 1/1 in the year they were born.

in SY the oldest player on a team will be born 8/1.

Your son was born in Oct and currently playing against kids a grade older in school he will have the choice to continue playing up or play on a team with kids in the same grade at school.