ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2025-26 Registration Period: Birth Year registration and Aug 1st School Year seasons will be available.

Spring 2026 Registration Period: We will ask all clubs to begin using the School Year season available in the registration system as the standard starting with the Spring 2026 season.

2026-27 Registration Period: The official new Seasonal Year age group standard (August 1st to July 31st) takes full effect as the only option.

Posted exactly at 00:00 - some sort of embargo or a huge coincidence? ha - impressive nonetheless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

Wrong. GA got rid of this at the start of the Fall 24 season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

[Anonymous]

It's official! Finally we know what will be. So many here were just plain wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

My guess is you'll see this boiler plate template on many USYS state association pages later today. I bet OP got an email last night and had to share ASAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

https://calsouth.com/seasonal-year-faq/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

It’s posted on the previous page. No idea how true it is. You can also click on “show earlier quotes” to see the previous threads. It’s tough to follow with so many different conversations.

I don’t doubt that lower level leagues could make a change for spring 2026 but this will be much more difficult to do with a national platform that plays a year round format with playoffs in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

https://calsouth.com/seasonal-year-faq/

This statement doesn’t mention USYS at all like the statement on the previous page. Are all youth leagues in CalSouth USYS?

If this change is going to take place 6 months earlier than anticipated and will be nationwide with USYS, this will put pressure on clubs and other leagues to come out with more information. Clubs are going to start getting many more questions from parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

https://calsouth.com/seasonal-year-faq/

This statement doesn’t mention USYS at all like the statement on the previous page. Are all youth leagues in CalSouth USYS?

If this change is going to take place 6 months earlier than anticipated and will be nationwide with USYS, this will put pressure on clubs and other leagues to come out with more information. Clubs are going to start getting many more questions from parents.

Yes, Calsouth is sanctioned by USYS. And agree, their statement doesn't mention USYS so the OP may have a different source (maybe the release to state associations?).

What's also interesting is Cal South has some pretty big ECNL clubs (Beach, So Cal Blues, Pateadores) and some that are MLSN and/or GA. So will those ECNL teams that play year round switch for spring? And, of course, what do the MLSN/GA clubs do if they are supposed to switch the younger kids (and teams below MLSN/GA level)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

https://calsouth.com/seasonal-year-faq/

This statement doesn’t mention USYS at all like the statement on the previous page. Are all youth leagues in CalSouth USYS?

If this change is going to take place 6 months earlier than anticipated and will be nationwide with USYS, this will put pressure on clubs and other leagues to come out with more information. Clubs are going to start getting many more questions from parents.

Yes, Calsouth is sanctioned by USYS. And agree, their statement doesn't mention USYS so the OP may have a different source (maybe the release to state associations?).

What's also interesting is Cal South has some pretty big ECNL clubs (Beach, So Cal Blues, Pateadores) and some that are MLSN and/or GA. So will those ECNL teams that play year round switch for spring? And, of course, what do the MLSN/GA clubs do if they are supposed to switch the younger kids (and teams below MLSN/GA level)?

Those clubs are under SOCAL, the top tier league of socal, not under Cal South

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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. Fall 2025 we offer both Birth Year and Aug. 1st season selections.

For the 2026-2027 seasonal year and beyond, all participating USYS affiliates leagues and clubs will use the Seasonal Year age grouping August 1st – July 31st (instead of the Birth Year method or August 1st season currently offered). This means players will be grouped based on their Seasonal Year rather than their Birth Year alone. This will be the only option available from that point forward.

What does this mean in the spring for 2011 late birthday? Would they be playing with 2012 in the spring since ECNL doesn’t have spring season?

Looks like this is for USYS. US club may or may not have the same rule. Would be tough to change age groupings with a year round league like ecnl but they could have some transitional rules.

GA and ECNL have always allowed a set number of trapped 8th graders to play “down” their high school season. I doubt it will change this year.

That’s not what this comment was referring to. It was about a statement from USYS going to 8/1 groupings for spring 2026.

Where is this statement at? Is this a new statement that was released or just carry over from what we already know

https://calsouth.com/seasonal-year-faq/

This statement doesn’t mention USYS at all like the statement on the previous page. Are all youth leagues in CalSouth USYS?

If this change is going to take place 6 months earlier than anticipated and will be nationwide with USYS, this will put pressure on clubs and other leagues to come out with more information. Clubs are going to start getting many more questions from parents.

Yes, Calsouth is sanctioned by USYS. And agree, their statement doesn't mention USYS so the OP may have a different source (maybe the release to state associations?).

What's also interesting is Cal South has some pretty big ECNL clubs (Beach, So Cal Blues, Pateadores) and some that are MLSN and/or GA. So will those ECNL teams that play year round switch for spring? And, of course, what do the MLSN/GA clubs do if they are supposed to switch the younger kids (and teams below MLSN/GA level)?

Technically GA clubs can roster BY teams in a SY league like Socal. However their oldest player would be 5 months younger than other teams also their youngest player would be Aug 1st only giving them a 6ish month grouping window.