ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get parents who pay for ECNL or GA to either:

A) be on a team ranked lower than ~150 and travel all over the country just to get beat 7-0 by Sting

Or

B) have your kid on end of bench playing 10-15 min a game.

Or Both

You can get a great coach and program in almost any metro area for half the fee and 25% of the travel.

If you are on a lower ranked team you are looking at a handful of D1 opportunities AT MOST per team. And if you are on the bench for anyone lower than probably top 50 you ain’t going D1 either.

Save the money and time and play with the top USYS team in your area!

Getting a D1 offer is not about how technically skilled and tactically intelligent a player is. It’s all about physicality. The “top” ECNL and MLSN teams are filled with physical players with very little technical skills and tactical acumen. These players are going nowhere in soccer.

Real soccer players should be aiming for Europe.

Hopefully US Soccer working with NCAA will change college soccer for the better. At least Mens/Boys D1 soccer did away with infinite subs. This forces coaches to play with skill, not just a bunch of linebackers. Hopefully Womens/Girls will do the same.

General FYI reguarding infinite subs. This allows coaches to look for fast fighters that cant run very long and are disposable. Its not in players favor and doesnt prepare players for playing professionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

After u15 theres injuries, families move, boyfriends/girlfriends, homecoming, parents get tired of driving so far, etc, etc ,etc.

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

This is why everyone thinks US Soccers process of identifying superstars at u13 and sticking with them + ignoring everyone else is ridiculous.

thanks very helpful. Sounds like you and the other poster are saying don’t sweat it now and just continue to build the love for the game which makes a lot of sense. I’ve had a few parents tell me recently that they’ve observed that for some kids it’s just about continuing to play and they will rise to the top as they see others filter out. Maybe there is something to be said about that. To the person about recruiting, we are definitely hoping we can pull a few friends over because it is going to be tough. When our kid can’t play with their friends they’ve been playing with for the last few years. Kids adapt and I’m not too worried about it, but it’s definitely nice having a good carpool these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

I cant tell if you are joking. Also, why does everyone on this forum focus on the extreme. If this was the case, why does the 0.001% matter? I get that it is an indication of ceiling, but not the norm. A more helpful comment would be about high school varsity and college soccer (mostly girls). Obviously there is no way of knowing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

Yea that's why some get invited to a single ID Camp then never again and some are glossed over entirely. US Soccer misses out on a lot of talented players. Its unfortunate to watch but if they dont win its on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

Yea that's why some get invited to a single ID Camp then never again and some are glossed over entirely. US Soccer misses out on a lot of talented players. Its unfortunate to watch but if they dont win its on them.

These highest levels are always subjective. I like at least the current coach is giving a lot of players -- some who were those young stars and some who have been late bloomers -- an opportunity and often talks about serving the larger ecosystem. That's a step in the right direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

You're not wrong. Also look at UNC and UCLA.... those teams are filled with kids who were ballers U13-u17. But you are talking about the best of the best. Some kids get into elite camps/ programs early and don't come out. Some of those families (not kids) get there by networking and finding out who the decision makers are in the soccer world and getting kids into their programs. But you're talking about an extremely small population.

Regular players/ regular families just have to grind it out, keep their kids in love with the game and keep training without injuries or burnout. (Yes teenage kids burnout/ find other interests in HS.) So, for most situations, the top U13 kids are not the top U16 kids. Sometimes the biggest & best kid at U13 was also the biggest & best kid at U11...they will probably will probably not be the biggest anymore at U16. Late bloomers, who've had to work hard, can make massive gains at u16.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

You're not wrong. Also look at UNC and UCLA.... those teams are filled with kids who were ballers U13-u17. But you are talking about the best of the best. Some kids get into elite camps/ programs early and don't come out. Some of those families (not kids) get there by networking and finding out who the decision makers are in the soccer world and getting kids into their programs. But you're talking about an extremely small population.

Regular players/ regular families just have to grind it out, keep their kids in love with the game and keep training without injuries or burnout. (Yes teenage kids burnout/ find other interests in HS.) So, for most situations, the top U13 kids are not the top U16 kids. Sometimes the biggest & best kid at U13 was also the biggest & best kid at U11...they will probably will probably not be the biggest anymore at U16. Late bloomers, who've had to work hard, can make massive gains at u16.

What you're missing is that a coach with a funny foreign accent said a player was great at U13, and, in the US soccer world, that accent buys the player 3-6 (or more, depends on the specific accent) years of cred. Those are just the rules!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

I cant tell if you are joking. Also, why does everyone on this forum focus on the extreme. If this was the case, why does the 0.001% matter? I get that it is an indication of ceiling, but not the norm. A more helpful comment would be about high school varsity and college soccer (mostly girls). Obviously there is no way of knowing this.

I am referring to the comments about stars at u13 not being stars at u15 and those at u15 are not stars at u17. The majority are.

The bottom line is that soccer is heavily weighted towards skills vs other sports.

If you are not very competent with dribbling, touch, passing, both feet, etc by 13-14, you can’t just pick it up later in life. It is not like football where you can teach an Olympic gold medalist to be a WR.

Are there late bloomers physically? Absolutely yes but there are no late bloomers skill wise.

I am sure there are exceptions but I can’t think of a single pro player that came to the sport “late”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

I cant tell if you are joking. Also, why does everyone on this forum focus on the extreme. If this was the case, why does the 0.001% matter? I get that it is an indication of ceiling, but not the norm. A more helpful comment would be about high school varsity and college soccer (mostly girls). Obviously there is no way of knowing this.

I am referring to the comments about stars at u13 not being stars at u15 and those at u15 are not stars at u17. The majority are.

The bottom line is that soccer is heavily weighted towards skills vs other sports.

If you are not very competent with dribbling, touch, passing, both feet, etc by 13-14, you can’t just pick it up later in life. It is not like football where you can teach an Olympic gold medalist to be a WR.

Are there late bloomers physically? Absolutely yes but there are no late bloomers skill wise.

I am sure there are exceptions but I can’t think of a single pro player that came to the sport “late”.

So if I attempt to follow your logic, those who are stars at 12 are typically stars at 16? Based on your logic, puberty has very little influence? Interesting. So you are saying "The files are in the computer"

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.

All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.

Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?

Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.

The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.

Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.

I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.

There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.

My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.

Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.

No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.

Go cry 😢

As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!

Don’t try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.

That’s why they can’t grasp there’s no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.

MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.

I replied to that person and provided the development Leo / Aitana analogy.

I have a DD in ECNL, high level team, plays up a couple of years. I am a club owner for a girls GA clubs. And I’m pro-SY even tho my DD is Q2, because of the trap issue that affects some folks (which is typically a club and parent problem, not a YS problem, but relief comes from the change). Not everyone that has a non “SY is sacred and 4th team Q4 kids now rule the roost” perspective is BY.

YS development is complex. And people that are so obtuse binary, like you seem to be, are a big part of the problem.

Plays up "a couple years?" as in she's playing up several age groups or has been asked to play up a couple different years. Vastly different scenarios and it honestly sounds like you are full of crap. Feel free to provide more details, but I'm sure you won't.

Point still stands - most ECNL girls will be playing under the new age guidelines starting fall 2026. Not playing "up" or "down". It's just the new baseline.

She plays up 2 age groups, on roster, not guesting. She starts. Is probably the best technically and IQ on her team. Often played against girls 3-4 years older in a variety of other environments.

(2 is “a couple” for most readers) Sorry I didn’t define “on roster” in our measuring context.

This is impressive. I know several USYNT and USWNT members and none of them played up two years in ECNL. Only one actually played up a single year.

I am curious how “top” the team is. If Gretna more believable than surf.

Interesting you own a GA club and your DD doesn’t even play for your club.

I noticed the "I own a GA club but my daughter plays for a different club" comment as well.

I hope people are seeing the lengths ECNL hats will go to try and create fomo. The reason they do this is because ECNL clubs want to recruit players that other clubs have developed. They dont want to develop their own talent. GA is throwing a huge monkey wrench in the gears.

My daughter plays GA but in my area in California most of the top clubs and teams are ECNL. There are good GA clubs and teams but the top to bottom difference between the leagues is real.

ECNL has the better players and competition overall. So it’s hard for parents to stay on a GA team if there is opportunity on a ECNL team.

It’s hard for GA clubs to recruit with ECNL around and it’s hard for GA to develop because once a parent/kid realize their Ga team isn’t at their kids level they leave which causes more kids to leave.

This long rant leads me to this GA clubs aren’t doing enough to make it worth it for kids and parents to justify staying.

My daughter plays all game never comes out and likes her teammates so it makes sense for us to stay.

My kid plays on the top GA Socal club and we're picking up ECNL players left and right.

In Socal, there is in fact one GA club who can give the run of the mill ECNL teams a decent match. but that's about it.

The true problem with some ECNL clubs is how they chew up and spit out many, many players. They are the best from their reputation/recruitment BUT the new hot player often can become the next bench player when that ECNL simply finds the next best player. With some clubs, there's not a lot of loyalty. Some of those players -- who are still plenty good -- often end up back in GA or elsewhere.

Its not just that. Many ECNL clubs are being forced by GA to develope their own talent. This means younger teams and several levels of teams. This is a win for players because theres more teams to play for and opportunities to move up.

It is entertaining watching the ECNL parents that haven't got the memo yet make statements that just arent true.

What I dont understand about many ECNL parents is that they like to backpack off the top teams in their league. You see it all the time in lower level ECNL team parents. They try to justify not winning because they've bought into the league being so much more difficult.

Getting worked week after week by top teams isnt a badge of honor and doesnt attract recruiter attention. You're just crash test dummies that haven't figured it out yet. You're funding the top teams players scholorships.

Maybe its time to reassess. Maybe its time to check out a GA club.

I am not sure this is entirely true. My kid’s ECNL RL team was poor this last season. He moved to a higher level team within ECNL RL and has been told that he will play with the ECNL team some matches. He is late December.

Anyhow, his team last season had a dreadful game against his current team, although my son played well in that match. His new coach told us my son stood out to him during the match and that he is very glad to have him on his team this season. He also remarked that my son’s former team also had 2 other very good players.

Good coaches and recruiters evaluate each player individually. No such thing as black and white.

Take Pedri. He was in a club that got relegated, but Barcelona bought him anyway.

Your coach is hinting for you to recruit a couple of players from your kids old team.

Also ECRL or any 2nd team parents in general arent trying to backpack off anyone. Theyre just looking for minutes and a chance to play on a 1st team.

If you want your kid to play on a 1st team start reaching out to coaches and ask if they can practice with their team. Then after follow up to see if theres any interest.

My son is already going to be supporting the ECNL team as a guest player this coming season. He trained with ECNL team for a month this spring and almost made the team. This ECNL team is a “top 10” overall team nationally. I put the quotes around top ten simply because I am not sure how these rankings really work, so I will simply accept their supposed ranking.

They’re quite good, but are not superior to my son technically. In fact, the coach told me he would be among the top technical players on the ECNL team. He is much smaller than most of the players (and would be the youngest on the team), so I think he didn’t make it because of his size.

He is late December, so probably he will be in the ECNL team when the birth dates change.

I don’t think he was hinting at bringing any of my son’s old teammates over. His current team has a full roster.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

You're not wrong. Also look at UNC and UCLA.... those teams are filled with kids who were ballers U13-u17. But you are talking about the best of the best. Some kids get into elite camps/ programs early and don't come out. Some of those families (not kids) get there by networking and finding out who the decision makers are in the soccer world and getting kids into their programs. But you're talking about an extremely small population.

Regular players/ regular families just have to grind it out, keep their kids in love with the game and keep training without injuries or burnout. (Yes teenage kids burnout/ find other interests in HS.) So, for most situations, the top U13 kids are not the top U16 kids. Sometimes the biggest & best kid at U13 was also the biggest & best kid at U11...they will probably will probably not be the biggest anymore at U16. Late bloomers, who've had to work hard, can make massive gains at u16.

Absolute ballers don’t end up in college. They end up in Europe.

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Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.

All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.

Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?

Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.

The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.

Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.

I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.

There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.

My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.

Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.

No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.

Go cry 😢

As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!

Don’t try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.

That’s why they can’t grasp there’s no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.

MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.

I replied to that person and provided the development Leo / Aitana analogy.

I have a DD in ECNL, high level team, plays up a couple of years. I am a club owner for a girls GA clubs. And I’m pro-SY even tho my DD is Q2, because of the trap issue that affects some folks (which is typically a club and parent problem, not a YS problem, but relief comes from the change). Not everyone that has a non “SY is sacred and 4th team Q4 kids now rule the roost” perspective is BY.

YS development is complex. And people that are so obtuse binary, like you seem to be, are a big part of the problem.

Plays up "a couple years?" as in she's playing up several age groups or has been asked to play up a couple different years. Vastly different scenarios and it honestly sounds like you are full of crap. Feel free to provide more details, but I'm sure you won't.

Point still stands - most ECNL girls will be playing under the new age guidelines starting fall 2026. Not playing "up" or "down". It's just the new baseline.

She plays up 2 age groups, on roster, not guesting. She starts. Is probably the best technically and IQ on her team. Often played against girls 3-4 years older in a variety of other environments.

(2 is “a couple” for most readers) Sorry I didn’t define “on roster” in our measuring context.

This is impressive. I know several USYNT and USWNT members and none of them played up two years in ECNL. Only one actually played up a single year.

I am curious how “top” the team is. If Gretna more believable than surf.

Interesting you own a GA club and your DD doesn’t even play for your club.

I noticed the "I own a GA club but my daughter plays for a different club" comment as well.

I hope people are seeing the lengths ECNL hats will go to try and create fomo. The reason they do this is because ECNL clubs want to recruit players that other clubs have developed. They dont want to develop their own talent. GA is throwing a huge monkey wrench in the gears.

My daughter plays GA but in my area in California most of the top clubs and teams are ECNL. There are good GA clubs and teams but the top to bottom difference between the leagues is real.

ECNL has the better players and competition overall. So it’s hard for parents to stay on a GA team if there is opportunity on a ECNL team.

It’s hard for GA clubs to recruit with ECNL around and it’s hard for GA to develop because once a parent/kid realize their Ga team isn’t at their kids level they leave which causes more kids to leave.

This long rant leads me to this GA clubs aren’t doing enough to make it worth it for kids and parents to justify staying.

My daughter plays all game never comes out and likes her teammates so it makes sense for us to stay.

My kid plays on the top GA Socal club and we're picking up ECNL players left and right.

In Socal, there is in fact one GA club who can give the run of the mill ECNL teams a decent match. but that's about it.

The true problem with some ECNL clubs is how they chew up and spit out many, many players. They are the best from their reputation/recruitment BUT the new hot player often can become the next bench player when that ECNL simply finds the next best player. With some clubs, there's not a lot of loyalty. Some of those players -- who are still plenty good -- often end up back in GA or elsewhere.

Its not just that. Many ECNL clubs are being forced by GA to develope their own talent. This means younger teams and several levels of teams. This is a win for players because theres more teams to play for and opportunities to move up.

It is entertaining watching the ECNL parents that haven't got the memo yet make statements that just arent true.

What I dont understand about many ECNL parents is that they like to backpack off the top teams in their league. You see it all the time in lower level ECNL team parents. They try to justify not winning because they've bought into the league being so much more difficult.

Getting worked week after week by top teams isnt a badge of honor and doesnt attract recruiter attention. You're just crash test dummies that haven't figured it out yet. You're funding the top teams players scholorships.

Maybe its time to reassess. Maybe its time to check out a GA club.

I am not sure this is entirely true. My kid’s ECNL RL team was poor this last season. He moved to a higher level team within ECNL RL and has been told that he will play with the ECNL team some matches. He is late December.

Anyhow, his team last season had a dreadful game against his current team, although my son played well in that match. His new coach told us my son stood out to him during the match and that he is very glad to have him on his team this season. He also remarked that my son’s former team also had 2 other very good players.

Good coaches and recruiters evaluate each player individually. No such thing as black and white.

Take Pedri. He was in a club that got relegated, but Barcelona bought him anyway.

Your coach is hinting for you to recruit a couple of players from your kids old team.

Also ECRL or any 2nd team parents in general arent trying to backpack off anyone. Theyre just looking for minutes and a chance to play on a 1st team.

If you want your kid to play on a 1st team start reaching out to coaches and ask if they can practice with their team. Then after follow up to see if theres any interest.

My son is already going to be supporting the ECNL team as a guest player this coming season. He trained with ECNL team for a month this spring and almost made the team. This ECNL team is a “top 10” overall team nationally. I put the quotes around top ten simply because I am not sure how these rankings really work, so I will simply accept their supposed ranking.

They’re quite good, but are not superior to my son technically. In fact, the coach told me he would be among the top technical players on the ECNL team. He is much smaller than most of the players (and would be the youngest on the team), so I think he didn’t make it because of his size.

He is late December, so probably he will be in the ECNL team when the birth dates change.

I don’t think he was hinting at bringing any of my son’s old teammates over. His current team has a full roster.

I agree. Unless your kid is top 3-5, then it would be in the best interest of the club to have you play with school year. This is the same thing with playing up today. Kids who are able to make the top team and are one of the top kids play up otherwise then you play with your appropriate age. Yes, there are kids that dont meet this criteria but that is usually because of other factors.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

The USWNT is made up of girls that were absolute stars at u13.

I cant tell if you are joking. Also, why does everyone on this forum focus on the extreme. If this was the case, why does the 0.001% matter? I get that it is an indication of ceiling, but not the norm. A more helpful comment would be about high school varsity and college soccer (mostly girls). Obviously there is no way of knowing this.

I am referring to the comments about stars at u13 not being stars at u15 and those at u15 are not stars at u17. The majority are.

The bottom line is that soccer is heavily weighted towards skills vs other sports.

If you are not very competent with dribbling, touch, passing, both feet, etc by 13-14, you can’t just pick it up later in life. It is not like football where you can teach an Olympic gold medalist to be a WR.

Are there late bloomers physically? Absolutely yes but there are no late bloomers skill wise.

I am sure there are exceptions but I can’t think of a single pro player that came to the sport “late”.

So if I attempt to follow your logic, those who are stars at 12 are typically stars at 16? Based on your logic, puberty has very little influence? Interesting. So you are saying "The files are in the computer"

For clarity nobody sees an uncoordinated big girl at U13 and calls her a star because she hit puberty early.

We are talking about U13, first year of badge. Go to GA or ECNL playoffs. Make a note of the top players. They aren’t fading into obscurity.

I am saying that, if you don’t have skills at U13 you are cooked.

Some of the smaller, skillful girls at u13 will certainly peak a year or two later but they were already good if you know what to look for.

Puberty, for scouts that know what they are doing, matters very little by U13. At least on the girls side.

U13 is last year ODP breaks girls into younger and older for a reason.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is a Q4 (U11/U12) and to some degree, I want the decision to be taken out of our hands. Our club told us that they will move everyone to school year, but who knows if it is that strong of a rule, but that is what we were explicitly told, and gives me a little anxiety relief. I really dont know what is in his/ she best interest as they are our oldest sibling and we are learning as we go. He/ She has always played at the highest level and plays at one of the better clubs in the area for when of the better teams in he/ she age group. However, I feel like my kid is growing slower relative to peers, mentally and a bit physically. He/ She isnt necessarily the smallest, middle of the pack, but lacks a level of maturity that I see with others. He/She loves the game and I keep waiting for it to click, but it is really hard. I see the argument that leveling to school year will have them back to where they are in a few years, but could also become a major confidence boost that springs he/she into their teenage years. Also, it seems like there is a lot of benefit for an extra year at 9v9 as he/she isnt making decisions fast enough. I am sharing our story in case there are others feeling a similar way.

Your child loves the game. As long as he / she continues to love the game, they will become a great player.

There are no 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 year old super stars. The super stars at 15, 16, and 17 are generally not super stars in their 20s.

Love for the game will take them far. If it doesn’t, he or she had a lot fun and enjoyed the sport!

The top players at u13 arent the same at u16. Even the top teams change.

Yeah, they actually are at the too level. Easy enough to prove. Go to VDA or Richmond 2009 and look at their top 3-5 players. They literally all were studs at U13.