Important Update: US Soccer Birth Year Change

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is a September 30th cutoff so kids just before that date would potentially be the youngest in the grade but oldest on the team at least for FFX.

The small number of kids caught in that couple week window have the CHOICE to play UP with their school grade or with they soccer SY age (grade below them). Contrast that with the 4 months of trapped kids that can’t play with their school classmates until U-19 their senior year, have to miss a season of travel during 8th grade and then their team disbands prior to their senior season.

Not arguing. Just pointing out that September birthdays would actually be the youngest, not August.

Its not a couple of weeks, its 2 months. Which, yes, is less than the 3 months of Oct-Dec, but not really by much. Saying its weeks vs 4 months is incorrect. Kids born all of August and all of September are the new cohort not playing with their grade.

Which is true for Fairfax County but most school systems have a cutoff of August 31 or earlier.

So that would be 2 months versus 4 months. And the 2 months kids would still have the option of playing up if they’re good enough or if some club wants their money to place them on the third or fourth team with their friends.

Options versus no options.

I think the entire state of Va is September 30. And I think the entire state of MD is September 1. DC is also September 30.

"Options" are not always a universally good thing. Not all of those options are ones my kids or I would want. Telling people they have options when the options arent positive isnt a good thing.

If a hypothetical August kid has the option to (1) play up with grade level, knowing he/she is the youngest in the grade and would likewise be the youngest on the team, or (2) playing down with the grade behind, being the oldest on the team, what's the missing option you want? Split the teams with half one grade and half another grade so he/she can be in the middle of the age group rather than at either end of it?

The missing option i personally want is for my kid to remain with his team. Which sure, if he is good enough he can. But if he is suddenly competing for a spot with kids one year older, its not a great option. He is good enough under the current cohort. He may not be when kids a year older are eligible for his spot.

And i know nothing is ever guaranteed. But i am especially annoyed at the claims that this is good for social soccer and kids playing with their grade, when the opposite is true for my kid.

This is an unrealistic option you are hoping for. Nobody is guaranteed a spot on their current BY team even without this change. That’s why there are tryouts every year to find the best players for the limited spots. My trapped player plays up with kids a grade year older because there is no other option. He has to be the best or he’s out. Unlike your kid though, mine doesn’t have another option because he can’t play ‘down’’ under current rules. Your player could get booted for stronger talent at any time as could mine. Soccer does not grandfather players to teams - welcome to competitive sports in the US

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is a September 30th cutoff so kids just before that date would potentially be the youngest in the grade but oldest on the team at least for FFX.

The small number of kids caught in that couple week window have the CHOICE to play UP with their school grade or with they soccer SY age (grade below them). Contrast that with the 4 months of trapped kids that can’t play with their school classmates until U-19 their senior year, have to miss a season of travel during 8th grade and then their team disbands prior to their senior season.

Not arguing. Just pointing out that September birthdays would actually be the youngest, not August.

Its not a couple of weeks, its 2 months. Which, yes, is less than the 3 months of Oct-Dec, but not really by much. Saying its weeks vs 4 months is incorrect. Kids born all of August and all of September are the new cohort not playing with their grade.

Which is true for Fairfax County but most school systems have a cutoff of August 31 or earlier.

So that would be 2 months versus 4 months. And the 2 months kids would still have the option of playing up if they’re good enough or if some club wants their money to place them on the third or fourth team with their friends.

Options versus no options.

I think the entire state of Va is September 30. And I think the entire state of MD is September 1. DC is also September 30.

"Options" are not always a universally good thing. Not all of those options are ones my kids or I would want. Telling people they have options when the options arent positive isnt a good thing.

If a hypothetical August kid has the option to (1) play up with grade level, knowing he/she is the youngest in the grade and would likewise be the youngest on the team, or (2) playing down with the grade behind, being the oldest on the team, what's the missing option you want? Split the teams with half one grade and half another grade so he/she can be in the middle of the age group rather than at either end of it?

The missing option i personally want is for my kid to remain with his team. Which sure, if he is good enough he can. But if he is suddenly competing for a spot with kids one year older, its not a great option. He is good enough under the current cohort. He may not be when kids a year older are eligible for his spot.

And i know nothing is ever guaranteed. But i am especially annoyed at the claims that this is good for social soccer and kids playing with their grade, when the opposite is true for my kid.

This is an unrealistic option you are hoping for. Nobody is guaranteed a spot on their current BY team even without this change. That’s why there are tryouts every year to find the best players for the limited spots. My trapped player plays up with kids a grade year older because there is no other option. He has to be the best or he’s out. Unlike your kid though, mine doesn’t have another option because he can’t play ‘down’’ under current rules. Your player could get booted for stronger talent at any time as could mine. Soccer does not grandfather players to teams - welcome to competitive sports in the US

I hear that and it does make sense. Change is rough though. I wish these could be changes that take place for future cohorts and leave the U11+ teams alone... they are figuring our chemistry and fighting for their place and forging friendships etc. An extra variable is annoying.

[Anonymous]

I disagree. It needs to start and be implemented for the kids who will be trapped next year. My son is 7th grade December bday so he will not have a spring season ecnl in VA next year due to HS. I am all for this as it allows him to continue to play a final year of travel soccer. He would have no spring option or we’d have to find a different club or figure out if there is a way to merge some kids to form a spring team.

Why start at u11 and not with the youngest group of trapped players who are u14 right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is a September 30th cutoff so kids just before that date would potentially be the youngest in the grade but oldest on the team at least for FFX.

The small number of kids caught in that couple week window have the CHOICE to play UP with their school grade or with they soccer SY age (grade below them). Contrast that with the 4 months of trapped kids that can’t play with their school classmates until U-19 their senior year, have to miss a season of travel during 8th grade and then their team disbands prior to their senior season.

Not arguing. Just pointing out that September birthdays would actually be the youngest, not August.

Its not a couple of weeks, its 2 months. Which, yes, is less than the 3 months of Oct-Dec, but not really by much. Saying its weeks vs 4 months is incorrect. Kids born all of August and all of September are the new cohort not playing with their grade.

Which is true for Fairfax County but most school systems have a cutoff of August 31 or earlier.

So that would be 2 months versus 4 months. And the 2 months kids would still have the option of playing up if they’re good enough or if some club wants their money to place them on the third or fourth team with their friends.

Options versus no options.

I think the entire state of Va is September 30. And I think the entire state of MD is September 1. DC is also September 30.

"Options" are not always a universally good thing. Not all of those options are ones my kids or I would want. Telling people they have options when the options arent positive isnt a good thing.

If a hypothetical August kid has the option to (1) play up with grade level, knowing he/she is the youngest in the grade and would likewise be the youngest on the team, or (2) playing down with the grade behind, being the oldest on the team, what's the missing option you want? Split the teams with half one grade and half another grade so he/she can be in the middle of the age group rather than at either end of it?

The missing option i personally want is for my kid to remain with his team. Which sure, if he is good enough he can. But if he is suddenly competing for a spot with kids one year older, its not a great option. He is good enough under the current cohort. He may not be when kids a year older are eligible for his spot.

And i know nothing is ever guaranteed. But i am especially annoyed at the claims that this is good for social soccer and kids playing with their grade, when the opposite is true for my kid.

This is an unrealistic option you are hoping for. Nobody is guaranteed a spot on their current BY team even without this change. That’s why there are tryouts every year to find the best players for the limited spots. My trapped player plays up with kids a grade year older because there is no other option. He has to be the best or he’s out. Unlike your kid though, mine doesn’t have another option because he can’t play ‘down’’ under current rules. Your player could get booted for stronger talent at any time as could mine. Soccer does not grandfather players to teams - welcome to competitive sports in the US

I hear that and it does make sense. Change is rough though. I wish these could be changes that take place for future cohorts and leave the U11+ teams alone... they are figuring our chemistry and fighting for their place and forging friendships etc. An extra variable is annoying.

To me the idea that U11, so 9 and 10 year olds, 4th and 5th graders, have teams with some sort of irreplaceable chemistry is so amusing to me. They're just little mini things! They aren't even playing real 11v11 soccer yet, the best of the best are on like pre-pre-ecnl whatever. Maybe some parents don't realize it yet if their oldest is like U10 or U11 and they didn't play or coach themselves, but those teams are going to change dramatically over the next couple years with or without an age group change. The move to U13 is really significant, when ECNL/GA/MLS Next comes into play. Teams get much better, skill sets change, kids leave clubs for other opportunities and thats not even considering the non soccer things that happen to pre-teens. The move to middle school is big, and high school bigger, kids pick up different sports, get more homework, change priorities, decide they are really into model UN. Whatever.

I hear people on not wanting to disrupt U17/U18 teams but worrying about U11 teams seems nuts to me.

[Anonymous]

Agree. And I would bet the trapped u11 and u12 kids may want it to take effect. And don’t most teams change yearly or just certain clubs as my son has had at least 6-7 new kids every year on his team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is a September 30th cutoff so kids just before that date would potentially be the youngest in the grade but oldest on the team at least for FFX.

The small number of kids caught in that couple week window have the CHOICE to play UP with their school grade or with they soccer SY age (grade below them). Contrast that with the 4 months of trapped kids that can’t play with their school classmates until U-19 their senior year, have to miss a season of travel during 8th grade and then their team disbands prior to their senior season.

Not arguing. Just pointing out that September birthdays would actually be the youngest, not August.

Its not a couple of weeks, its 2 months. Which, yes, is less than the 3 months of Oct-Dec, but not really by much. Saying its weeks vs 4 months is incorrect. Kids born all of August and all of September are the new cohort not playing with their grade.

Which is true for Fairfax County but most school systems have a cutoff of August 31 or earlier.

So that would be 2 months versus 4 months. And the 2 months kids would still have the option of playing up if they’re good enough or if some club wants their money to place them on the third or fourth team with their friends.

Options versus no options.

I think the entire state of Va is September 30. And I think the entire state of MD is September 1. DC is also September 30.

"Options" are not always a universally good thing. Not all of those options are ones my kids or I would want. Telling people they have options when the options arent positive isnt a good thing.

If a hypothetical August kid has the option to (1) play up with grade level, knowing he/she is the youngest in the grade and would likewise be the youngest on the team, or (2) playing down with the grade behind, being the oldest on the team, what's the missing option you want? Split the teams with half one grade and half another grade so he/she can be in the middle of the age group rather than at either end of it?

The missing option i personally want is for my kid to remain with his team. Which sure, if he is good enough he can. But if he is suddenly competing for a spot with kids one year older, its not a great option. He is good enough under the current cohort. He may not be when kids a year older are eligible for his spot.

And i know nothing is ever guaranteed. But i am especially annoyed at the claims that this is good for social soccer and kids playing with their grade, when the opposite is true for my kid.

This is an unrealistic option you are hoping for. Nobody is guaranteed a spot on their current BY team even without this change. That’s why there are tryouts every year to find the best players for the limited spots. My trapped player plays up with kids a grade year older because there is no other option. He has to be the best or he’s out. Unlike your kid though, mine doesn’t have another option because he can’t play ‘down’’ under current rules. Your player could get booted for stronger talent at any time as could mine. Soccer does not grandfather players to teams - welcome to competitive sports in the US

I hear that and it does make sense. Change is rough though. I wish these could be changes that take place for future cohorts and leave the U11+ teams alone... they are figuring our chemistry and fighting for their place and forging friendships etc. An extra variable is annoying.

To me the idea that U11, so 9 and 10 year olds, 4th and 5th graders, have teams with some sort of irreplaceable chemistry is so amusing to me. They're just little mini things! They aren't even playing real 11v11 soccer yet, the best of the best are on like pre-pre-ecnl whatever. Maybe some parents don't realize it yet if their oldest is like U10 or U11 and they didn't play or coach themselves, but those teams are going to change dramatically over the next couple years with or without an age group change. The move to U13 is really significant, when ECNL/GA/MLS Next comes into play. Teams get much better, skill sets change, kids leave clubs for other opportunities and thats not even considering the non soccer things that happen to pre-teens. The move to middle school is big, and high school bigger, kids pick up different sports, get more homework, change priorities, decide they are really into model UN. Whatever.

I hear people on not wanting to disrupt U17/U18 teams but worrying about U11 teams seems nuts to me.

I meant change the teams under U11. The teams like you said that arent cohesive and are still figuring it out. But the counter argument to that is that the older trapped high schoolers want the change to occur.

[Anonymous]

Who started the term 'trapped' and why? Once again trapped by WHAT? Lack of talent? Size? Maturity? I don't get how a birthday traps anyone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who started the term 'trapped' and why? Once again trapped by WHAT? Lack of talent? Size? Maturity? I don't get how a birthday traps anyone

Trapped because they don't get a full club season in 8th grade while their BY peers are playing HS soccer. And trapped because junior year all the BY peers have already been recruited and stopped going to events. The major recruitment happens sophomore year when the trapped kids can't be recruited as they are freshman. College coaches are on record saying they don't bother with junior and senior teams in a showcase when the 10th graders are the next wave and need to be picked. That's why they are "trapped" not because of their size, maturity or skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who started the term 'trapped' and why? Once again trapped by WHAT? Lack of talent? Size? Maturity? I don't get how a birthday traps anyone

Trapped because they don't get a full club season in 8th grade while their BY peers are playing HS soccer. And trapped because junior year all the BY peers have already been recruited and stopped going to events. The major recruitment happens sophomore year when the trapped kids can't be recruited as they are freshman. College coaches are on record saying they don't bother with junior and senior teams in a showcase when the 10th graders are the next wave and need to be picked. That's why they are "trapped" not because of their size, maturity or skills.

Im trying to understand how this would play out for aug and sept players who would play down a grade. I dont know much about college recruiting at all. What would happen to a 10th grader playing on a team with 9th graders? Or 11th with 10th, etc? Would they also lose out? Or is it not the same if playing with the grade younger somehow?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who started the term 'trapped' and why? Once again trapped by WHAT? Lack of talent? Size? Maturity? I don't get how a birthday traps anyone

Trapped because they don't get a full club season in 8th grade while their BY peers are playing HS soccer. And trapped because junior year all the BY peers have already been recruited and stopped going to events. The major recruitment happens sophomore year when the trapped kids can't be recruited as they are freshman. College coaches are on record saying they don't bother with junior and senior teams in a showcase when the 10th graders are the next wave and need to be picked. That's why they are "trapped" not because of their size, maturity or skills.

Im trying to understand how this would play out for aug and sept players who would play down a grade. I dont know much about college recruiting at all. What would happen to a 10th grader playing on a team with 9th graders? Or 11th with 10th, etc? Would they also lose out? Or is it not the same if playing with the grade younger somehow?

Good question. I would think playing with a grade below would not be good because by the time scouts are recruiting your team, you’re already a year older. So if sophomore year is a bi lg recruiting year, you’d be on a 9th grade team where no scouts will come to watch. When your team is all sophomores, that’s when the scouts come so you’d essentially lose out on a year of recruiting it would seem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who started the term 'trapped' and why? Once again trapped by WHAT? Lack of talent? Size? Maturity? I don't get how a birthday traps anyone

The search bar is your friend. If you don’t understand the situation for trapped players after a 200 page thread you are either gaslighting by posting this or lazy.

Trapped player is not some figment of the imagination. It’s addressed in ECNL rule book because it’s a known limitation of the current system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who started the term 'trapped' and why? Once again trapped by WHAT? Lack of talent? Size? Maturity? I don't get how a birthday traps anyone

Trapped because they don't get a full club season in 8th grade while their BY peers are playing HS soccer. And trapped because junior year all the BY peers have already been recruited and stopped going to events. The major recruitment happens sophomore year when the trapped kids can't be recruited as they are freshman. College coaches are on record saying they don't bother with junior and senior teams in a showcase when the 10th graders are the next wave and need to be picked. That's why they are "trapped" not because of their size, maturity or skills.

Im trying to understand how this would play out for aug and sept players who would play down a grade. I dont know much about college recruiting at all. What would happen to a 10th grader playing on a team with 9th graders? Or 11th with 10th, etc? Would they also lose out? Or is it not the same if playing with the grade younger somehow?

Good question. I would think playing with a grade below would not be good because by the time scouts are recruiting your team, you’re already a year older. So if sophomore year is a bi lg recruiting year, you’d be on a 9th grade team where no scouts will come to watch. When your team is all sophomores, that’s when the scouts come so you’d essentially lose out on a year of recruiting it would seem.

I agree with this. Lets say someone on a 2012 team has an 8/15 birthday (a 7th grader in many states) so would have be able to either play "up" with their grade or down with 6th graders. I think I would prioritize 7th grade ECNL>7th grade ECRL>6th grade ECNL for the main reason of recruiting. I think you could really get lost being a 7th grader on a mostly 6th grade team. The only caveat might be if the 6th grade team is markedly better than the 7th grade teams

[Anonymous]

So US Soccer is going to align to school year instead of birth year for the purposes of college recruiting...

As college sports is imploding and undergoing a massive re-shift under NIL, roster limits, athletes eventually becoming employees.

As college teams rely more on international players and taking older players from the portal.

And to move the system further away from alignment with the international system as the USA struggles with development compared to other nations.

Smh. What idiots...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So US Soccer is going to align to school year instead of birth year for the purposes of college recruiting...

As college sports is imploding and undergoing a massive re-shift under NIL, roster limits, athletes eventually becoming employees.

As college teams rely more on international players and taking older players from the portal.

And to move the system further away from alignment with the international system as the USA struggles with development compared to other nations.

Smh. What idiots...

I'm sure if someone could have explained the development benefits of being aligned with international play the whole push would have stalled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So US Soccer is going to align to school year instead of birth year for the purposes of college recruiting...

As college sports is imploding and undergoing a massive re-shift under NIL, roster limits, athletes eventually becoming employees.

As college teams rely more on international players and taking older players from the portal.

And to move the system further away from alignment with the international system as the USA struggles with development compared to other nations.

Smh. What idiots...

Follow the money...

This is a money grab by ECNL around tournaments. ECNL is also trying to be very clear that they train players fir playing in college not playing professionally.

The leagues that focus on younger players just want an easier way to group teams.