ECNL moving to school year part 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like 3 or more anecdotes in the last few days of mlsn going to sy. Maybe they are the same person and fake or maybe writing is on the wall

Or maybe its the same person spreading the rumor to multiple parents and coaches.

Until MLS Next makes an announcement none of it matters.

Specific clubs are being named so I think it’s more likely that people are being truthful. You’re right though, nothing for sure until mlsnext announces it.

So I asked my club director today. He said no official announcement from MLSN about the age changing and as far as he knows it’s still BY. But he did say they had a coaches meeting and many directors told MLSN that it would be a nightmare to manage every other team as 8/1 and just boys as 1/1.

I spoke with our DOC and he said complaining about managing different groupings is ridiculious. He also told me your DOC is a pansy.

Well he said many MLSN directors complained which means there’s a lot of pansy club directors which doesn’t surprise for a sport like men’s soccer.

Let me tell you a secret...

BY teams can always play up in SY in
tournamants if they want to participate.

But because MLSN is the top league for boys soccer if ECNL teams what to play against the top teams they'll need to play up.

Its one or the other.

lol, it’s Mr. Ugh, he still can’t let go…

What does this comment mean?

[Anonymous]

Guess my report of loudoun is questionable. Fair. Here's more details. Coaches of 2 different teams in boys 2014 asked players who has a birthday between Aug and December. One coach, according to my kid, said because MLS is going school year (didnt specify when, didnt clarify if both MLS homegrown and academy). According to my son, 2 kids on his team raised their hands. The coach did not take notes/write anything down. Didn't seem to be any follow up either. Parent on the other boys team said their coach did the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guess my report of loudoun is questionable. Fair. Here's more details. Coaches of 2 different teams in boys 2014 asked players who has a birthday between Aug and December. One coach, according to my kid, said because MLS is going school year (didnt specify when, didnt clarify if both MLS homegrown and academy). According to my son, 2 kids on his team raised their hands. The coach did not take notes/write anything down. Didn't seem to be any follow up either. Parent on the other boys team said their coach did the same thing.

Might be coaches hedging their bets based on rumors.

Might also be coaches identifying players that would consider switching to a SY team.

Hard to say unless MLSN makes an official statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guess my report of loudoun is questionable. Fair. Here's more details. Coaches of 2 different teams in boys 2014 asked players who has a birthday between Aug and December. One coach, according to my kid, said because MLS is going school year (didnt specify when, didnt clarify if both MLS homegrown and academy). According to my son, 2 kids on his team raised their hands. The coach did not take notes/write anything down. Didn't seem to be any follow up either. Parent on the other boys team said their coach did the same thing.

Might be coaches hedging their bets based on rumors.

Might also be coaches identifying players that would consider switching to a SY team.

Hard to say unless MLSN makes an official statement.

This sounds most likely. If clubs think there is a good chance of 8/1 happening they will start looking at rosters and planning now. If it ends up not happening, no damage done other than wasted time. Sounds like more than rumors though, we are getting the same line about it being too difficult to manage u8-u12 SY teams and then a mix of SY and BY at u13 and up.

I also find it interesting that there are only two August to December birthdays on the team. What level is the team?

[Anonymous]

In 2014 boys, there seem to be about 8 Aug to December on top 3 teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In 2014 boys, there seem to be about 8 Aug to December on top 3 teams.

So less than 25% of kids across 5 birth months? Wow, that’s lower than I thought it would be.

I wonder how many Aug-Dec kids would challenge for a spot on a top 8/1 team, particularly in the u11-u14ish age ranges. With how competitive the boys side is, there doesn’t seem to be a large number of those birth months left playing at a high level by 9v9 and 11v11 ages.

[Anonymous]

Thats the question: How many have stuck with it. I think the answer is Damn few. My trapped son plays on a ECNL team. My son starts and plays full games. I can honestly say we are only aware of 3 other kids in the whole leage that are in the same situation.

For trapped kids born 2012 or earlier they have never played with younger kids in their whole soccer career. Next year will be a huge change for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats the question: How many have stuck with it. I think the answer is Damn few. My trapped son plays on a ECNL team. My son starts and plays full games. I can honestly say we are only aware of 3 other kids in the whole leage that are in the same situation.

For trapped kids born 2012 or earlier they have never played with younger kids in their whole soccer career. Next year will be a huge change for them.

There are a ton on 2nd teams at big clubs. The ones I am most familiar with are anywhere from 30% to 40% and most are very technical, just smaller (and this is even more true at the younger age groups)... I imagine they will go to multiple tryouts and will not have a problem getting a first team spot. Having been through this before as coach at a large club back in 2016, I don't think people understand how big the shakeup will be (though it will be smaller on the girls side I think). I coached a 2nd team at the time and all of the Jan - July bdays I had (about half the team) got first team spots with us or at bigger/better clubs. Plenty of former first team players were suddenly second team players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thats the question: How many have stuck with it. I think the answer is Damn few. My trapped son plays on a ECNL team. My son starts and plays full games. I can honestly say we are only aware of 3 other kids in the whole leage that are in the same situation.

For trapped kids born 2012 or earlier they have never played with younger kids in their whole soccer career. Next year will be a huge change for them.

There are a ton on 2nd teams at big clubs. The ones I am most familiar with are anywhere from 30% to 40% and most are very technical, just smaller (and this is even more true at the younger age groups)... I imagine they will go to multiple tryouts and will not have a problem getting a first team spot. Having been through this before as coach at a large club back in 2016, I don't think people understand how big the shakeup will be (though it will be smaller on the girls side I think). I coached a 2nd team at the time and all of the Jan - July bdays I had (about half the team) got first team spots with us or at bigger/better clubs. Plenty of former first team players were suddenly second team players.

This x1000

Its also why big clubs wont allow Aug birthdays to play on a grade down A team. Either you're good enough to play on your grades A team or you get moved to your grades B team.

Will some terrible club that struggles to field players allow Aug birthdays to play down a grade? Probably, but these type of clubs won't win because nobody wants to play on teams or for clubs like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like 3 or more anecdotes in the last few days of mlsn going to sy. Maybe they are the same person and fake or maybe writing is on the wall

Or maybe its the same person spreading the rumor to multiple parents and coaches.

Until MLS Next makes an announcement none of it matters.

Specific clubs are being named so I think it’s more likely that people are being truthful. You’re right though, nothing for sure until mlsnext announces it.

So I asked my club director today. He said no official announcement from MLSN about the age changing and as far as he knows it’s still BY. But he did say they had a coaches meeting and many directors told MLSN that it would be a nightmare to manage every other team as 8/1 and just boys as 1/1.

It makes perfect sense.

On the one hand, the U12s who play SY would have a jump to U13s if MLS Next remains BY, which would leave many players hanging.

On the other hand, a player, within the same club, could play in two different age systems depending on whether he plays in MLS Next (BY) or USYS (SY) National League, as is our case. This makes it impossible to complete rosters with any consistency.

It seems logical to me that MLS Next P2P clubs would want to switch to SY.

As for the MLS academies, this year they are playing 1 year up (and having hard results), but if they remain BY they would only be playing 5 months up.

So SY for p2p MLS Next and BY for MLS Next academies and everyone is happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thats the question: How many have stuck with it. I think the answer is Damn few. My trapped son plays on a ECNL team. My son starts and plays full games. I can honestly say we are only aware of 3 other kids in the whole leage that are in the same situation.

For trapped kids born 2012 or earlier they have never played with younger kids in their whole soccer career. Next year will be a huge change for them.

There are a ton on 2nd teams at big clubs. The ones I am most familiar with are anywhere from 30% to 40% and most are very technical, just smaller (and this is even more true at the younger age groups)... I imagine they will go to multiple tryouts and will not have a problem getting a first team spot. Having been through this before as coach at a large club back in 2016, I don't think people understand how big the shakeup will be (though it will be smaller on the girls side I think). I coached a 2nd team at the time and all of the Jan - July bdays I had (about half the team) got first team spots with us or at bigger/better clubs. Plenty of former first team players were suddenly second team players.

This x1000

Its also why big clubs wont allow Aug birthdays to play on a grade down A team. Either you're good enough to play on your grades A team or you get moved to your grades B team.

Will some terrible club that struggles to field players allow Aug birthdays to play down a grade? Probably, but these type of clubs won't win because nobody wants to play on teams or for clubs like this.

They won't care about which grade. They'll care about fielding the best teams with the players who are available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like 3 or more anecdotes in the last few days of mlsn going to sy. Maybe they are the same person and fake or maybe writing is on the wall

Or maybe its the same person spreading the rumor to multiple parents and coaches.

Until MLS Next makes an announcement none of it matters.

Specific clubs are being named so I think it’s more likely that people are being truthful. You’re right though, nothing for sure until mlsnext announces it.

So I asked my club director today. He said no official announcement from MLSN about the age changing and as far as he knows it’s still BY. But he did say they had a coaches meeting and many directors told MLSN that it would be a nightmare to manage every other team as 8/1 and just boys as 1/1.

It makes perfect sense.

On the one hand, the U12s who play SY would have a jump to U13s if MLS Next remains BY, which would leave many players hanging.

On the other hand, a player, within the same club, could play in two different age systems depending on whether he plays in MLS Next (BY) or USYS (SY) National League, as is our case. This makes it impossible to complete rosters with any consistency.

It seems logical to me that MLS Next P2P clubs would want to switch to SY.

As for the MLS academies, this year they are playing 1 year up (and having hard results), but if they remain BY they would only be playing 5 months up.

So SY for p2p MLS Next and BY for MLS Next academies and everyone is happy.

Our club jumped the gun and did the age group changes for the top team U littles this year. My daughters 14/15 team is now 6 of 12 fall 2014s all from previous 2nd and 3rd teams and lower teams. YMMV but that was a pretty shocking shake up.

[Anonymous]

WOW that is shocking!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thats the question: How many have stuck with it. I think the answer is Damn few. My trapped son plays on a ECNL team. My son starts and plays full games. I can honestly say we are only aware of 3 other kids in the whole leage that are in the same situation.

For trapped kids born 2012 or earlier they have never played with younger kids in their whole soccer career. Next year will be a huge change for them.

There are a ton on 2nd teams at big clubs. The ones I am most familiar with are anywhere from 30% to 40% and most are very technical, just smaller (and this is even more true at the younger age groups)... I imagine they will go to multiple tryouts and will not have a problem getting a first team spot. Having been through this before as coach at a large club back in 2016, I don't think people understand how big the shakeup will be (though it will be smaller on the girls side I think). I coached a 2nd team at the time and all of the Jan - July bdays I had (about half the team) got first team spots with us or at bigger/better clubs. Plenty of former first team players were suddenly second team players.

This x1000

Its also why big clubs wont allow Aug birthdays to play on a grade down A team. Either you're good enough to play on your grades A team or you get moved to your grades B team.

Will some terrible club that struggles to field players allow Aug birthdays to play down a grade? Probably, but these type of clubs won't win because nobody wants to play on teams or for clubs like this.

They won't care about which grade. They'll care about fielding the best teams with the players who are available.

Not true. Our club is having individual conversations with the August and Sept birthdays, which include my DD. She is a Sept birthday who went to school on time and wants to continue to play with her grade. Coaches are encouraging girls with the Aug/Sept to stay with their grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thats the question: How many have stuck with it. I think the answer is Damn few. My trapped son plays on a ECNL team. My son starts and plays full games. I can honestly say we are only aware of 3 other kids in the whole leage that are in the same situation.

For trapped kids born 2012 or earlier they have never played with younger kids in their whole soccer career. Next year will be a huge change for them.

There are a ton on 2nd teams at big clubs. The ones I am most familiar with are anywhere from 30% to 40% and most are very technical, just smaller (and this is even more true at the younger age groups)... I imagine they will go to multiple tryouts and will not have a problem getting a first team spot. Having been through this before as coach at a large club back in 2016, I don't think people understand how big the shakeup will be (though it will be smaller on the girls side I think). I coached a 2nd team at the time and all of the Jan - July bdays I had (about half the team) got first team spots with us or at bigger/better clubs. Plenty of former first team players were suddenly second team players.

Curious why you think this won't be as big of a shake up for girls?