ECNL moving to school year part 2

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Ok so you're admitting that you dont have a copy of the rules and that they arent drafted yet.

Stop being a know it all and shut up. You have no idea whats been or what will be in the rules for next season.

Maybe a special rule for MLSN/GA but the other leagues are acting in concert and it would be too late for them to coordinate on a special qualifier that goes against the current age criteria. If there is a problem it will take a year to develop and a year to implement, they could fix it for the 2028-29 season.

Again, you are just making things up.

US Club could easily add a "guidance" that players should play with their grade in school team not on a grade down team even when playing down is technically possible.

Do this and leagues dont even need to police the action. Clubs will get the hint and so will parents and group players by grade.

Boom 💥 by u14 all players on teams are the same grade in school.

The problem is people don't want GY. Gotta let the new rules have arun way to work for a few years first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Most people dont understand groupings in that much detail. This allows people like yourself to say things like XYZ isnt possible or ABC doesnt work. You have no proof for your statements and are saying them because your end goal is to introduce GY into youth soccer.

When people have more information about whats possible. Especially something simple like adding a rule into SY that younger players must play woth their grade more educated and informed decisions. will be made.

Let's see which groups wouldn't like a rule saying younger players must play with their grade team.

1. Older holdbacks that want to play on a team with younger players.
2. Younger players that started school too early. These players probabaly wont make an A team either way but why did their parents choose to enroll them early in school. Was it because they wanted them to compete / associate with older kids? Same thing happens in sports. Play up and you'll get better faster.

3. Everybody but you.

You are hypocritically introducing grades in the grouping which is a big step towards GY while accusing other that don't want grades as a criteria of being pro-GY. It makes no sense.

People dont mind grouping by grade.

People hate GY because holdbacks 1-2 years older exploit the rules to play on teams with younger players.

SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team with their grade in school Is what people want. You get groupings by grade but holdbacks cant participate by playing down.

Grouping by grade is GY. They picked SY which like BY us a 12 month window and players can document their grouping with accepted government documents. It's over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Oh how I wish he would listen to this post because that would mean a high likelihood of never hearing from him again.

But this may be his only social outlet so very doubtful he ever stops posting.

But at least he is no longer telling everyone how wrong they are about GA moving to SY😂

For now keep lobbying DCUM for no more anonymous posters or a mute button based on IP. Or at least publish the IP.

I wonder if this thread would have had a real positive discussion if this August crazy hater didn't take the oxygen out of the room with their constant harping for special treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Ok so you're admitting that you dont have a copy of the rules and that they arent drafted yet.

Stop being a know it all and shut up. You have no idea whats been or what will be in the rules for next season.

Maybe a special rule for MLSN/GA but the other leagues are acting in concert and it would be too late for them to coordinate on a special qualifier that goes against the current age criteria. If there is a problem it will take a year to develop and a year to implement, they could fix it for the 2028-29 season.

Again, you are just making things up.

US Club could easily add a "guidance" that players should play with their grade in school team not on a grade down team even when playing down is technically possible.

Do this and leagues dont even need to police the action. Clubs will get the hint and so will parents and group players by grade.

Boom 💥 by u14 all players on teams are the same grade in school.

The problem is people don't want GY. Gotta let the new rules have arun way to work for a few years first.

its not GY its SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team thats their grade in school.

What dont you understand?

And I love you're "gotta let the new rules have runway" comment. So you can spend this time lobbying for GY at Showcases? Give me a break you are so dishonest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Ok so you're admitting that you dont have a copy of the rules and that they arent drafted yet.

Stop being a know it all and shut up. You have no idea whats been or what will be in the rules for next season.

Maybe a special rule for MLSN/GA but the other leagues are acting in concert and it would be too late for them to coordinate on a special qualifier that goes against the current age criteria. If there is a problem it will take a year to develop and a year to implement, they could fix it for the 2028-29 season.

Again, you are just making things up.

US Club could easily add a "guidance" that players should play with their grade in school team not on a grade down team even when playing down is technically possible.

Do this and leagues dont even need to police the action. Clubs will get the hint and so will parents and group players by grade.

Boom 💥 by u14 all players on teams are the same grade in school.

The problem is people don't want GY. Gotta let the new rules have arun way to work for a few years first.

its not GY its SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team thats their grade in school.

What dont you understand?

And I love your "gotta let the new rules have runway" comment. So you can spend this time lobbying for GY at Showcases? Give me a break you are so dishonest.

So are you only talking about forcing up kids born after aug1st or to play in the older age group? If so why would you want to do that?

[Anonymous]

In case anyone needs/wants/(should) skip the last 50 pages. The date is 8/1-7/31. There are no exceptions. Anything else posted is pure speculation mainly by 1 poster who for some reason thinks arguing here matters.

Still waiting on official announcement from MLS, but everyone else is on the new date.

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Anonymous wrote:Haven't checked-in in a couple weeks. Anything new? Looked back a few pages and arguing with the crazy August guy (and his multiple personas) seems to be the only action.

MLSN still being silent on the issue (even after their partner GA announced SY) is baffling to me. I know their communications have always been slow (case in point, they didn't announce the actual name of MLSN2 until what, August), but I don't see what benefit it can be at this point to stay mum. Unless they just enjoy watching ECNL sweat. I talked to a few directors (one MLSN1 and two MLSN2) in the last month and they were all over the place on what they thought was going to happen and all had heard absolutely nothing official.

I don’t think mlsnext has a plan. I think they were full steam ahead BY not realizing the difficulty that would cause their clubs. Do they care now? Who knows.

MLS Next doesn't own or run clubs
It's a league

A league that doesn't concern with what all the lower leagues are doing

Lower leagues are their pipeline. If either or both MLSN leagues stay BY, they will lose a year's worth of 9v9 experience. They also lose out on cumulative RAE effect for the majority of better players to that point that were on SY registration, pushing those players to find an alternative SY league. MLSN is a business first. You know that, but you are just trying to start an argument.

Their top tier is losing money left and right. The league is dependent on money from p2p mlsn 1 and 2 clubs. The league has to think through issues to staying BY to ensure they are still financially viable.

1. How to expand mlsn1 in the future when all outside clubs are 8/1
2. What to do about mlsn2 and how to make a second tier league attractive. They wouldn’t have created mlsn2 if they didn’t need the money.
3. How to keep aug-dec in the mlsn pathway when teams switch from 8/1 to 1/1. A certain number can play down?

If the league has a plan for these issues that allows them to stay BY good for them. The attitude that “mlsn is the best and can do whatever it wants” is not going to lead anywhere good.

Man, talk about just making stuff up for argument sake lol

I think you have no idea how MLSNext works.

MLS academies are a minority of MLSNext.

P2P clubs’ interest is MLS Next moving to SY, otherwise they won’t be able to self organize.

So P2P clubs are more important than the Major League Soccer pipeline and USYNT?

Yes, they are.

P2P are the core for the MLSNext 1/2 business model started last year with the recent creation of the MLS Next Academy Division (pure business Pay To Play soccer).

MLS Next 1 P2P clubs, plus the whole MLS Next 2 (all P2P) have nothing to do with MLS pipeline and USYNT.

I think you haven’t realized that last year MLS Next changed in a direction very different that when it was founded.

This new MLSNext 1/2 is incompatible (to be successful) with a BY system, due to the fact that the whole rest of US soccer has moved to SY.

100% P2P MLS1 has no real connection to the actual MLS Next (aka MLS Academy) — other than one token game a year to play down against a younger MLS Academy team. Any attempt to link it to a professional pathway is just marketing scam and a joke.

There is no “actual” MLS Next different than Homegrown and Academy divisions, where in both divisions P2P clubs OUTNUMBER by a lot to MLS academies.

MLS Next decided to separate of a pure professional pathway when they decided to incorporate dozens of P2P clubs to the 2 leagues.

MLS Next big money comes from P2P clubs parents, not from MLS academies.

By the way my son is a 2011 U15 (starter and max scorer) at a MLS academy, playing at U16 because this year MLS academies are playing 1 year up, and being beaten badly many times by U16 P2P clubs.

Believe me, coaches and staff are infuriated with MLS Next forcing academies to play 1 year up.

What do you think mlsn does next year regarding the age cutoff?

I believe the best solution for everybody would be:

1) MLS Next Homegrown/Academy divisions moving to SY, so that P2P clubs can organize all their age categories in an orderly manner, and not breaking the U12 pipeline to U13. From business point of view MLS Next could grow and face ECNL.

2) MLS academies playing MLS Next Homegrown (SY) but assembling their teams with a BY age cutoff. In that way they would play 5 months up, what would add an extra challenging effort, and also would be aligned with international, professional and USYNs interests.

This makes too much sense so I doubt it will happen lol! I actually expect them to say they aren't changing anything*.

*Biobands will now be allowed strictly on an age basis so that Q4s can play 'down'.

So BY+SY, with the age range being 17 months on a given team? Great idea, that won’t be problematic at all.

We already have Q1/Q2 players biobanding down in our team, who are 21 months older than my son! We will move to ECNL next season.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Adding a rule forces far too many younger players into the 12-month window, especially in states where this is more prevalent. And at higher-level teams, you'll be taking away spots from kids who are properly in the correct 12-month window. I can hear the parents griping now -- well, we had to take that younger kid -- it's a rule! That's not helpful.

At most theres a potential variance of 3 months and these are edge case situations with very few actual teams affected.

Then a rule isn't needed, because mandating it means MORE players who have to play up because of a rule and not based on ability. It should be all about ability and flexibility -- otherwise it'll be a disaster.

Hahaha so I see you've switched to argueing for BY again 🤣

Not in the least. This rule -- if adopted -- would favor players currently favored in BY by reducing the number of players from Aug-Oct and making them the youngest on the teams -- whether they are good enough or not. Also, you of all people -- who have long argued about kids losing a spot -- should understand that younger kids, even on a B team, shouldn't knock out someone who is legitimately in an age group and has no other options. It's like you want special treatment for these Aug-Oct kids to play up, rather than ability.

Wow the mental gymnastics are stunning.

BY players born in 1/1 will be 5 months younger that SY players in rare edge cases they'll still be 2 months younger. There is no situation where a BY player will ever have an advantage over SY.

There's no gymnastics here -- just a lack of imagination to see things globally. All things being equal -- if you have a sizable cohort of AugOct forced to play up, Q1 players will benefit because they'll have fewer older players to compete with and additional younger players than they otherwise would have. It's as simple as that. It's what happens when you add perhaps well-meaning rules but ones that would not benefit soccerwise most forced to play up. Developmentally, they're more likely to benefit to play age until they hit HS OR whenever they're good enough on the field to play with grade.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Most people dont understand groupings in that much detail. This allows people like yourself to say things like XYZ isnt possible or ABC doesnt work. You have no proof for your statements and are saying them because your end goal is to introduce GY into youth soccer.

When people have more information about whats possible. Especially something simple like adding a rule into SY that younger players must play woth their grade more educated and informed decisions. will be made.

Let's see which groups wouldn't like a rule saying younger players must play with their grade team.

1. Older holdbacks that want to play on a team with younger players.
2. Younger players that started school too early. These players probabaly wont make an A team either way but why did their parents choose to enroll them early in school. Was it because they wanted them to compete / associate with older kids? Same thing happens in sports. Play up and you'll get better faster.

3. Everybody but you.

You are hypocritically introducing grades in the grouping which is a big step towards GY while accusing other that don't want grades as a criteria of being pro-GY. It makes no sense.

People dont mind grouping by grade.

People hate GY because holdbacks 1-2 years older exploit the rules to play on teams with younger players.

SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team with their grade in school Is what people want. You get groupings by grade but holdbacks cant participate by playing down.

No, YOU don't mind grouping by grade. Clearly, a bunch of people here have good questions about doing that. No one benefits by giving special treatment to allow players to play up based on something not related to ability. No one. It takes spots away from kids who are in the age group AND it potentially hurts the younger kids if they aren't ready to do it (as well as the clubs -- who probably then struggle to win against teams who don't do this).

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Ok so you're admitting that you dont have a copy of the rules and that they arent drafted yet.

Stop being a know it all and shut up. You have no idea whats been or what will be in the rules for next season.

Maybe a special rule for MLSN/GA but the other leagues are acting in concert and it would be too late for them to coordinate on a special qualifier that goes against the current age criteria. If there is a problem it will take a year to develop and a year to implement, they could fix it for the 2028-29 season.

Again, you are just making things up.

US Club could easily add a "guidance" that players should play with their grade in school team not on a grade down team even when playing down is technically possible.

Do this and leagues dont even need to police the action. Clubs will get the hint and so will parents and group players by grade.

Boom 💥 by u14 all players on teams are the same grade in school.

The problem is people don't want GY. Gotta let the new rules have arun way to work for a few years first.

its not GY its SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team thats their grade in school.

What dont you understand?

And I love your "gotta let the new rules have runway" comment. So you can spend this time lobbying for GY at Showcases? Give me a break you are so dishonest.

So are you only talking about forcing up kids born after aug1st or to play in the older age group? If so why would you want to do that?

it alignes SY 8/1-7/31 so all the players playing games are the same grade. This makes things easy for college recruiters. (and parents, and clubs, and etc)

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Adding a rule forces far too many younger players into the 12-month window, especially in states where this is more prevalent. And at higher-level teams, you'll be taking away spots from kids who are properly in the correct 12-month window. I can hear the parents griping now -- well, we had to take that younger kid -- it's a rule! That's not helpful.

At most theres a potential variance of 3 months and these are edge case situations with very few actual teams affected.

Then a rule isn't needed, because mandating it means MORE players who have to play up because of a rule and not based on ability. It should be all about ability and flexibility -- otherwise it'll be a disaster.

Hahaha so I see you've switched to argueing for BY again 🤣

Not in the least. This rule -- if adopted -- would favor players currently favored in BY by reducing the number of players from Aug-Oct and making them the youngest on the teams -- whether they are good enough or not. Also, you of all people -- who have long argued about kids losing a spot -- should understand that younger kids, even on a B team, shouldn't knock out someone who is legitimately in an age group and has no other options. It's like you want special treatment for these Aug-Oct kids to play up, rather than ability.

Wow the mental gymnastics are stunning.

BY players born in 1/1 will be 5 months younger that SY players in rare edge cases they'll still be 2 months younger. There is no situation where a BY player will ever have an advantage over SY.

There's no gymnastics here -- just a lack of imagination to see things globally. All things being equal -- if you have a sizable cohort of AugOct forced to play up, Q1 players will benefit because they'll have fewer older players to compete with and additional younger players than they otherwise would have. It's as simple as that. It's what happens when you add perhaps well-meaning rules but ones that would not benefit soccerwise most forced to play up. Developmentally, they're more likely to benefit to play age until they hit HS OR whenever they're good enough on the field to play with grade.

This is what B teams that are young players grade in school are for.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Adding a rule forces far too many younger players into the 12-month window, especially in states where this is more prevalent. And at higher-level teams, you'll be taking away spots from kids who are properly in the correct 12-month window. I can hear the parents griping now -- well, we had to take that younger kid -- it's a rule! That's not helpful.

At most theres a potential variance of 3 months and these are edge case situations with very few actual teams affected.

Then a rule isn't needed, because mandating it means MORE players who have to play up because of a rule and not based on ability. It should be all about ability and flexibility -- otherwise it'll be a disaster.

Hahaha so I see you've switched to argueing for BY again 🤣

Not in the least. This rule -- if adopted -- would favor players currently favored in BY by reducing the number of players from Aug-Oct and making them the youngest on the teams -- whether they are good enough or not. Also, you of all people -- who have long argued about kids losing a spot -- should understand that younger kids, even on a B team, shouldn't knock out someone who is legitimately in an age group and has no other options. It's like you want special treatment for these Aug-Oct kids to play up, rather than ability.

Wow the mental gymnastics are stunning.

BY players born in 1/1 will be 5 months younger that SY players in rare edge cases they'll still be 2 months younger. There is no situation where a BY player will ever have an advantage over SY.

There's no gymnastics here -- just a lack of imagination to see things globally. All things being equal -- if you have a sizable cohort of AugOct forced to play up, Q1 players will benefit because they'll have fewer older players to compete with and additional younger players than they otherwise would have. It's as simple as that. It's what happens when you add perhaps well-meaning rules but ones that would not benefit soccerwise most forced to play up. Developmentally, they're more likely to benefit to play age until they hit HS OR whenever they're good enough on the field to play with grade.

And thats the point of these gymnastics. +30 & forced play ups etc. The people with kids on first teams dont want to lose what they have.

I hear people talking about their teams development etc right now with no regards to the change that will completely change the rosters across all levels.

Team sucess coulndt mean less right now its all about YOUR player now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Ok so you're admitting that you dont have a copy of the rules and that they arent drafted yet.

Stop being a know it all and shut up. You have no idea whats been or what will be in the rules for next season.

Maybe a special rule for MLSN/GA but the other leagues are acting in concert and it would be too late for them to coordinate on a special qualifier that goes against the current age criteria. If there is a problem it will take a year to develop and a year to implement, they could fix it for the 2028-29 season.

Again, you are just making things up.

US Club could easily add a "guidance" that players should play with their grade in school team not on a grade down team even when playing down is technically possible.

Do this and leagues dont even need to police the action. Clubs will get the hint and so will parents and group players by grade.

Boom 💥 by u14 all players on teams are the same grade in school.

The problem is people don't want GY. Gotta let the new rules have arun way to work for a few years first.

its not GY its SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team thats their grade in school.

What dont you understand?

And I love your "gotta let the new rules have runway" comment. So you can spend this time lobbying for GY at Showcases? Give me a break you are so dishonest.

So are you only talking about forcing up kids born after aug1st or to play in the older age group? If so why would you want to do that?

it alignes SY 8/1-7/31 so all the players playing games are the same grade. This makes things easy for college recruiters. (and parents, and clubs, and etc)

BUT not the kids! It may be good at various points if they get to play with their friends who might be in the same grade. That's great for the rec level. But if you force everyone to do it, you'll be making these kids play younger than they otherwise would have to -- a distinct disadvantage. So, you'll have a few that survive and become top players, but those are the unicorns that would make it anyway. If you truly want to help a marginal kid, one with decent talent and hard work, you'd play them by age, especially at first. And you'd give them the flexibility to play up when they were good enough on the field and not force anything. You like to go on about these misaligned kids being unrecruitable. Well, if you force them to play up, they won't get recruited either, because they'll be the ones most likely to quit early or go to a different sport. Congrats!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Nobody cares about GY and nobody cares about your weird August vendetta. It is just you and your personas.

I care, and I think its a very good idea. You seem like the only one with a vendetta. Might want to update your responses because it looks like your arch enemy expanded scope by not calling out Aug in reference to younger players.

You are the same person. No one cares. Move on. It is great you think it is good idea but the rules are already set and done. If you feel this passionately about it, go lobby your local club to put in place your weird August grade rules. I'm sure they will be all over it.

You've received a copy of the 2026/27 league rules? You know the one leagues haven't released yet. Just stop lieing. Even after the rules are released leagues can add amendments whenever they want.

Stop man. The decision is done. Every league (excepting MLSN) will run standard SY 8/1-7/31 as suggested. There are no amendments to that and there will be none. Just like how there are none now.

Why not stop making these arguments now and just wait for the 'rules' to come out so you can wave all of the August grade rules in everyone's faces? That will feel great won't it? So please, just stop until then.

Ok so you're admitting that you dont have a copy of the rules and that they arent drafted yet.

Stop being a know it all and shut up. You have no idea whats been or what will be in the rules for next season.

Maybe a special rule for MLSN/GA but the other leagues are acting in concert and it would be too late for them to coordinate on a special qualifier that goes against the current age criteria. If there is a problem it will take a year to develop and a year to implement, they could fix it for the 2028-29 season.

Again, you are just making things up.

US Club could easily add a "guidance" that players should play with their grade in school team not on a grade down team even when playing down is technically possible.

Do this and leagues dont even need to police the action. Clubs will get the hint and so will parents and group players by grade.

Boom 💥 by u14 all players on teams are the same grade in school.

The problem is people don't want GY. Gotta let the new rules have arun way to work for a few years first.

its not GY its SY 8/1-7/31 with a rule that younger players must play on a team thats their grade in school.

What dont you understand?

And I love your "gotta let the new rules have runway" comment. So you can spend this time lobbying for GY at Showcases? Give me a break you are so dishonest.

So are you only talking about forcing up kids born after aug1st or to play in the older age group? If so why would you want to do that?

it alignes SY 8/1-7/31 so all the players playing games are the same grade. This makes things easy for college recruiters. (and parents, and clubs, and etc)

BUT not the kids! It may be good at various points if they get to play with their friends who might be in the same grade. That's great for the rec level. But if you force everyone to do it, you'll be making these kids play younger than they otherwise would have to -- a distinct disadvantage. So, you'll have a few that survive and become top players, but those are the unicorns that would make it anyway. If you truly want to help a marginal kid, one with decent talent and hard work, you'd play them by age, especially at first. And you'd give them the flexibility to play up when they were good enough on the field and not force anything. You like to go on about these misaligned kids being unrecruitable. Well, if you force them to play up, they won't get recruited either, because they'll be the ones most likely to quit early or go to a different sport. Congrats!

They are welcome to play on the B team with their grade.

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Anonymous wrote:So talking with a friend of mine at the ECNL showcase this weekend. Also I’ll say he told me last summer at surf cup about the age change that was coming and has some very reliable people that he knows. Here is the info I got. It sounds like the Aug hater might get their way and kids will play within their grade within the new 12 month window.
Well sort of…

According to him ECNL is most likely breaking into 3 different groups. Youngers U10-12 and U13-15 and older recruiting ages U16,17,19.
U10-15 will no longer play showcases but will have various cups throughout the year with divisions and tournament champions. Strong RL teams will be invited to these as well.

U10-15 will be based only off the Aug to July 12 month window. However U16/17 will be based off players grades between that 12 month window. So some kids will be pushed up for showcases so they will play against kids within their same grade. League play is still tbd. He didn’t know for sure.
U19 will be for any player who is a senior in high school, age will not matter as long as they are under 19 at the start their club season.

He also has more questions than answers at this point but this is what’s being discussed by ECNL/US Club admin team.

This is already happening? The ECNL showcase this weekend is up to U15 which are the non recruited age groups.
I like the idea of getting away from showcases and adding cups with strong RL teams is smart because that will attract more players to RL.

This won’t be a big change and aligning kids within their same grade U16 and up for showcases to me isn’t a big deal as showcases are meant for recruiting.

I don’t think clubs should or will force players up for league play as they want to be competitive and show how strong their teams are. Kids can always play up if they are capable and willing.

As long as results from showcases don’t matter I completely agree.

They do in ECNL not sure about GA

They do this year. It should be obvious but that would have to change if they were going to use GY for showcases sophomore year and up next year.

Nothing would change for league play, it would still be 8/1-7/31.

I find it hard to believe people would care a ton about exhibition showcases but my kids are aligned so I don't care much either way.

I highly doubt this would work.

Currently theres 3 levels at showcases. Mixing everyone together on the same teams would be 1/3 the amount of games. Assuming they stuck with the one game per day rule.

On top of that Sophmores would get screwed out of their recruitment opportunity when they're the players colleges coaches want to see the most.

I’m not understanding this.. please explain how sophomores are losing out.
I really don’t understand so break it down for me. Please and thank you.

It all depends on how GY showcases are defined. If its purely by grade only what will happen is parents will hold their kid back in school usually up to 2x. This will make them an 18 year old Sophmore. In league games they'd need to play on the u18/u19 team but at showcases they could play on the Sophmore u16 and u17 team.

Do you want holdbacks that are 2 years older than your kid playing with /against them at showcases?

That’s who you are competing with for college spots.

League games are for competition first with some recruiting. Showcases are for recruiting only. They are not the same.

Parents when people tell you who they are listen to them.

The people that dont want a SY 8/1-7/31 rule that younger players play on a team with their grade. Don't want this because they know it will kill GY and players playing 1-2 years down on ECNL teams. They want club soccer to be like HS Soccer.

How is a 2010 player playing 2011 or 2012 in ECNL today?

They want ECNL to adopt the MLS biobanding bullshit, so they can play down to cheat.

Do some reading on Relative Age Effect and biobanding in how it's been used for many years in Europe effectively

Only in the true Academy teams, not in P2P clubs. ECNL leadership is very firm on not letting biobanding slip in.

Instead of biobanding ECNL uses the term "u18/u19" also many of the parents on this thread think ECNL will use "GY at Showcases".

Apparently playing down is good when we do it. But everyone else is a cheater.

This is how GY sneaks into youth sports. Generally some sob story edge case is used as the justification. Once implemented real players exploit the rule and sob story edge case never sees the field.

Instead of all the shell games just add a rule to SY 8/1-7/31 that says younger players must play on the team thats their grade in school.

If you do this parents wont be able to push for GY any more because all players on the field at games will be the same grade. Also no player will be older than 8/1 that grade/year. The GY parents that want to play their 1 or 2 year holdbacks down on your kids team wont matter and nobody will listen to them because the players on each team are all already the same grade.

Adding a rule forces far too many younger players into the 12-month window, especially in states where this is more prevalent. And at higher-level teams, you'll be taking away spots from kids who are properly in the correct 12-month window. I can hear the parents griping now -- well, we had to take that younger kid -- it's a rule! That's not helpful.

At most theres a potential variance of 3 months and these are edge case situations with very few actual teams affected.

Then a rule isn't needed, because mandating it means MORE players who have to play up because of a rule and not based on ability. It should be all about ability and flexibility -- otherwise it'll be a disaster.

Hahaha so I see you've switched to argueing for BY again 🤣

Not in the least. This rule -- if adopted -- would favor players currently favored in BY by reducing the number of players from Aug-Oct and making them the youngest on the teams -- whether they are good enough or not. Also, you of all people -- who have long argued about kids losing a spot -- should understand that younger kids, even on a B team, shouldn't knock out someone who is legitimately in an age group and has no other options. It's like you want special treatment for these Aug-Oct kids to play up, rather than ability.

Wow the mental gymnastics are stunning.

BY players born in 1/1 will be 5 months younger that SY players in rare edge cases they'll still be 2 months younger. There is no situation where a BY player will ever have an advantage over SY.

There's no gymnastics here -- just a lack of imagination to see things globally. All things being equal -- if you have a sizable cohort of AugOct forced to play up, Q1 players will benefit because they'll have fewer older players to compete with and additional younger players than they otherwise would have. It's as simple as that. It's what happens when you add perhaps well-meaning rules but ones that would not benefit soccerwise most forced to play up. Developmentally, they're more likely to benefit to play age until they hit HS OR whenever they're good enough on the field to play with grade.

This is what B teams that are young players grade in school are for.

I guess you've never met B team parents -- they've got the biggest chip on their shoulders -- Now you'll be adding to it when they'll be forced to add kids who might not be ready because they're 13-15 months younger than the oldest in the group.