US soccer rumors of changing back age groups?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Playing with your grade makes sense. I think it would keep more kids involved in competitive soccer. It is a fact that some athletic kids move on to other sports from lost opportunity. My daughter is young in the ulittles, her best friend is dying to play with her and can't because they are born different years. She is doing rec instead and another sport more competitive. I'm not saying this girl is the next Alex Morgan, or even that she won't end up in travel down the road, but thousands and thousands of these small examples add up for impact on participation. I personally quit soccer way back and moved on to other sports because I couldn't play travel with my grade. I missed the cutoff by a few days. I was able to play other sports with my friends and got more into those. I was nothing special, but again, all these things add up.

The biggest problem to that, however, is that states have different cutoffs. September 1 is by far the most common with some more earlier/later in August or September. Very few, most notably pockets around NY, use calendar year. There's no perfect answer but I say pick something that works for the most people and maybe give a 30-day buffer for an outlier based on that jurisdictions cutoff. Are we really gonna be up in arms if a girl born August 15 plays because that state has August 1st? This really only screws the calendar year school districts, which are a small minority. I have no good solution for that.

For me, the "play with schoolmates" issue is very short-sighted. Yes, there "could" be friends on the same team, but my DD plays on a team with 18 girls and none attend to her school, yes even those in same grade. They come from all over. Think if you live in a dense county or DC even, chances are you live in same MS or HS district will be very rare.

This may be true for megaclubs and older ages, but this is about participation as a whole. In a lot of the country and with smaller clubs, a lot of soccer IS where many of the kids go to school together, or a cluster of schools where people know each other in that town. Kids coming from all over is not the norm for the masses and most of the country. If a change is made, it is to get more little kids into soccer and more to stick with it as they hit the teenage years. The bigger picture is very different than your DDs type of team, albeit many on here also have kids on that type of team.

So, crux is, there is no 'on field' benefit, just to each their own. Blow up clubs - again - for one reason that doesn't benefit a majority. I could easily say then play HS ball and let mega clubs, with girls and boys with aspirations of college and beyond, compete based on the international standard. Likely, US Soccer could make any rules for <U13 and then start playing by "the rules" come U13. Either way, you're blowing up mega teams and competitive teams for those who would "like" to have friends on the team. About as selfish as a reason ever.

I'd actually argue that to harp on about a tiny percentage of elite, older teams at the expense of encouraging greater participation for hundreds of thousands or millions of kids across the country is about as selfish as it gets.

Only reason kids play sports is because of friends? I dont think that is true.

Of course not only, but absolutely it encourages it. I used to coach my daughter's rec team and half the girls started out because they were friends with my daughter and/or parents knowing me. Absolutely positively a resounding "yes" that playing with friends is a big factor at the younger ages. Not the only, and not for all, but for sure a factor for many. Heck, a girl just joined my DDs ulittle travel team who is friends with another girl from school.

Again, not saying it is the only factor, and maybe there are good competitive reasons to keep birth year. But I honestly don't think it is even debatable that being able to play with your grade, and in turn friends, encourages participation. How MUCH it matters in the big picture who knows, but can anyone seriously argue that the birth year rule fosters BETTER youth participation than playing by grade?

Rec can and always were allowed to keep school year. But there is no need in travel. Birth year works just fine. There is always a cutoff and if a kid quits because a friend is on another team then they really were not that into the sport anyway.

This. Our local rec league always sticks two years of kids together anyway, so kids are always playing with half a team that is a year younger or older regardless.

Nothing will cause more kids to quit than another age change. It’s completely unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Heard this is on the agenda to discuss at ECNL conference next web meeting.[/quote]

Nope.

[Anonymous]

With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

[Anonymous]

I think they will do this to boost the numbers up for all leagues except the premier ones. You guys cant beat yourselves up over who is premier and who isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

Without a DA I think you overestimate US Soccer's desire to really make any major changes to the structure of youth soccer anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

Those 8th graders have been with the same teammates since second or third grade, I fail to see how kicking them off the team benefits them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

Those 8th graders have been with the same teammates since second or third grade, I fail to see how kicking them off the team benefits them

Obviously the change itself is disruptive. But going forward, there will be continuity. I completely agree with you - the change is terrible. My kids suffered through it the last time, and you obviously want to protect your own kids. But looking at it from the other side without any personal stake, systemically the benefits of school year age groupings far outweigh the drawbacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

Those 8th graders have been with the same teammates since second or third grade, I fail to see how kicking them off the team benefits them

The cutoff always has trapped kids, it just depends on which end of the spectrum. There is little consequence at 8th grade but for trapped seniors trying to get recruited it is far more impactful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

Those 8th graders have been with the same teammates since second or third grade, I fail to see how kicking them off the team benefits them

The cutoff always has trapped kids, it just depends on which end of the spectrum. There is little consequence at 8th grade but for trapped seniors trying to get recruited it is far more impactful.

DP. Kids didn’t get trapped the same way when it went by school grade, because you didn’t have issue of most of your team playing high school soccer rather than travel for a season when you were still in middle school, or most of your team graduating high school and leaving you behind when you still have a year left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

Those 8th graders have been with the same teammates since second or third grade, I fail to see how kicking them off the team benefits them

The cutoff always has trapped kids, it just depends on which end of the spectrum. There is little consequence at 8th grade but for trapped seniors trying to get recruited it is far more impactful.

DP. Kids didn’t get trapped the same way when it went by school grade, because you didn’t have issue of most of your team playing high school soccer rather than travel for a season when you were still in middle school, or most of your team graduating high school and leaving you behind when you still have a year left.

Trapped is trapped and frankly is league dependent. Some leagues don't shut down for HS soccer and the option to continue on the club team is team, club, league specific. Also, the true number of kids trapped just isn't worth the disruption to still never ultimately solve the problem.

The problem is in trying to reconcile two independent organizations. HS sports are state specific and there is just no need for travel sports to do anything to accommodate HS soccer.

And frankly, the worst case for a trapped 8th grader is 3 months without their specific team when there really just isn't that much on the line. It isn't US Soccer's role to fix something to accommodate another organization.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With COVID having such a major impact to youth soccer, no way in hell is anyone stupid enough to do the age group change.

I would agree, but I think you underestimate the stupidity of US Soccer.

People act like changing back the ages will do something magical. It just creates chaos and different issues. Yes, it's great for kids that are friends to play together at the beginning if possible, but even then who says they will be on the same team if school year? How about making more friends that are on your team now? My child only played with a couple friends before going to club and now has his school friends and his club team friends, none of which go to his school. His passion for soccer has only increased.

It has been articulated over and over again. It isn't just about friends playing together. The move would benefit the trapped 8th graders and HS seniors whose teams have moved on.

Those 8th graders have been with the same teammates since second or third grade, I fail to see how kicking them off the team benefits them

The cutoff always has trapped kids, it just depends on which end of the spectrum. There is little consequence at 8th grade but for trapped seniors trying to get recruited it is far more impactful.

DP. Kids didn’t get trapped the same way when it went by school grade, because you didn’t have issue of most of your team playing high school soccer rather than travel for a season when you were still in middle school, or most of your team graduating high school and leaving you behind when you still have a year left.

Trapped is trapped and frankly is league dependent. Some leagues don't shut down for HS soccer and the option to continue on the club team is team, club, league specific. Also, the true number of kids trapped just isn't worth the disruption to still never ultimately solve the problem.

The problem is in trying to reconcile two independent organizations. HS sports are state specific and there is just no need for travel sports to do anything to accommodate HS soccer.

And frankly, the worst case for a trapped 8th grader is 3 months without their specific team when there really just isn't that much on the line. It isn't US Soccer's role to fix something to accommodate another organization.

Have you lived through this? It is a big deal in 8th grade and senior year. Even worse, I've seen the pressure to keep playing as a team for the 8th graders through the fall HS season which has resulted in numerous and some serious injuries. The switch was made to aid in identifying top talent at the national level. That's a small percentage of players for purposes of the national teams. On the other hand, many more players aim to play in college, and the birth year cut off hurts them.

[Anonymous]

They need to make teams based on a 6 month age band. Jan-June and July to Dec. That would solve a lot of problems.

Most of you should have noticed that the top teams consist of players primarily from the Jan- June birth years...otherords kids with the higher graduation year. For example, look at any U17 ECNL or GA team. About 75 percent of the players are Class of 2022 (some cases more).. About 25 percent are Class of 2023. Same for any 05 team as well.

The only thing the age change accomplished was to change the RAE to benefit the Jan - May birth month kid verse the Sept- Dec birth month kids in order to align birth months with international competition standards.

From a players prospective, it caused the kids with the later birth months to get washed out.

From a development prospective, this is horrible because we are awarding the older player while discarding a large portion of the younger players while kids are still developing and growing. So forth and so on.

Go to six age bands and double the amount of teams per age group. That will begin to solve any of problems. Very simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to make teams based on a 6 month age band. Jan-June and July to Dec. That would solve a lot of problems.

Most of you should have noticed that the top teams consist of players primarily from the Jan- June birth years...otherords kids with the higher graduation year. For example, look at any U17 ECNL or GA team. About 75 percent of the players are Class of 2022 (some cases more).. About 25 percent are Class of 2023. Same for any 05 team as well.

The only thing the age change accomplished was to change the RAE to benefit the Jan - May birth month kid verse the Sept- Dec birth month kids in order to align birth months with international competition standards.

From a players prospective, it caused the kids with the later birth months to get washed out.

From a development prospective, this is horrible because we are awarding the older player while discarding a large portion of the younger players while kids are still developing and growing. So forth and so on.

Go to six age bands and double the amount of teams per age group. That will begin to solve any of problems. Very simple.

That would be fantastic and save the June to December kids from getting discarded. I think that the kids currently in high school born in the second half of the year are particularly disadvantaged due to the switch. The January/February born players were still in the older group under the old age group, and then essentially got an extra year at the same level when the groups changed. The Sept/Oct/Nov kids essentially lost a year, and were more likely to be dropped to second or lower teams, many of them quitting after a few years.