ECNL moving to school year not calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Right, it's like the tail is wagging the dog. One of the top leagues forcing a change to the entire system just to better match the college recruiting cycle AND for a 1-time shake-up where a more savvy club might gain an edge for a year or 2.

Forced? Majority in survey wanted school year. You are discounting school year push from rec soccer and young entry level travel where the bulk of the teams are.

I am not blaming or giving ECNL credit for tossing out birth year. I am blaming USSF of such a ham handed way of going to birth year 7 years ago and ignoring the landscape of the entry into organized soccer for the youngest of kids. It just needed/needs to be fixed. And finally the entire landscape of youth soccer needs to do something about relative age effect.

USSF making decisions for youth soccer is like MLB telling your town how to run their T ball league for 4 year olds and collecting fees. It was always just a power trip and cash grab.

And yes, it’s sort of telling that ECNL rounded up the two largest grassroots orgs to push its agenda, opposed to getting GA and MLSN on board. Also helps to explain why ECNL has been so quiet. The PR has been about “participation” and “trapped players” which isn’t REALLY an ECNL issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

News flash, many if not most ECNL clubs do not allow their players to play HS until they’re committed to a college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Right, it's like the tail is wagging the dog. One of the top leagues forcing a change to the entire system just to better match the college recruiting cycle AND for a 1-time shake-up where a more savvy club might gain an edge for a year or 2.

Forced? Majority in survey wanted school year. You are discounting school year push from rec soccer and young entry level travel where the bulk of the teams are.

I am not blaming or giving ECNL credit for tossing out birth year. I am blaming USSF of such a ham handed way of going to birth year 7 years ago and ignoring the landscape of the entry into organized soccer for the youngest of kids. It just needed/needs to be fixed. And finally the entire landscape of youth soccer needs to do something about relative age effect.

USSF making decisions for youth soccer is like MLB telling your town how to run their T ball league for 4 year olds and collecting fees. It was always just a power trip and cash grab.

Plurality…not majority. And it’s unclear what the 12% wanted. It could very easily be 53-47…nobody knows. But it wasn’t a majority.

But agree on how poorly USSF addressed this 7 years ago, and how poorly they’re addressing it now. It’s like they just are giving up and saying “can’t make everyone happy, just let people do whatever they want.” Which to me means the results in our YNT and NYs that have been getting better and better over the past 15 years is going to start eroding in a few years because USSF is taking their hands off the wheel.

You don’t have to like the route they took, but it’s important to have a driver…

Will be interesting to see if different leagues having different cutoffs will reduce RAE and along with increased soccer participation will increase the pool of players and make the national teams better. Or if it really does come down to needing high pay for MLS/NWSL to make a difference. Nobody knows the true impact until a few years out from an youth age cuttoff switch but many AM sports radio type folks will be confident in their opinions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

PP reminds me of the sort of parents I saw at a tournament a few weeks ago.

Girl was taking these huge jumps aiming her feet to stomp on opponents feet. And every time to took another girl out with her cartoonish Donkey Kong style “power stomps” her parents would go wild with “great tackle Suzy! You show ‘em”

When she finally got carded her mom was on the field swinging her hat violently at the ref as the team coach sprinted over to stop her with an urgency that was like “oh shit, not again.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is no change on 25/26, ECNL should already make an announcement like what DPL did.

I would bet 90% chance ECNL will make a change soon.

Orrrrrr, counter point, since there is no change, as said by USSF, there is no need for an announcement?

Yes. There is nothing to announce. As I said above, ecnl would not have let all the Ecnl clubs go out to their parents/players saying nothing changes if Ecnl was going to make a change.

wrong. there are plenty of ECNL clubs who have said they were leaving. my friends sons ECNL DOC stated they were going 25/26 season so we will see

lol. Just saying something you wish for out loud doesn’t make it true or correct. No ECNL clubs have announced this for next year. But many have in fact (and facts matter) announced the opposite of no change next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is no change on 25/26, ECNL should already make an announcement like what DPL did.

I would bet 90% chance ECNL will make a change soon.

Orrrrrr, counter point, since there is no change, as said by USSF, there is no need for an announcement?

Yes. There is nothing to announce. As I said above, ecnl would not have let all the Ecnl clubs go out to their parents/players saying nothing changes if Ecnl was going to make a change.

wrong. there are plenty of ECNL clubs who have said they were leaving. my friends sons ECNL DOC stated they were going 25/26 season so we will see

lol. Just saying something you wish for out loud doesn’t make it true or correct. No ECNL clubs have announced this for next year. But many have in fact (and facts matter) announced the opposite of no change next year.

someone said Arlington communicated no changes about 50 pages ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is no change on 25/26, ECNL should already make an announcement like what DPL did.

I would bet 90% chance ECNL will make a change soon.

Orrrrrr, counter point, since there is no change, as said by USSF, there is no need for an announcement?

Yes. There is nothing to announce. As I said above, ecnl would not have let all the Ecnl clubs go out to their parents/players saying nothing changes if Ecnl was going to make a change.

wrong. there are plenty of ECNL clubs who have said they were leaving. my friends sons ECNL DOC stated they were going 25/26 season so we will see

lol. Just saying something you wish for out loud doesn’t make it true or correct. No ECNL clubs have announced this for next year. But many have in fact (and facts matter) announced the opposite of no change next year.

The indirect information is the tell. “My friends sons cousins coworkers uncle’s ex wife’s new in-laws grandchild’s team said ECNL is expanding to Mexico.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is no change on 25/26, ECNL should already make an announcement like what DPL did.

I would bet 90% chance ECNL will make a change soon.

Orrrrrr, counter point, since there is no change, as said by USSF, there is no need for an announcement?

Yes. There is nothing to announce. As I said above, ecnl would not have let all the Ecnl clubs go out to their parents/players saying nothing changes if Ecnl was going to make a change.

Just wait and see. Should come before the end of Feb.

Some clubs tryouts are already beginning. SoCAL clubs tryouts begin this week. Looks like they are proceeding with no changes as communicated.

ECNL tryout is every week. My son joined the ECNL team in the middle of the season. If ECNL gives waiver to trap players to play down in their grade, you will see a lot of outside kids doing tryout during team practice. That is what scares the shit out of the Q1/Q2 parents.

I don't think mostQ1/Q2 parents or Q3/Q4, for that matter, are scared about anything. I'm not sure they really cared or noticed how birthdate was/wasn't a factor for their kid. If anything, they are groaning because they have to deal with all the scheming, pushy political parents who think the change means their kid SHOULD BE/NEEDS TO BE on X team. If it weren't this age thing, it would be something else and that -- more than anything -- is what's wrong with youth soccer.

If you didn't notice how impactful bdays are then you're not a trapped kids parent, or you're not playing ECNL. If you have a trapped kid in ECNL there are constant reminders that your child is on a different track. Year one your kid is in elementary school while everyone else heads to junior high. If you don't remember junior high and it was it does to kids, let me remind you, its a huge deal. Both my kids matured ahead of their classmates because they spent so much time with club friends. It's a mess and totally unnecessary. Why do we do this to trapped kids. Because one day maybe one kid might have a shot to play internationally? It never made sense and as the years go on the reminders keep coming that you are out of sync with the entire team. I'm not sure how you don't notice unless it doesn't apply to you.

Huh? Then don’t play high level soccer!

The SY-boosters are the ones that keep trotting out “you can always play up” but here you are saying “why do this to kids”

What you’re talking about isn’t the “trap” it’s RAE… so just admit, you’re all in for the benefits to you kids. That’s ok to say!

Oh, lets be clear...I'm ALL IN on the benefits coming my daughters way. RAE will always exist and I'm thrilled my daughter now gets to reap the rewards. Didn't need the change. Didn't ask for the change but very glad its on the way. I thought being trapped was just something my daughter would have to overcome. Life isn't fair and it's been a great lesson for her. But to say you didn't notice the disadvantage is just silly if you're playing competitive soccer. In the US system, why we decided January kids were the the lucky recipients of RAE is just dumb. January is the start of the international system but what percentage of kids play internationally in America? It must astronomically small. So for the 99.9999% of players, January is just a random month in the middle of the school year. I understand there is no perfect way to cut the pie but January?? Thank goodness we're done with that and we can have a meaningful debate over August or September cutoffs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is no change on 25/26, ECNL should already make an announcement like what DPL did.

I would bet 90% chance ECNL will make a change soon.

Orrrrrr, counter point, since there is no change, as said by USSF, there is no need for an announcement?

Yes. There is nothing to announce. As I said above, ecnl would not have let all the Ecnl clubs go out to their parents/players saying nothing changes if Ecnl was going to make a change.

Just wait and see. Should come before the end of Feb.

Some clubs tryouts are already beginning. SoCAL clubs tryouts begin this week. Looks like they are proceeding with no changes as communicated.

ECNL tryout is every week. My son joined the ECNL team in the middle of the season. If ECNL gives waiver to trap players to play down in their grade, you will see a lot of outside kids doing tryout during team practice. That is what scares the shit out of the Q1/Q2 parents.

I don't think mostQ1/Q2 parents or Q3/Q4, for that matter, are scared about anything. I'm not sure they really cared or noticed how birthdate was/wasn't a factor for their kid. If anything, they are groaning because they have to deal with all the scheming, pushy political parents who think the change means their kid SHOULD BE/NEEDS TO BE on X team. If it weren't this age thing, it would be something else and that -- more than anything -- is what's wrong with youth soccer.

If you didn't notice how impactful bdays are then you're not a trapped kids parent, or you're not playing ECNL. If you have a trapped kid in ECNL there are constant reminders that your child is on a different track. Year one your kid is in elementary school while everyone else heads to junior high. If you don't remember junior high and it was it does to kids, let me remind you, its a huge deal. Both my kids matured ahead of their classmates because they spent so much time with club friends. It's a mess and totally unnecessary. Why do we do this to trapped kids. Because one day maybe one kid might have a shot to play internationally? It never made sense and as the years go on the reminders keep coming that you are out of sync with the entire team. I'm not sure how you don't notice unless it doesn't apply to you.

Huh? Then don’t play high level soccer!

The SY-boosters are the ones that keep trotting out “you can always play up” but here you are saying “why do this to kids”

What you’re talking about isn’t the “trap” it’s RAE… so just admit, you’re all in for the benefits to you kids. That’s ok to say!

Oh, lets be clear...I'm ALL IN on the benefits coming my daughters way. RAE will always exist and I'm thrilled my daughter now gets to reap the rewards. Didn't need the change. Didn't ask for the change but very glad its on the way. I thought being trapped was just something my daughter would have to overcome. Life isn't fair and it's been a great lesson for her. But to say you didn't notice the disadvantage is just silly if you're playing competitive soccer. In the US system, why we decided January kids were the the lucky recipients of RAE is just dumb. January is the start of the international system but what percentage of kids play internationally in America? It must astronomically small. So for the 99.9999% of players, January is just a random month in the middle of the school year. I understand there is no perfect way to cut the pie but January?? Thank goodness we're done with that and we can have a meaningful debate over August or September cutoffs.

Awesome! How old is your daughter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is no change on 25/26, ECNL should already make an announcement like what DPL did.

I would bet 90% chance ECNL will make a change soon.

Orrrrrr, counter point, since there is no change, as said by USSF, there is no need for an announcement?

Yes. There is nothing to announce. As I said above, ecnl would not have let all the Ecnl clubs go out to their parents/players saying nothing changes if Ecnl was going to make a change.

Just wait and see. Should come before the end of Feb.

Some clubs tryouts are already beginning. SoCAL clubs tryouts begin this week. Looks like they are proceeding with no changes as communicated.

ECNL tryout is every week. My son joined the ECNL team in the middle of the season. If ECNL gives waiver to trap players to play down in their grade, you will see a lot of outside kids doing tryout during team practice. That is what scares the shit out of the Q1/Q2 parents.

I don't think mostQ1/Q2 parents or Q3/Q4, for that matter, are scared about anything. I'm not sure they really cared or noticed how birthdate was/wasn't a factor for their kid. If anything, they are groaning because they have to deal with all the scheming, pushy political parents who think the change means their kid SHOULD BE/NEEDS TO BE on X team. If it weren't this age thing, it would be something else and that -- more than anything -- is what's wrong with youth soccer.

If you didn't notice how impactful bdays are then you're not a trapped kids parent, or you're not playing ECNL. If you have a trapped kid in ECNL there are constant reminders that your child is on a different track. Year one your kid is in elementary school while everyone else heads to junior high. If you don't remember junior high and it was it does to kids, let me remind you, its a huge deal. Both my kids matured ahead of their classmates because they spent so much time with club friends. It's a mess and totally unnecessary. Why do we do this to trapped kids. Because one day maybe one kid might have a shot to play internationally? It never made sense and as the years go on the reminders keep coming that you are out of sync with the entire team. I'm not sure how you don't notice unless it doesn't apply to you.

Grade differences can be a big deal BUT also ever-present in a great many things outside of soccer while a kid grows up, not just sports (that's why it's not necessarily on the radar as the biggest thing to worry about for many). Not all kids follow the same track and a system that's flexible enough to help individual kids where they are at is the better one. Yes, grade differences can be a cause for problems BUT it also can be, like you noted, a plus in your case. Also, not all junior high/elementary are the same age ranges -- which is why shifting isn't necessarily a clean/easy thing. AND, if you're playing club, chances are you are already having to get-to-know mingle with people outside the town you live. That said, all-in-all, I see the longterm advantages for SY. That's why they should start it next year at U6 and roll it up from there, because all the disruption if you do it across all of soccer has a high chance to have a negative cost if the transition isn't done well. You don't like unnecessary messes. That's what the impatient folks here are clamoring for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Right, it's like the tail is wagging the dog. One of the top leagues forcing a change to the entire system just to better match the college recruiting cycle AND for a 1-time shake-up where a more savvy club might gain an edge for a year or 2.

Forced? Majority in survey wanted school year. You are discounting school year push from rec soccer and young entry level travel where the bulk of the teams are.

I am not blaming or giving ECNL credit for tossing out birth year. I am blaming USSF of such a ham handed way of going to birth year 7 years ago and ignoring the landscape of the entry into organized soccer for the youngest of kids. It just needed/needs to be fixed. And finally the entire landscape of youth soccer needs to do something about relative age effect.

USSF making decisions for youth soccer is like MLB telling your town how to run their T ball league for 4 year olds and collecting fees. It was always just a power trip and cash grab.

Plurality…not majority. And it’s unclear what the 12% wanted. It could very easily be 53-47…nobody knows. But it wasn’t a majority.

But agree on how poorly USSF addressed this 7 years ago, and how poorly they’re addressing it now. It’s like they just are giving up and saying “can’t make everyone happy, just let people do whatever they want.” Which to me means the results in our YNT and NYs that have been getting better and better over the past 15 years is going to start eroding in a few years because USSF is taking their hands off the wheel.

You don’t have to like the route they took, but it’s important to have a driver…

Will be interesting to see if different leagues having different cutoffs will reduce RAE and along with increased soccer participation will increase the pool of players and make the national teams better. Or if it really does come down to needing high pay for MLS/NWSL to make a difference. Nobody knows the true impact until a few years out from an youth age cuttoff switch but many AM sports radio type folks will be confident in their opinions.

There's no opinions. This has been a classic A/B test. We had a system before. We have a system now. The effects have been clear and the answers are simple. Having trapped kids should have been foreseen and is bad for youth soccer in a myriad of ways. Whatever international bump we were hoping for didn't happen. Recruiting for college is now a mess. Enrollment is down. On and on and on. BY was a stupid idea and its getting fixed. RAE exists no matter what you do, so stop trying to address it. Just pick the bday cutoff that aligns best with our HS and College system, let the best kids shake out for the national team. Not hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Another BY wacko that has no clue how things work. Ofcourse ECNL allows HS play, lookup the history and why everyone gravitated to ECNL in the first place. ECNL has ALOT to do with HS soccer. ENCL kids aren't playing at school to get better BTW, life isn't all about going pro for these kids. Even the phenoms want to help their HS win state championship and ball out in front of classmates from time to time.

And if you don't care about the 8th grade issue then you're just a BY leftover trying to justify why the current system isn't that bad. I'm sorry, but your January kid is now going to compete the December kid sitting right next to them in history class. Maybe that is why your kid doesn't play in HS, because it would expose how inferior they are to the Q3/Q4 kids in the SAME grade. What a broken system...

Beyond dumb take. Also fairly repugnant vicarious joy in their own framing of punching down…

Do you really think that parents of January players think of their kids as punching down like it seems you’re looking forward to for your Q3/Q4 kid?

A lot of projection going on with you I think.

Stop with the BY self loathing. It's not punching down. For the 1000'th time, your kid is sitting right next to another kid. They are in the same grade. They are graduating at the same time. They are competing for the same scholarship. How is it punching down to have them play together. Get your head out of the broken system. I know you're holding on tight. Im sorry you're losing an artificial advantage. But to call it punching down is ridiculous. I'm so happy my kid gets to play with classmates now. They've been 'punching up' for years. There's no RAE advantage to have a Dec and Jan kid on the same team. So why is my kid so much better than yours?? You're about to find out.

You’ve got serious issues. 😂

I’m glad you’re proud of your kiddo. It just seems like you’re thinking this change does something for you personally. And you absolutely seem to be reveling in your child not having to “play up” (in the BY cutoff system). Pretty damning for what seems like a hyper competitive personality.

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Anonymous wrote:I just don’t see ECNL doing as much as some people hope they will do. I could see them addressing the trapped player problem in some way for next year’s crop of 8th graders but even that’s a long shot.

I will say I’ve seen this posted everywhere but have not seen US club or ECNL post the announcement plan that came out.

ECNL has nothing to do with HS soccer…why do people keep trotting out the 8th grade issue like it’s a grand injustice.

The lower grade players on a club team still get 4 years of HS soccer if they want to play HS soccer…they just don’t get it at the same time the 9th graders on their club team are able to play HS soccer. If you’re on an NPL or classic team, sure maybe those awful but extra touches are helpful. But if you’re playing ECNL (and your ECNL club allows you to play HS soccer…which many do not) then HS soccer reps are bad reps, and the 8th grader that is making up for it by playing in club, or grinding with a trainer will be 1000x better off.

Right, it's like the tail is wagging the dog. One of the top leagues forcing a change to the entire system just to better match the college recruiting cycle AND for a 1-time shake-up where a more savvy club might gain an edge for a year or 2.

Forced? Majority in survey wanted school year. You are discounting school year push from rec soccer and young entry level travel where the bulk of the teams are.

I am not blaming or giving ECNL credit for tossing out birth year. I am blaming USSF of such a ham handed way of going to birth year 7 years ago and ignoring the landscape of the entry into organized soccer for the youngest of kids. It just needed/needs to be fixed. And finally the entire landscape of youth soccer needs to do something about relative age effect.

USSF making decisions for youth soccer is like MLB telling your town how to run their T ball league for 4 year olds and collecting fees. It was always just a power trip and cash grab.

Plurality…not majority. And it’s unclear what the 12% wanted. It could very easily be 53-47…nobody knows. But it wasn’t a majority.

But agree on how poorly USSF addressed this 7 years ago, and how poorly they’re addressing it now. It’s like they just are giving up and saying “can’t make everyone happy, just let people do whatever they want.” Which to me means the results in our YNT and NYs that have been getting better and better over the past 15 years is going to start eroding in a few years because USSF is taking their hands off the wheel.

You don’t have to like the route they took, but it’s important to have a driver…

Will be interesting to see if different leagues having different cutoffs will reduce RAE and along with increased soccer participation will increase the pool of players and make the national teams better. Or if it really does come down to needing high pay for MLS/NWSL to make a difference. Nobody knows the true impact until a few years out from an youth age cuttoff switch but many AM sports radio type folks will be confident in their opinions.

There's no opinions. This has been a classic A/B test. We had a system before. We have a system now. The effects have been clear and the answers are simple. Having trapped kids should have been foreseen and is bad for youth soccer in a myriad of ways. Whatever international bump we were hoping for didn't happen. Recruiting for college is now a mess. Enrollment is down. On and on and on. BY was a stupid idea and its getting fixed. RAE exists no matter what you do, so stop trying to address it. Just pick the bday cutoff that aligns best with our HS and College system, let the best kids shake out for the national team. Not hard.

Agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Definitely an A/B test. But the results aren’t clear. YNT and NT clearly improved. Finally got solid coaching for the top of the NT pyramids. Enrollment is up the past 2 years, but largely peaked in 2010 before BY switch and any data before 2000 is worthless. College system is a mess, not because of USSF. Etc etc. to USSF basically is throwing up their hands and saying “on this we quit.”