ECNL segments kids by age not height or weight. Nothing stupid, just a fact. |
Or grade. |
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Another club grouping by grade...
https://www.centennialsoccer.org/agegroupchange School Year Alignment Exemptions may also be considered when a player's birthdate places them in an age group that does not align with their current school grade, and remaining with their grade level peers would be developmentally appropriate. As an example, if a player has an August birthdate and the new Age Group Change places them with peers in a grade below them. And a Facebook thread where multiple parents are saying that their clubs are grouping Aug/Sept players with their grade in school teams. https://www.facebook.com/groups/guestplayers/posts/4435668480089354/ |
Big club in Texas where Sept 1 is the school date. Our club said for August kids, they will have conversations and are open to playing with the appropriate grade. However, thats it. If some kid just started school early for vibes or whatever, they just will play with their age group. |
I dont understand why a club would block an Aug birthday player from being on a team thats their grade in school. It makes things easier for everyone involved. |
It states "may also be considered" and the club would ask the kid if they want to play up, so again, it's for kids who want to play up on lower teams with friends. No one is forced to play because of their grade. Not sure why you would consider this a win for you as nobody is forced up and nobody is punished for staying in their assigned age group. Also with the Facebook post, do you even read this stuff? Person opened with their club is going strict age groups. And then by far the most likes, 14 likes for "I have an August kid as well. To be honest, it's an advantage. Studies have repeatedly shown, across sports, that kids born at the upper end of an age group, tend to have a disproportionate advantage over the years, especially when young but it carries over as they grow older. It's an option between playing with friends and playing successfully at a high level at soccer. If it's performing at a high level, dropping down makes sense." Followed by 8 likes for someone excited their kid gets an extra year to develop. It's over, 12 month age group, some case by case based on skill, some clubs letting kids play up a grade to play with friends on lower teams. |
Exceptions always makes things more difficult for clubs. Clubs don't want to know kids grades because leagues set rules based on birthdays. It took the system what, 16 months to adjust databases to switch from 1/1 to 8/1, landing in grade without any legal documentation is just beyond clubs abilities or cares (considering they have so many volunteers.) |
Being open to it isn't blocking a player. The player may reconsider if it's not the team/level/playing time they want OR find a new club, I guess. I don't blame clobs for wanting to set teams by soccer ability, first. Still, Aug/Sept b-days in older grades are actually in the cat bird seat. They have way more flexibility than anyone as clubs seem to bend over backward to allow them to play up at SOME level. It's not like Jan/Feb in BY could argue grade to play up. |
| Soccer is a very competitive sport. To win a spot on a very top team is not easy for most kids.most Kids are working their ass off to win that. You have to use whatever advantage you have to get in. Of course within the rules. Rule is Aug 1st as cutoff. I don’t think Aug kids should give up this advantage unless they are stars even playing up. |
| It's so obvious that one person that loves playing down is commenting over and over. |
For ECNL playing down isn't allowed. The pro biobanding contingency chimes in once in awhile though but commenting over and over seems a stretch. |
| They want kids in the same grade because that will be how showcases are broken up which is what college coaches asked for. So no reason to play on a 9th grade team if you’re a 10th grader. Because then you will have switch teams for showcases and league play. |
Leagues and clubs are very clear, 8/1, best play up, grades aren't are thing to them but some will let players play up on lower teams with friends. Showcases go grade year, problem solved for college coaches who said they don't care what age group players play in. It's over. |
I agree. They have some kind of agenda. |
Nice that you agree with yourself I guess. But nobody has been pushing for biobanding for ECNL. |