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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You can do whatever you want but this thread got crazy when the question

"Do all the players on your team have the same graduating year? was asked.

Why is that such a bad question to ask?[/quote]

In girls’ soccer especially, physical development does not move in a straight line. A December birthday kid entering 9th grade is often almost a full year younger than many classmates. At 14, a year is enormous. It’s the difference between a body mid-construction and one that just finished installing the beams.

Here’s what matters at high levels and in college recruiting: skill, decision-making speed, resilience, coach-ability, and long-term development. College coaches are not drafting based on who was tallest at 13. They’re projecting who will help them win at 20.

Look at the pipeline through leagues like ECNL and Girls Academy. Coaches evaluate technical quality, tactical intelligence, and growth trajectory. A player dominating early because she matured first could plateau. A player slightly behind physically but sharp technically often surges once the body catches up.

Playing with 8th graders this fall doesn’t “set back” a 9th grader. It can actually be an advantage if it matches physical development. Confidence grows when a player can execute ideas instead of just surviving size mismatches. Development thrives at the edge of challenge, not in the deep end with ankle weights.

Each child is a different equation. Some thrive playing up because they’re physically ready. Some benefit from playing with peers who are similar in size and strength while their body catches up. The right environment is the one that stretches skill without eroding joy.

My daughter is the youngest in her grade, but academically she is the top of her class which means cognitive maturity and discipline are already there. When the physical growth arrives, and history says it will, the ceiling will be very high.

Graduation year is an administrative category. Development is a biological and psychological process. College coaches recruit players, not birthdays.

And the long game wins. 
[/quote]Even more true on the boys side.

+1[/quote]

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