Reply to ECNL moving to school year part 2

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Reply to "ECNL moving to school year part 2"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]That's a big lashing out after the table is already set for next year.

No league said to play by grade. ECNL and NCSL said the opposite. Almost always best to be youngest in age group, RAE. College said they recruit players and don't care what team or age group you are on.[/quote]

Here is the guidance on the age group change from US Club, USYS and AYSO - specifically noting that the goal here is for kids to play by school grade whenever possible.  I really don't know how much clearer it can be said without there being consequences for clubs that specifically hold kids down from playing on grade level.  People really love to twist around the rationale here.  If a kid is relying on being the best/biggest in their age group by avoiding playing up because of the Aug 1 cut-off, there won't be a single recruiter that will be impressed by that.

Why is the age group cut-off changing from January 1 (birth year ages)?

There are multiple reasons for this change. First, the Aug. 1 age group cut-off most effectively reduces the number of “trapped players” in youth soccer and reduces negative impacts on these players at multiple stages of their career. “Trapped” players are those who, due to soccer age group cut-offs, are in an older soccer age group than their school year. Trapped players have significantly reduced competition opportunities and disrupted training experiences in 8th grade (when most of their team is in high school) and are similarly negatively impacted four years later when players from the older soccer age group, but who are still in high school, are moved down into the same soccer age group. Second, an Aug. 1 age group cut-off best aligns soccer age groups with school year ages, maximizing the number of players who participate in soccer programs with their school-year friends. This alignment has a positive correlation with increased numbers of youth players entering and staying in the sport.

Why is Aug. 1 a better age group cut-off than Sept. 1?

Initially, US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer and AYSO had determined to use a Sept. 1 age group cut-off instead of Aug. 1. After receiving significant feedback and identifying missing information in Department of Education school year cut-off lists, it has been determined that the Aug. 1 cut-off best reduces misalignment between age and school year. The Aug. 1 cut-off reduces not only the trapped player effect, but it also reduces the number of “force-ups,” a term referring to players in a younger soccer age group but older school year who must play up an age group in order to be with their school-year friends.[/quote]Where does it say kids should play on grade whenever possible? Your reading into it.[/quote]

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