Anonymous wrote:I believe some leagues have numerical limits to how many trapped players a team can roster, so if you are on a team with a lot of trapped players you might not all get to play.

For ecnl it’s two players rostered allowed per game.

Anonymous wrote:I believe this is only an issue with ECNL teams but correct me if I'm wrong. I think EDP, CCL, NPL and NCSL teams still have league games during the HS season. I know the Vienna teams will play a somewhat lighter schedule and will bring players from lower teams and other age groups so they can still field teams for games.

The leagues operate, but the club's participation might vary. It totally depends on the club and the individual teams. As OP said, for some teams, not all of the high school aged players will make their high school team (or want to play).

I believe this is only an issue with ECNL teams but correct me if I'm wrong. I think EDP, CCL, NPL and NCSL teams still have league games during the HS season. I know the Vienna teams will play a somewhat lighter schedule and will bring players from lower teams and other age groups so they can still field teams for games.

A "trapped player" is an eighth grader who is a member of a U15 team, which typically consists of 9th graders. In VA in the spring, many of the 9th graders play public HS soccer so the ECNL game schedule is on break to allow them to play HS soccer without missing club obligations. So 8th graders who are trapped players are allowed to play down with the age group below in the spring so they can continue to train and compete while their teammates are off playing HS soccer. I assume the same thing happens in the fall in MD.

Anonymous wrote:Forgive my ignorance, but what is a "trapped" player?

It's what happens with a calendar year age group, when part of the team born early in the year start high school and another part of the team are still in 8th grade. In the season that high school plays soccer (Fall in MD - Spring in VA), the 8th graders may or may not have a team to play on.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a "trapped" player?

I believe some leagues have numerical limits to how many trapped players a team can roster, so if you are on a team with a lot of trapped players you might not all get to play.

Thanks from OP! We are thinking about changing teams and we’re trying to factor in the trapped player issue. The one benefit to our current team is they're pretty young and pretty bad, so wouldn’t be many high school players (if any).

It totally depends on the club. Some clubs with multiple teams will create a fall only team of 8th graders (in Maryland, where HS soccer is in the fall). Some clubs still try to play a regular schedule, which tends to not work out fore the players playing high school. It's too much to play/practice every day and on weekend. Some smaller clubs might combine with other clubs to have a team of 8th graders. Others might not have a fall league season, but instead of one practice on the weekend with a tournament in November/December, after the high school season is over. It's worth asking your club how they handle this.

Anonymous wrote:It’s actually nice. Getting ECNL games in while others don’t get games

OP isn’t part of an ecnl team.

It’s actually nice. Getting ECNL games in while others don’t get games

Your player would play on a team with other trapped players within your club. If you are at a smaller club with not a lot of depth/teams then possibly look into guesting with another club during the time period that her older teammates are playing high school.

Anonymous wrote:I feel like i hear a lot about trapped players and special teams for them from friends in other states, but don’t hear much here. i didn’t find much searching this forum either.

Is it not as much of a problem here? Will it not really affect DD because we’re not at an ECNL/GA level? DD is in 7th grade with a fall birthday, so theoretically next year should be a mess and I’m wondering what to expect?

why will it be mess?

I feel like i hear a lot about trapped players and special teams for them from friends in other states, but don’t hear much here. i didn’t find much searching this forum either.

Is it not as much of a problem here? Will it not really affect DD because we’re not at an ECNL/GA level? DD is in 7th grade with a fall birthday, so theoretically next year should be a mess and I’m wondering what to expect?