Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:32
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
Haven't heard or seen anything yet.
Spoke too soon reading the McLean link...
https://mcleansoccer.org/age-group-change/
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:30
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
Haven't heard or seen anything yet.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:28
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
What's the soccer problem for Aug/Sept kids if the cutoff date moves to 8/1?
There's no problem, but as has been discussed at length some of these kids would be playing with kids the grade below. Some clubs seem to be sticking with birth date and others seem to be sticking with grade level as a baseline. I'm just wondering what Mclean specifically is doing with these ids (if they have announced it).
MYS posted their policy at: https://mcleansoccer.org/age-group-change/
The policy is pretty similar to the other big clubs around here, but it remains to be seen how that will impact player selection, who gets offers & when, how hard it is to get an exception, etc.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:28
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
What's the soccer problem for Aug/Sept kids if the cutoff date moves to 8/1?
I'll explain...
The SY eligibility window is 8/1-7/31. What this means is if your school district started before 8/1. (Not very common) Or if your kid is younger than 8/1-7/31 eligibility window but in the grade up. (happens a lot typically Aug/Sept birthdays) There are some players who are a grade up but technically eligible to play on a grade down team.
Clubs that dont care about players future will allow young Aug/Sept players to play down for wins. Clubs that do care about players future will group these players with their correct grade in school team so they're not out of alignment when it comes to college recruiting.
Don't let anyone try to convince you that playing down is no big deal and that college recruiters dont care about it. They do care and they will ignore players playing down a grade.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:23
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
What's the soccer problem for Aug/Sept kids if the cutoff date moves to 8/1?
There's no problem, but as has been discussed at length some of these kids would be playing with kids the grade below. Some clubs seem to be sticking with birth date and others seem to be sticking with grade level as a baseline. I'm just wondering what Mclean specifically is doing with these ids (if they have announced it).
Grade above or grade below is completely irrelevant other than the fact they have two different graduation dates
You could be the weakest or middle player while playing a grade below
You can be the weakest or middle player playing a grade up
The college coaches know the graduation year of their recruiting options and they are focused on their quality of play and potential
The rest is for crazy ECNL parents to wring their hands over
No wonder MLS Next parents tease the ECNL folks
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:18
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
What's the soccer problem for Aug/Sept kids if the cutoff date moves to 8/1?
There's no problem, but as has been discussed at length some of these kids would be playing with kids the grade below. Some clubs seem to be sticking with birth date and others seem to be sticking with grade level as a baseline. I'm just wondering what Mclean specifically is doing with these ids (if they have announced it).
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:08
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
What's the soccer problem for Aug/Sept kids if the cutoff date moves to 8/1?
Anonymous
11/25/2025 12:05
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
If you're playing in your age group, how can you be playing down a grade?
Also, isn't graduation year the milestone college coaches focus on?
Also, isn't graduation year the milestone college coaches focus on?
Anonymous
11/25/2025 11:41
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Hi all! I know there are various opinions as to what different clubs will do with the Aug/Sept kids, but I am wondering if anyone in the DMV area knows what Mclean plans to do. Has Mclean announced anything?
Anonymous
11/25/2025 11:30
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Seems like Rush understand that if young Aug/Sept birthdays plan to get recruited and play in college that they need to "play up" with their grade. Thats a lot of words to address something that isnt a big deal.
Its like going into a tire shop at the end of summer and the salesperson keeps pushing you to the snow tire section. Sure they'll sell you anything you want but they're also trying to gently hint that with winter coming you would probably want to buy snow tires.
The more parents understand that you cant get recruited for college while playing down a grade the more they'll demand that their kid plays on the correct grade team.
Fomo is just how soccer moms work and because of it they wont want their kid playing down a grade. Unless their kid literally has no chance at playing in college. In that case it doesnt matter. But it will piss off A team parents that are playing the correct grade. Which will eventually out your kid on the B team and playing down.
You are 100% correct. I dont know what's going on with that other person but what you describe is what is going to happen.
Thank you for the kind words.
I know I'm correct because what Im describing is how things worked before everyone switched to BY in 2017. One thing thats different today is there's a large group of parents that are actually looking for situations where their kid can play down so they can be the oldest ones on the team. It used to be that everyone wanted to play up. I dont know when or why this changed. My gut tells me its the Private Schhol parents that get sold reclassing then their kid is screwed for everything else so they fight the system as a square peg in a round hole.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 11:23
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Seems like Rush understand that if young Aug/Sept birthdays plan to get recruited and play in college that they need to "play up" with their grade. Thats a lot of words to address something that isnt a big deal.
Its like going into a tire shop at the end of summer and the salesperson keeps pushing you to the snow tire section. Sure they'll sell you anything you want but they're also trying to gently hint that with winter coming you would probably want to buy snow tires.
The more parents understand that you cant get recruited for college while playing down a grade the more they'll demand that their kid plays on the correct grade team.
Fomo is just how soccer moms work and because of it they wont want their kid playing down a grade. Unless their kid literally has no chance at playing in college. In that case it doesnt matter. But it will piss off A team parents that are playing the correct grade. Which will eventually out your kid on the B team and playing down.
You are 100% correct. I dont know what's going on with that other person but what you describe is what is going to happen.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 11:21
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Seems like Rush understand that if young Aug/Sept birthdays plan to get recruited and play in college that they need to "play up" with their grade. Thats a lot of words to address something that isnt a big deal.
Its like going into a tire shop at the end of summer and the salesperson keeps pushing you to the snow tire section. Sure they'll sell you anything you want but they're also trying to gently hint that with winter coming you would probably want to buy snow tires.
The more parents understand that you cant get recruited for college while playing down a grade the more they'll demand that their kid plays on the correct grade team.
Fomo is just how soccer moms work and because of it they wont want their kid playing down a grade. Unless their kid literally has no chance at playing in college. In that case it doesnt matter. But it will piss off A team parents that are playing the correct grade. Which will eventually out your kid on the B team and playing down.
I love when Delusional August Guy responds to himself. The clubs are telling you what they are going to do. Yet you continue to skip your meds, put your fingers in your ears, act a fool and blabber.
The person you keep going after is 100% correct. You're the only one that doesnt get it. Why would a club play players on a grade lower team? Especially if they want them to play in college. It doesnt make any sense.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 11:17
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Seems like Rush understand that if young Aug/Sept birthdays plan to get recruited and play in college that they need to "play up" with their grade. Thats a lot of words to address something that isnt a big deal.
Its like going into a tire shop at the end of summer and the salesperson keeps pushing you to the snow tire section. Sure they'll sell you anything you want but they're also trying to gently hint that with winter coming you would probably want to buy snow tires.
The more parents understand that you cant get recruited for college while playing down a grade the more they'll demand that their kid plays on the correct grade team.
Fomo is just how soccer moms work and because of it they wont want their kid playing down a grade. Unless their kid literally has no chance at playing in college. In that case it doesnt matter. But it will piss off A team parents that are playing the correct grade. Which will eventually out your kid on the B team and playing down.
I love when Delusional August Guy responds to himself. The clubs are telling you what they are going to do. Yet you continue to skip your meds, put your fingers in your ears, act a fool and blabber.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 10:54
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Anonymous wrote:Seems like Rush understand that if young Aug/Sept birthdays plan to get recruited and play in college that they need to "play up" with their grade. Thats a lot of words to address something that isnt a big deal.
Its like going into a tire shop at the end of summer and the salesperson keeps pushing you to the snow tire section. Sure they'll sell you anything you want but they're also trying to gently hint that with winter coming you would probably want to buy snow tires.
The more parents understand that you cant get recruited for college while playing down a grade the more they'll demand that their kid plays on the correct grade team.
Fomo is just how soccer moms work and because of it they wont want their kid playing down a grade. Unless their kid literally has no chance at playing in college. In that case it doesnt matter. But it will piss off A team parents that are playing the correct grade. Which will eventually out your kid on the B team and playing down.
Anonymous
11/25/2025 10:48
Subject: Trapped/Re-aging Families, How are you having the conversation?
Yeah, this is what most clubs are saying who have published information. ECNL and US Soccer want very few exceptions as that would start to negate the value of the change.Anonymous wrote:Good FAQ by Rush Soccer (this is the parent site over all of their clubs across the country):
https://rushsoccer.com/age-group-change-resources/
Will my player be allowed to ``move up`` with their friends/teammates if they fall into the lower age group?
We generally encourage players to participate within their designated age group to ensure appropriate development, competition balance and alignment with the new age group cutoff dates. However, we understand every circumstance is different. Requests for players to “play up” with an older age group will be reviewed on an individual basis and considered in collaboration with coaches and club leadership.
I believe my player should be evaluated to ``play-up`` even though the new age group dates have them repeating an age group. Will this be allowed?
Requests for players to “play up” will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In general, all players should attend the first tryout with their designated age group based on the new calendar. Coaches and club leadership will review individual circumstances and communicate directly with players and families if a player is recommended to try out with an older age group.
They're going to allow very few players to even tryout an age group up let alone play up. They have a shit ton of clubs this applies to. Notice that at no point do they talk about differences for older players or etc. It is what it is.