Anonymous
07/20/2025 13:51
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:I will be clear:
My son is September 4th, 2013. He is a very good player, but not a superstar.
If MLSNext (1/2) is SY he will play MLSNext.
If MLSNext (1/2) is BY he will play ECNL.
Let me be clear.
MLS Next doesnt care what you do.
If your son wants the best shot at playing professionally or in college they'll play on a MLS Next team.
If your kid is so good that they're offered a spot on a MLSN Academy team which means free soccer is it your plan to continue paying just to stay in a SY league?
So dumb
Anonymous
07/20/2025 13:40
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
I will be clear:
My son is September 4th, 2013. He is a very good player, but not a superstar.
If MLSNext (1/2) is SY he will play MLSNext.
If MLSNext (1/2) is BY he will play ECNL.
My son is September 4th, 2013. He is a very good player, but not a superstar.
If MLSNext (1/2) is SY he will play MLSNext.
If MLSNext (1/2) is BY he will play ECNL.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 13:18
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
Donât try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.
Thatâs why they canât grasp thereâs no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.
MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.
I replied to that person and provided the development Leo / Aitana analogy.
I have a DD in ECNL, high level team, plays up a couple of years. I am a club owner for a girls GA clubs. And Iâm pro-SY even tho my DD is Q2, because of the trap issue that affects some folks (which is typically a club and parent problem, not a YS problem, but relief comes from the change). Not everyone that has a non âSY is sacred and 4th team Q4 kids now rule the roostâ perspective is BY.
YS development is complex. And people that are so obtuse binary, like you seem to be, are a big part of the problem.
Plays up "a couple years?" as in she's playing up several age groups or has been asked to play up a couple different years. Vastly different scenarios and it honestly sounds like you are full of crap. Feel free to provide more details, but I'm sure you won't.
Point still stands - most ECNL girls will be playing under the new age guidelines starting fall 2026. Not playing "up" or "down". It's just the new baseline.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 13:05
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
Donât try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.
Thatâs why they canât grasp thereâs no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.
MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.
I replied to that person and provided the development Leo / Aitana analogy.
I have a DD in ECNL, high level team, plays up a couple of years. I am a club owner for a girls GA clubs. And Iâm pro-SY even tho my DD is Q2, because of the trap issue that affects some folks (which is typically a club and parent problem, not a YS problem, but relief comes from the change). Not everyone that has a non âSY is sacred and 4th team Q4 kids now rule the roostâ perspective is BY.
YS development is complex. And people that are so obtuse binary, like you seem to be, are a big part of the problem.
If you actually are a club owner and are annoyed by the binary thinking parents you should be all over SY+30 (so something equivalent)
This is because without Aug birthdays clearly called out parents will choose to bend the rules and play down. Youre trading the trapped player headache for the parents that want to exploit the rules to play down headache.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 12:57
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
Donât try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.
Thatâs why they canât grasp thereâs no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.
MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.
I replied to that person and provided the development Leo / Aitana analogy.
I have a DD in ECNL, high level team, plays up a couple of years. I am a club owner for a girls GA clubs. And Iâm pro-SY even tho my DD is Q2, because of the trap issue that affects some folks (which is typically a club and parent problem, not a YS problem, but relief comes from the change). Not everyone that has a non âSY is sacred and 4th team Q4 kids now rule the roostâ perspective is BY.
YS development is complex. And people that are so obtuse binary, like you seem to be, are a big part of the problem.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 12:50
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Aug-Sep birthday kids will get hosed when it comes time for playing in 10th grade year college showcases. That is because they will be in 10th grade and the rest of the team will be in 9th grade. Therefore, their team will not be playing in spring time college showcases.
-The will lose 1 year of playing in showcases in front of college coaches. They will be in 11th grade when their 10th grade School Year (SY) team goes to show cases. Then, they will be in 12th grade when their 11th grade team play in showcases.
-I think they will get hosed over the most. The school year age one off in Virginia is 1 October. But the Soccer year grouping is 1 August.
In the current Birth Year system, the kids born Oct-Dec were the youngest, but at least they got to go through college recruiting a year early. Many of those kids would benefit from this.
Now in the School Year system, Aug-Sep kids will lose a year in recruiting.
I know change it coming, but it is at the expense of disadvantaging another group of kids. (Albeit a slightly smaller group.)
-The will lose 1 year of playing in showcases in front of college coaches. They will be in 11th grade when their 10th grade School Year (SY) team goes to show cases. Then, they will be in 12th grade when their 11th grade team play in showcases.
-I think they will get hosed over the most. The school year age one off in Virginia is 1 October. But the Soccer year grouping is 1 August.
In the current Birth Year system, the kids born Oct-Dec were the youngest, but at least they got to go through college recruiting a year early. Many of those kids would benefit from this.
Now in the School Year system, Aug-Sep kids will lose a year in recruiting.
I know change it coming, but it is at the expense of disadvantaging another group of kids. (Albeit a slightly smaller group.)
Anonymous
07/20/2025 12:25
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
Donât try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.
Thatâs why they canât grasp thereâs no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.
MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.
*Thereâs
Anonymous
07/20/2025 12:24
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
Donât try and reason with the BY people they are so upset their kid has to play and compete with older kids now and it bothers them.
Thatâs why they canât grasp thereâs no rule on the girls side that allows for playing down theirs only playing your age group or playing up.
MLSN is the only league that allows boys to play down beyond the year calendar.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 11:14
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MLSN will start their own pre-MLS league U10-12 and will have 3 tiers of MLSN leagues for clubs. They are working on developing this for their clubs.
Next year be ready to hear about it.
MLSN, MLSN 2, MLSN 3 and Pre MLSN.
It would be funny if this happened.
All the littles leagues who currently have all the registrations before u13 will suddently be cut in half. All because they listened to ECNL. If they had done nothing they'd have more money and no extra work.
It wasnât ECNLs doing per se. The switch to BY last decade wasnât a sound move and most clubs and parents were wanting to switch back. Those opposed were mostly parents with kids born in Jan-June.
What's done is done. You can't turn back time.
If MLSN chooses to create a "Pre-MLSN" league the number of US Club registered players will go down because MLSN wont use US Club.
Basically the whole BY to SY distraction will only cost US Club money translating to less paying customers overall.
Except with the world cup + SY, the whole player pie is about to explode!
WC should help boost interest for sure. Weâll see that mostly in the u-littles (which were already largely SY in rec). Weâll see a continued interest in fandom, which despite this subâs âstuck in the 90sâ perspective of US Soccer, is already booming! The US is becoming a soccer county, WC is going to help.
Age cut-off change wont bring NEW players into the game. Nobody joins a sport because of the age cutoffs.
An 8/1 age cutoff wonât bring significantly more players to the game, but it may keep more in it. It also solves issues that impact aug-December birthdays. Itâs annoying to make the change and itâs annoying how making the change is playing out, but it never should have been switched in the first place. The issues that come with a 1/1 cutoff were widely discussed prior to the original change, US Soccer just didnât care.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 10:29
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
From a developmental perspective, it absolutely is playing down post switch.
If your developmental peers keep moving up and you get held back, youâre now playing with a group that is not on par with your development. Hence playing down.
I think the parents posting about how glorious it will be to see their little Leo or little Aitana destroying the new age groupings due to their superiority are in for a really rough year. 99 times out of 100 what will happen is this:
Start of Season: Leo and Aitana are clearly the best on the field.
Middle of the Season: Leo and Aitana are not playing their best. Seems to be because other kidâs canât execute at the same level and just donât get Leo and Aitana the ball anymore. Plus the opponents seem to have gotten a bit better / bigger / stronger / faster.
End of Season: Leo and Aitana have some near competitors on team. Maybe not as technical, but gaining fast. Team overall raised their level more than Leo and Aitana.
Older cohort teamâŚthey kept marching on and growing. Leo and Aitana could still join them, but are probably behind that cohort in development now.
Everyone with a younger playing (not bench) on a BY team should read this.
Staying up is best option for development. Colleges will find them if they are good enough. If your club doesnât do anything for trapped 8th grade year go all in on training technical, speed and agility on your own and level up your skills or find a boys team.
Playing with your grade after being with older and stronger kids might be good for ego and confidence but wonât make you a better soccer player.
One caveat is if your grade team is actually better than old team which very rarely happens.
LOL - Way to not actually read what you are replying to (goes for both previous posters). This all started with HIGH LEVEL Q4 (eg ECNL girls). I'm saying most top ECNL teams are going to maintain the "new" AG and keep the playing "up" for a very select few like it is currently. The whole point is there is no choice to play up starting fall 26 for such players. They will assimilate with their new AG and move on (probably as one of the key players).
Anonymous
07/20/2025 10:20
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
From a developmental perspective, it absolutely is playing down post switch.
If your developmental peers keep moving up and you get held back, youâre now playing with a group that is not on par with your development. Hence playing down.
I think the parents posting about how glorious it will be to see their little Leo or little Aitana destroying the new age groupings due to their superiority are in for a really rough year. 99 times out of 100 what will happen is this:
Start of Season: Leo and Aitana are clearly the best on the field.
Middle of the Season: Leo and Aitana are not playing their best. Seems to be because other kidâs canât execute at the same level and just donât get Leo and Aitana the ball anymore. Plus the opponents seem to have gotten a bit better / bigger / stronger / faster.
End of Season: Leo and Aitana have some near competitors on team. Maybe not as technical, but gaining fast. Team overall raised their level more than Leo and Aitana.
Older cohort teamâŚthey kept marching on and growing. Leo and Aitana could still join them, but are probably behind that cohort in development now.
Everyone with a younger playing (not bench) on a BY team should read this.
Staying up is best option for development. Colleges will find them if they are good enough. If your club doesnât do anything for trapped 8th grade year go all in on training technical, speed and agility on your own and level up your skills or find a boys team.
Playing with your grade after being with older and stronger kids might be good for ego and confidence but wonât make you a better soccer player.
One caveat is if your grade team is actually better than old team which very rarely happens.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 09:55
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!
From a developmental perspective, it absolutely is playing down post switch.
If your developmental peers keep moving up and you get held back, youâre now playing with a group that is not on par with your development. Hence playing down.
I think the parents posting about how glorious it will be to see their little Leo or little Aitana destroying the new age groupings due to their superiority are in for a really rough year. 99 times out of 100 what will happen is this:
Start of Season: Leo and Aitana are clearly the best on the field.
Middle of the Season: Leo and Aitana are not playing their best. Seems to be because other kidâs canât execute at the same level and just donât get Leo and Aitana the ball anymore. Plus the opponents seem to have gotten a bit better / bigger / stronger / faster.
End of Season: Leo and Aitana have some near competitors on team. Maybe not as technical, but gaining fast. Team overall raised their level more than Leo and Aitana.
Older cohort teamâŚthey kept marching on and growing. Leo and Aitana could still join them, but are probably behind that cohort in development now.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 09:47
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MLSN will start their own pre-MLS league U10-12 and will have 3 tiers of MLSN leagues for clubs. They are working on developing this for their clubs.
Next year be ready to hear about it.
MLSN, MLSN 2, MLSN 3 and Pre MLSN.
It would be funny if this happened.
All the littles leagues who currently have all the registrations before u13 will suddently be cut in half. All because they listened to ECNL. If they had done nothing they'd have more money and no extra work.
It wasnât ECNLs doing per se. The switch to BY last decade wasnât a sound move and most clubs and parents were wanting to switch back. Those opposed were mostly parents with kids born in Jan-June.
What's done is done. You can't turn back time.
If MLSN chooses to create a "Pre-MLSN" league the number of US Club registered players will go down because MLSN wont use US Club.
Basically the whole BY to SY distraction will only cost US Club money translating to less paying customers overall.
Except with the world cup + SY, the whole player pie is about to explode!
WC should help boost interest for sure. Weâll see that mostly in the u-littles (which were already largely SY in rec). Weâll see a continued interest in fandom, which despite this subâs âstuck in the 90sâ perspective of US Soccer, is already booming! The US is becoming a soccer county, WC is going to help.
Age cut-off change wont bring NEW players into the game. Nobody joins a sport because of the age cutoffs.
Anonymous
07/20/2025 08:12
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
With all leagues finishing up their seasons will they be releasing the new league rules for the upcoming year? Hopefully soon and maybe we may start to see how the next year will be shaped/ transition rules. Or maybe we donât hear a damn thing until next spring!
What is everyone thinking?
What is everyone thinking?
Anonymous
07/20/2025 06:38
Subject: ECNL moving to school year not calendar
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Just a lame duck exhibition year. Good year for Aug-Dec kids to skip the season and grab a team next spring. Then they won't have to repeat an age group. And they can try another sport next year. Was a complete bungle to frag this out another year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:It would be nice if the leagues or whatever started to announce plans. Perhaps they are waiting for ECNL playoffs to finish so news end of this month? I think we all just want to know definitively at this point. That would be crazy if a league adopts 8/1 and 9/1 and decides based on state. People are dumb, look at half of the people confused on this thread, so i dont hate on the calculator. But it is just getting annoying that little information has been announced. Rip the bandaid off so we can all move forward.
All US Club Soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use the (old) 8/1 to 7/31 registration system for the 26/27 year. This isn't confusing.
Currently all US Club soccer leagues (including ECNL) are mandated to use a birth year 1/1 to 12/31 registration system. Yet ECNL has their own league rule that allows trapped eight grade players to play down with the next age group in the spring. Hmm - wonder if they could do something in 26/27 outside the US Club mandate?
Sure, and ECNL could do something outside of the US Club BY mandate in 25/26. You just never know - until the league rules are published.
The current year is still happening right? Shockingly, they'll probably post updates after this season concludes.
I have a Q4 kid and I wish it was simply done this year. My kid knows there's a change next year and don't know where he'll end up playing next year. I'm expecting mass movement. So, should have just made a decision and made the change right away. All the kids on teams for the upcoming year know next year, the make up of their teams will be different. So this does feel like a wasted year we're all paying for this sport.
There's always a fair amount of turnover on teams. Yes, there'll be more this upcoming season, but you're really overblowing it. The only ones who deserve SOME consideration are the 8th-grade trapped players this season. Too many others thinking can't wait because they think this will give their kid an edge. You want an edge? Have them work their butt off. The shift will provide opportunities, but if you're kid isn't focusing and working hard, they won't be able to take advantage.
My kid is a Sept birthday on a top national team. She's working hard and getting even better at a higher level. If she chooses to play down for SY its going to be scary. I have a feeling that theres going to be a lot of players like this.
Again for the 100x time - It's not "playing down" and if she's at a "top" club, they're probably going to want to align the age groups from the start so there's not much of a choice.
No its playing down. You just want to feel better about your kid playing down against younger players.
Go cry đ˘
As of fall 26, it's not playing down. It's on age - move on!