Anonymous wrote:The whole August boogey man thing being pushed by one parent is a thinly veiled attempt to shield his kids from losing a spot.

No one expects august kids to play up any more than people expect January kids to play up now.

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Anonymous wrote:If your kid can ball they'll be recruited

If they can't, the parents are biting nails and squirming over school grade nonsense

Keeping in mind, of all the kids playing youth soccer, only the small percentage of exceptional players play at college and beyond

Folks here acting like all kids playing have a chance

That is the problem theres one person that likely has a kid that will play in college and then theres an army of littles parents whos kid will wash out before high school. Different perspectives and and goals. If my kid was born in August I'd make sure they played on a team with kids their grade. Just so they could play on a team with their friends in school.

My kid plays on a team with no one from his school or our neighborhood

I have no understanding what travel club soccer and school friends have to do with each other

He has neighborhood and school friends

In BY trapped players played up a grade. The social hierarchy in schools says this is ok because they're being forced to do it.

SY August players playing down is very different. Kids will call other kids a grade older Uncle or Aunt "insert name here". It happens in basketball all the time. The difference is typically you need to be held back a grade to play down in basketball. In soccer with August birthdays you dont so socialy they'll stick out.

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Anonymous wrote:If your kid can ball they'll be recruited

If they can't, the parents are biting nails and squirming over school grade nonsense

Keeping in mind, of all the kids playing youth soccer, only the small percentage of exceptional players play at college and beyond

Folks here acting like all kids playing have a chance

That is the problem theres one person that likely has a kid that will play in college and then theres an army of littles parents whos kid will wash out before high school. Different perspectives and and goals. If my kid was born in August I'd make sure they played on a team with kids their grade. Just so they could play on a team with their friends in school.

My kid plays on a team with no one from his school or our neighborhood

I have no understanding what travel club soccer and school friends have to do with each other

He has neighborhood and school friends

In BY trapped players played up a grade. The social hierarchy in schools says this is ok because they're being forced to do it.

SY August players playing down is very different. Kids will call other kids a grade older Uncle or Aunt "insert name here". It happens in basketball all the time. The difference is typically you need to be held back a grade to play down in basketball. In soccer with August birthdays you dont so socialy they'll stick out.

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Anonymous wrote:The more I think about it MLSN1s decision to stay BY will result in multiple months of players looking to play up a level in SY leagues so they get noticed.

Jan-July players in SY leagues will feel pressure to play up as a way to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by MLSN1 coaches. Aug-Dec will feel pressure to play up just to be a part of the crowd that gets considered by MLSN1 coaches.

Which in the end works out for everyone because playing with your grade early sets players up for being looked at by college recuiters when they're older.

FYI, teams are blocking playing up an age group. And your knowledge of MLSN1 recruiting matches your knowledge of college recruiting.

Not sure how you turned the original comment into an irrelevant opportunity for you to try to helicopter for your girl and try to make Sept the oldest but it is the only thing you can see.

Hahahaha the reason your ECNL leaders said they dont want players playing up is because if this happens a lot it weakens leagues and boys ECNL cements itself as tier 2.

But, if playing on a BY MLSN1 team is what everyone is going for. Everyone in a SY league will consider playing up.

It's not allowed.

You can always play up, so it's allowed. But you just have to be really, really good.

Hes just blowing a fuse because the reality of Aug birthdays playing by grade ts starting to dawn on him.

The only reality I see is grade is a factor for some but not for others and the clubs are rolling with it.

This is competitive soccer. The top teams control the leagues. The players parents and coaches fron the top teams will make grade in school a part of the decision process for the teams they play on / coach. It all works together.

Yep, and what I'm seeing at the highest level so far is age/talent > grade.

I appreciate the littles 7v7 report.

When your kid gets older getting recruited to play in college takes over which is why if your kid was born in Aug they should play on a team thats their grade asap. Don't let clubs steal your kids long term potential by playing them down for short term wins.

Sorry dude, I'm reporting about 11v11. Funny thing is those who want it about grade aren't about college recruiting. It's more about playing with friends. The ones interested in college still -- they are after the A team and the platform it provides.

Whatever the reason. I actually agree with you that its better for Aug players to play with other kids their grade.

That's not what I said. What I said is players are pursing what's best for them (as they should).

But thers a balance between whats best for your kid and whats best for the team. Players playing the correct grade and working to get recruited to play in college wont appreciate a kid a grade older stealing their minutes.

Nah, I think they'll appreciate another good player on the team they can practice to get better with and maybe win with.

Thats not how it works when you are the best player. You want visability for the next level.

Right and you get visibility by leading the best team possible and standing out on that team. If you're losing minutes, you need to look within, not blame others.

Yeah, visibility does come from being the best on a good team which is more likely as the oldest instead of the youngest on a team.

College coaches will see through the trojan horses playing down. If they wanted Juniors in HS theyd recruit from the JV team.

Not sure what you mean. Everything I've seen from scouts/clubs so far seems to indicate, it's about the player, not the grade.

I bet $100 the first thing every college coach wants to know about a player is their graduation year.

Well, duh, so they know when they can come to campus. Beyond that, though, I'm not so sure.

But you said grade in school doesnt matter?

Beyond that the reason you dont want to be an Aug birthday playing on a grade down team is because college coaches are looking for players that can play against older players and be an immediate asset. How would you guage a sophmore thats playing against freshman?

I never said grade doesn't matter. I said the player matters more.

To your question, the way it's working out, that sophomore won't be the only one. Also, there's not a huge difference in level between age groups, especially A teams. Take an elite club that is providing a ton of connections, it'll matter even less. Those clubs might be throwing those coaches a bone, though, if that rumor about GY showcases is true (or that person is just trying to troll you).

If you have a rule or recommendation that Aug playera play with their grade you dont need to do GY showcases. Every game played would be the equivalent of a GY showcase but without the holdbacks.

BTW GY opens 10x more negative doors that you arent expecting. Wait until coaches use Showcase roster or playing time as recruitment tools. Just like they use league Talent ID invites today.

Except an August rule DOESN'T fix it because you have kids born in June, July, Sept, Oct and even November also misaligned.

Fine they play up to.

The alternative is 1-2 years older players play down in GY showcases.

Do you see its two sides of the same coin? Either you incovience a small number f players having them play with their grade or you gift a group of players that are playing down intentionally. Which option do you think is more fair or everyeone involved? Hint, its having Aug and younger players play with their grade.

Why should age groups be 13, 14, even 15 months wide? Sounds a lot like your favoring the oldest in those age groups, who happen to be on grade. Not very fair honestly.

Which option is more or less fair? Having young players play up with their grade or allowing older players to play down in GY showcases?

You get a 13, 14, 15 eligibility window either way.

Except that's just a rumor, likely by people so fed up with you, they're pushing your buttons.

Well I heard that leagues were going to add a recommendation that Aug birthdays (and younger) play on the team that's their grade in school.

Clubs already shot this down, 16 to 1 and ECNL guidance is play on age.

No ECNL is considering it because its easy to implement and solves all kinds of issues.

They said the opposite on podcast.

You're twisting words to fit your narrative.

"Because I think if you, if you take a kid who is a standout in their own age group and then you put them up a year and they are not able to do the things that make them stand out and be special, I think you risk taking away what makes that player special by putting them into an environment with too much resistance."

Almost any kid can be a standout if they're playing down against younger players. All you're doing is stealing other kids opportunities. A true standout player is one that stands out when playing against older players.

That's what RAE says. Play as young as possible to be a stand out and long term it creates the best outcome.

Which is exactly why leagues dont want to allow parents to hold their kids back in school so they can play down against younger players. Playing down isn't talent.

12 month window, no holding back

BY is a different 12 month window than SY. Aug (and younger) birthdays will need to play up with their grade if they want to get recruited and play in MLS Next Homegrown.

Or go to a practice and get an offer. Like always.

You have no clue. You're not going to sneak by that your kid is playing down.

MLSN1 sanctions playing down an age group. They don't care about grades, at all, ever.

MLSN1 is not going to recruit players they have to bioband.

Bioband was actually offered to kid's friend as an enticement to join MLSN1 club. Your hypotheticals to offer piss poor advice are ridiculous.

I doubt this is true but either way things are changing with MLSN1 staying BY. Im Expecting many of the HG + Academy clubs to either completely seperate their environments or choose one or the other.

So much rampant speculation here vs. useful info from what's happening.

Um... Simply from a logistics perspective if MLSN1 is BY and MLSN2 is SY they're going to seperate. Add in that BY is an Academy mindset and SY is a P2P mindset and its a fairly easy guess that the two groups will seperate.

Over time MLSN2 will structure just like ECNL because this is the guaranteed way to make $$$. But the top teams in each regional league will play against MLSN1 teams occasionally. This gives both groups what they want. The Acadrmy people get decent competition and the P2P people get to wear the MLSN badge and if your team is a top performer can play against MLSN1 teams. The association with MLS is the carrot at the end of the stick that MLSN2 P2P clubs can use to recruit players and clubs.

Isn't that kinda how it works now? Anyway, I just didn't think it's helpful in how the conversation got drawn into not-so-useful speculation about MLSN, because the thread is about trying to learn what clubs are actually doing and one poster likes to speculate most about a certain cohort and seemed to be charting out territory about how that "had to" affect MLSN. But now I'm getting annoying complaining about that. Sorry, sort of.

Not sure what you're talking about. Everything is interrelated. Much like if you want to be the best possible recruit for college or if you want to be the best possible recruit for MLSN1, aug birthdays will need to play with their grade in school.

BTW I met another parent with an Aug birthday kid. They werent sure what they were going to do. In the short term they wanted to know which coach would get assigned to both teams so they could make a decision based on that. This guy played when yougher and knows everything soccer so I'm sure theres more going on and he understands all the potential repercussions. I'll ask him about it again in 6 months.

Well, glad you're interested in actually what's going on. That's progress.

So far I've met 2 Aug birthday what i would call competitive level soccer parents. The first thought it was weird that a club would put their kid of a team with kids a grade younger in school. The other seemed to be more interested in the coach for each team so they can make a decision.

The first one Im 90% positive will make sure his kid plays on the correct grade team. This is because his oldest is a swimmer and going through college recruitment. The second one I'm 60/40 in favor of playing on the correct grade team. But the 40% is only because his wife always wants to be the team mom so if this is only available on the younger team even if it's a worse decision thats where they'll go.

Complete nonsense. Swimming is about times, not playing by grades. Speculation garbage in pretending kids have a choice to be the youngest or the oldest. Clubs assign teams and they said what the age brackets are and the best of the best might get to stay on their teams to play up. Being the youngest on a team when not a top player is not advised.

Do you mean the team manager? No one wants to be the team manager. People get stuck with it.

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Anonymous wrote:The more I think about it MLSN1s decision to stay BY will result in multiple months of players looking to play up a level in SY leagues so they get noticed.

Jan-July players in SY leagues will feel pressure to play up as a way to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by MLSN1 coaches. Aug-Dec will feel pressure to play up just to be a part of the crowd that gets considered by MLSN1 coaches.

Which in the end works out for everyone because playing with your grade early sets players up for being looked at by college recuiters when they're older.

FYI, teams are blocking playing up an age group. And your knowledge of MLSN1 recruiting matches your knowledge of college recruiting.

Not sure how you turned the original comment into an irrelevant opportunity for you to try to helicopter for your girl and try to make Sept the oldest but it is the only thing you can see.

Hahahaha the reason your ECNL leaders said they dont want players playing up is because if this happens a lot it weakens leagues and boys ECNL cements itself as tier 2.

But, if playing on a BY MLSN1 team is what everyone is going for. Everyone in a SY league will consider playing up.

It's not allowed.

You can always play up, so it's allowed. But you just have to be really, really good.

Hes just blowing a fuse because the reality of Aug birthdays playing by grade ts starting to dawn on him.

The only reality I see is grade is a factor for some but not for others and the clubs are rolling with it.

This is competitive soccer. The top teams control the leagues. The players parents and coaches fron the top teams will make grade in school a part of the decision process for the teams they play on / coach. It all works together.

Yep, and what I'm seeing at the highest level so far is age/talent > grade.

I appreciate the littles 7v7 report.

When your kid gets older getting recruited to play in college takes over which is why if your kid was born in Aug they should play on a team thats their grade asap. Don't let clubs steal your kids long term potential by playing them down for short term wins.

Sorry dude, I'm reporting about 11v11. Funny thing is those who want it about grade aren't about college recruiting. It's more about playing with friends. The ones interested in college still -- they are after the A team and the platform it provides.

Whatever the reason. I actually agree with you that its better for Aug players to play with other kids their grade.

That's not what I said. What I said is players are pursing what's best for them (as they should).

But thers a balance between whats best for your kid and whats best for the team. Players playing the correct grade and working to get recruited to play in college wont appreciate a kid a grade older stealing their minutes.

Nah, I think they'll appreciate another good player on the team they can practice to get better with and maybe win with.

Thats not how it works when you are the best player. You want visability for the next level.

Right and you get visibility by leading the best team possible and standing out on that team. If you're losing minutes, you need to look within, not blame others.

Yeah, visibility does come from being the best on a good team which is more likely as the oldest instead of the youngest on a team.

College coaches will see through the trojan horses playing down. If they wanted Juniors in HS theyd recruit from the JV team.

Not sure what you mean. Everything I've seen from scouts/clubs so far seems to indicate, it's about the player, not the grade.

I bet $100 the first thing every college coach wants to know about a player is their graduation year.

Well, duh, so they know when they can come to campus. Beyond that, though, I'm not so sure.

But you said grade in school doesnt matter?

Beyond that the reason you dont want to be an Aug birthday playing on a grade down team is because college coaches are looking for players that can play against older players and be an immediate asset. How would you guage a sophmore thats playing against freshman?

I never said grade doesn't matter. I said the player matters more.

To your question, the way it's working out, that sophomore won't be the only one. Also, there's not a huge difference in level between age groups, especially A teams. Take an elite club that is providing a ton of connections, it'll matter even less. Those clubs might be throwing those coaches a bone, though, if that rumor about GY showcases is true (or that person is just trying to troll you).

If you have a rule or recommendation that Aug playera play with their grade you dont need to do GY showcases. Every game played would be the equivalent of a GY showcase but without the holdbacks.

BTW GY opens 10x more negative doors that you arent expecting. Wait until coaches use Showcase roster or playing time as recruitment tools. Just like they use league Talent ID invites today.

Except an August rule DOESN'T fix it because you have kids born in June, July, Sept, Oct and even November also misaligned.

Fine they play up to.

The alternative is 1-2 years older players play down in GY showcases.

Do you see its two sides of the same coin? Either you incovience a small number f players having them play with their grade or you gift a group of players that are playing down intentionally. Which option do you think is more fair or everyeone involved? Hint, its having Aug and younger players play with their grade.

Why should age groups be 13, 14, even 15 months wide? Sounds a lot like your favoring the oldest in those age groups, who happen to be on grade. Not very fair honestly.

Which option is more or less fair? Having young players play up with their grade or allowing older players to play down in GY showcases?

You get a 13, 14, 15 eligibility window either way.

Except that's just a rumor, likely by people so fed up with you, they're pushing your buttons.

Well I heard that leagues were going to add a recommendation that Aug birthdays (and younger) play on the team that's their grade in school.

Clubs already shot this down, 16 to 1 and ECNL guidance is play on age.

No ECNL is considering it because its easy to implement and solves all kinds of issues.

They said the opposite on podcast.

You're twisting words to fit your narrative.

"Because I think if you, if you take a kid who is a standout in their own age group and then you put them up a year and they are not able to do the things that make them stand out and be special, I think you risk taking away what makes that player special by putting them into an environment with too much resistance."

Almost any kid can be a standout if they're playing down against younger players. All you're doing is stealing other kids opportunities. A true standout player is one that stands out when playing against older players.

That's what RAE says. Play as young as possible to be a stand out and long term it creates the best outcome.

Which is exactly why leagues dont want to allow parents to hold their kids back in school so they can play down against younger players. Playing down isn't talent.

12 month window, no holding back

BY is a different 12 month window than SY. Aug (and younger) birthdays will need to play up with their grade if they want to get recruited and play in MLS Next Homegrown.

Or go to a practice and get an offer. Like always.

You have no clue. You're not going to sneak by that your kid is playing down.

MLSN1 sanctions playing down an age group. They don't care about grades, at all, ever.

MLSN1 is not going to recruit players they have to bioband.

Bioband was actually offered to kid's friend as an enticement to join MLSN1 club. Your hypotheticals to offer piss poor advice are ridiculous.

I doubt this is true but either way things are changing with MLSN1 staying BY. Im Expecting many of the HG + Academy clubs to either completely seperate their environments or choose one or the other.

So much rampant speculation here vs. useful info from what's happening.

Um... Simply from a logistics perspective if MLSN1 is BY and MLSN2 is SY they're going to seperate. Add in that BY is an Academy mindset and SY is a P2P mindset and its a fairly easy guess that the two groups will seperate.

Over time MLSN2 will structure just like ECNL because this is the guaranteed way to make $$$. But the top teams in each regional league will play against MLSN1 teams occasionally. This gives both groups what they want. The Acadrmy people get decent competition and the P2P people get to wear the MLSN badge and if your team is a top performer can play against MLSN1 teams. The association with MLS is the carrot at the end of the stick that MLSN2 P2P clubs can use to recruit players and clubs.

Isn't that kinda how it works now? Anyway, I just didn't think it's helpful in how the conversation got drawn into not-so-useful speculation about MLSN, because the thread is about trying to learn what clubs are actually doing and one poster likes to speculate most about a certain cohort and seemed to be charting out territory about how that "had to" affect MLSN. But now I'm getting annoying complaining about that. Sorry, sort of.

Not sure what you're talking about. Everything is interrelated. Much like if you want to be the best possible recruit for college or if you want to be the best possible recruit for MLSN1, aug birthdays will need to play with their grade in school.

BTW I met another parent with an Aug birthday kid. They werent sure what they were going to do. In the short term they wanted to know which coach would get assigned to both teams so they could make a decision based on that. This guy played when yougher and knows everything soccer so I'm sure theres more going on and he understands all the potential repercussions. I'll ask him about it again in 6 months.

Well, glad you're interested in actually what's going on. That's progress.

So far I've met 2 Aug birthday what i would call competitive level soccer parents. The first thought it was weird that a club would put their kid of a team with kids a grade younger in school. The other seemed to be more interested in the coach for each team so they can make a decision.

The first one Im 90% positive will make sure his kid plays on the correct grade team. This is because his oldest is a swimmer and going through college recruitment. The second one I'm 60/40 in favor of playing on the correct grade team. But the 40% is only because his wife always wants to be the team mom so if this is only available on the younger team even if it's a worse decision thats where they'll go.

Complete nonsense. Swimming is about times, not playing by grades. Speculation garbage in pretending kids have a choice to be the youngest or the oldest. Clubs assign teams and they said what the age brackets are and the best of the best might get to stay on their teams to play up. Being the youngest on a team when not a top player is not advised.