Anonymous
10/26/2025 12:12
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Oh and about 5-6 have been brought up through the B team through the years. That puts it at 50/50 internally developed vs recruited.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
My kids team has 5 that started with the team in 1st grade. They're u15 now. Top 30 in the country. Seems to be about the norm when I think about other teams and all the kids they played futsal with through the years.
Defiantly a good reason to group by grade all the way down into littles.
The didn’t group by grade pre-2016. They don’t now. I have coached for over 15 years at clubs up and down the east coast. I have never been to one of our tryouts or evaluated a player where the player’s grade has ever come up or even been discussed.
If the player is in the age grouping that’s where they play unless they can make a serious impact a year up and the parents are okay with that. At smaller clubs there is more of this of course and normally a bit more of it on the girls side.
I don’t understand why the last 20 years of youth soccer is suddenly going to change and care about grade in 26/27.
Ok "coach" but they did have a 1st grade top team and what I wrote is 100% true.
Who is ‘they’ and who cares if ‘they’ had a (L O fricken L) 1st grade ‘top’ team? I have never seen such a concentrated level of delusion.
What’s extra funny is that this is the only place in the country (world?) where this is a conversation/argument. Everyone sane is just doing and planning for business as usual but with different age ranges. It is wild.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 10:54
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Oh and about 5-6 have been brought up through the B team through the years. That puts it at 50/50 internally developed vs recruited.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
My kids team has 5 that started with the team in 1st grade. They're u15 now. Top 30 in the country. Seems to be about the norm when I think about other teams and all the kids they played futsal with through the years.
Defiantly a good reason to group by grade all the way down into littles.
The didn’t group by grade pre-2016. They don’t now. I have coached for over 15 years at clubs up and down the east coast. I have never been to one of our tryouts or evaluated a player where the player’s grade has ever come up or even been discussed.
If the player is in the age grouping that’s where they play unless they can make a serious impact a year up and the parents are okay with that. At smaller clubs there is more of this of course and normally a bit more of it on the girls side.
I don’t understand why the last 20 years of youth soccer is suddenly going to change and care about grade in 26/27.
Ok "coach" but they did have a 1st grade top team and what I wrote is 100% true.
Both can be true. What's dumb is to think that mean its true everywhere.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 10:40
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Oh and about 5-6 have been brought up through the B team through the years. That puts it at 50/50 internally developed vs recruited.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
My kids team has 5 that started with the team in 1st grade. They're u15 now. Top 30 in the country. Seems to be about the norm when I think about other teams and all the kids they played futsal with through the years.
Defiantly a good reason to group by grade all the way down into littles.
The didn’t group by grade pre-2016. They don’t now. I have coached for over 15 years at clubs up and down the east coast. I have never been to one of our tryouts or evaluated a player where the player’s grade has ever come up or even been discussed.
If the player is in the age grouping that’s where they play unless they can make a serious impact a year up and the parents are okay with that. At smaller clubs there is more of this of course and normally a bit more of it on the girls side.
I don’t understand why the last 20 years of youth soccer is suddenly going to change and care about grade in 26/27.
Ok "coach" but they did have a 1st grade top team and what I wrote is 100% true.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 10:35
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
You can have a core but to contend nationally you need to recruit people across a region to compete. There are no Hoosiers-type teams. That's a fantasy.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 10:34
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Oh and about 5-6 have been brought up through the B team through the years. That puts it at 50/50 internally developed vs recruited.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
My kids team has 5 that started with the team in 1st grade. They're u15 now. Top 30 in the country. Seems to be about the norm when I think about other teams and all the kids they played futsal with through the years.
Defiantly a good reason to group by grade all the way down into littles.
The didn’t group by grade pre-2016. They don’t now. I have coached for over 15 years at clubs up and down the east coast. I have never been to one of our tryouts or evaluated a player where the player’s grade has ever come up or even been discussed.
If the player is in the age grouping that’s where they play unless they can make a serious impact a year up and the parents are okay with that. At smaller clubs there is more of this of course and normally a bit more of it on the girls side.
I don’t understand why the last 20 years of youth soccer is suddenly going to change and care about grade in 26/27.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 10:03
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Oh and about 5-6 have been brought up through the B team through the years. That puts it at 50/50 internally developed vs recruited.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
My kids team has 5 that started with the team in 1st grade. They're u15 now. Top 30 in the country. Seems to be about the norm when I think about other teams and all the kids they played futsal with through the years.
Defiantly a good reason to group by grade all the way down into littles.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 09:59
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
My kids team has 5 that started with the team in 1st grade. They're u15 now. Top 30 in the country. Seems to be about the norm when I think about other teams and all the kids they played futsal with through the years.
Anonymous
10/26/2025 08:23
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
If clubs cared about growing as a team over the years they wouldn't be putting almost everything into recruiting and so little into development. Clubs know so few kids on top teams at their club will still be on their top club from elementary to HS that to expect them to care about lining kids up for college at say age 5-6 is not believable.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
Anonymous
10/25/2025 19:47
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Recruiting is a priority BUT there are plenty of misaligned players in the current system where you can't group players by grade. I know a top team that recruited one from our club specifically to compete for a national title.
Current BY players are "misaligned" playjng up a grade nobody has issues with this.
Under SY misaligned Aug Sept birthdays will be playing down a grade and unrecruitable.
Stop with the unrecruitable nonsense! Worry about your own kid! Parents like you are the worst part about soccer.
Unrecruitable
Until they develop into better players they otherwise would have been because they got the room to grow that they deserved AND they rock the at grade-level showcase OR get good enough to play up. ... Forcing them to a B team Or the A team bench purely because of their grade would be a ticket to nowhere more often than not. You are wrong to try to push them there.
No I'm not.
Also, this is exactly what coaches and clubs will do. You just haven't experienced it yet.
Neither have you. While we are returning to Aug-Jul, it's not the same landscape. You're speculating on what you think will happen. The only evidence we've seen is grade will be considered but can't be the only factor. The latter suggests you're wrong about forcing up. (And this is from a top of the line ECNL club).
You literally wrote that clubs will be using grade in school to determine team placement. Then discounted it, like what was written didnt exist. 🤣
If anyone wants to know what this is about, please read this FAQ, especially about playing up and Sept/Aug birthdays. Some believe it's pretty clear about how ability along with some other factors, like grade, that drive the decision. Others can't handle nuance and believe this is a smokescreen and clubs will ultimtely force up Aug-Sept players if they are in a higher grade. Decide for yourself: https://arlingtonsoccer.com/programs/travel/age-group-transition
Anonymous
10/25/2025 19:30
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
If the USSF and leagues wanted grade year they would have gone grade year. But they didn't, they went 8-1 / 7-31, it's been over for awhile on grade year. Maybe they put in grade year in a few years.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
Anonymous
10/25/2025 19:25
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Until you figure out what "may consider" means, you just aren't going to learn much by reading.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Recruiting is a priority BUT there are plenty of misaligned players in the current system where you can't group players by grade. I know a top team that recruited one from our club specifically to compete for a national title.
Current BY players are "misaligned" playjng up a grade nobody has issues with this.
Under SY misaligned Aug Sept birthdays will be playing down a grade and unrecruitable.
Stop with the unrecruitable nonsense! Worry about your own kid! Parents like you are the worst part about soccer.
Unrecruitable
Until they develop into better players they otherwise would have been because they got the room to grow that they deserved AND they rock the at grade-level showcase OR get good enough to play up. ... Forcing them to a B team Or the A team bench purely because of their grade would be a ticket to nowhere more often than not. You are wrong to try to push them there.
No I'm not.
Also, this is exactly what coaches and clubs will do. You just haven't experienced it yet.
Neither have you. While we are returning to Aug-Jul, it's not the same landscape. You're speculating on what you think will happen. The only evidence we've seen is grade will be considered but can't be the only factor. The latter suggests you're wrong about forcing up. (And this is from a top of the line ECNL club).
You literally wrote that clubs will be using grade in school to determine team placement. Then discounted it, like what was written didnt exist. 🤣
"means, you just aren't going to learn much by reading."
Wow, but you said it.
Anonymous
10/25/2025 19:23
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Anonymous wrote:Makes sense that teams could lean grade at junior year but not want anyone playing up before then. So best to stay on age until at least junior year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Hahahaha...
Agree 💯 unfortunately the hard heads have to learn from personal experience.
It makes even more sense for clubs to adopt a policy that all players must play on the team thats their grade in school. This way teams grow up playing together and are able to dominate at all ages.
Anonymous
10/25/2025 19:23
Subject: How will clubs make the school year teams?
Until you figure out what "may consider" means, you just aren't going to learn much by reading.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Clubs won't know or care about grades of most kids. Kids come and go.Anonymous wrote:Aug - Dec kids who are on top teams and on grade and get at least half playing time - clubs will leave them alone UNLESS parents want to move them down to younger team.
Aug - Dec kids who are on top team but NOT on grade - clubs will try to push them to younger team. Parents who disagree will get to argue their case but club will likely comply.
Aug - Dec kids who are NOT on top teams - honestly it doesn’t matter much to the club which teams your kids are on especially if much loved than RL. They will move your kids to grade level. This new change doesn’t impact your recruiting if your kids are playing in other leagues that ECNL/GA/ RL/MLSN
They will because it makes a differnece in who gets recruited for college and who does not.
Clubs want winning teams, wins, records and championships matter more to clubs, because that is a big driver of club recruitment. Their primary goal is not to send kids off to college. So, the clubs will absolutely go into a season with the strongest team possible. That means playing the older kids from August and September (who are 1 grade above) to play on the team. Any club that does not play the oldest kids on the teams, will be at an 16.6% disadvantage against clubs who do include them. Grade year consideration is secondary to winning.
As someone with a u16 on a top GA team in the nation trust me teams stop caring about wins at u15 and everything changes to recruiting. I wish we could play top teams (that are actually trying to win) in tournaments. But it just doesnt happen anymore.
The person. thats telling you that clubs will group players by grade for recruiting is correct. This is for both GA and ECNL.
Recruiting is a priority BUT there are plenty of misaligned players in the current system where you can't group players by grade. I know a top team that recruited one from our club specifically to compete for a national title.
Current BY players are "misaligned" playjng up a grade nobody has issues with this.
Under SY misaligned Aug Sept birthdays will be playing down a grade and unrecruitable.
Stop with the unrecruitable nonsense! Worry about your own kid! Parents like you are the worst part about soccer.
Unrecruitable
Until they develop into better players they otherwise would have been because they got the room to grow that they deserved AND they rock the at grade-level showcase OR get good enough to play up. ... Forcing them to a B team Or the A team bench purely because of their grade would be a ticket to nowhere more often than not. You are wrong to try to push them there.
No I'm not.
Also, this is exactly what coaches and clubs will do. You just haven't experienced it yet.
Neither have you. While we are returning to Aug-Jul, it's not the same landscape. You're speculating on what you think will happen. The only evidence we've seen is grade will be considered but can't be the only factor. The latter suggests you're wrong about forcing up. (And this is from a top of the line ECNL club).
You literally wrote that clubs will be using grade in school to determine team placement. Then discounted it, like what was written didnt exist. 🤣