Anonymous
02/09/2026 22:57
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
No reason to cry unless you want youth soccer to go grade year.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The only fair way to do it would be to have all August kids play up or have them all play on age. Arbitrary forcing some but not all of them to play up when many aren't ready would be sabotaging their youth soccer experience regardless of grade.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Even better the more you fight Aug birthdays playing with their grade the more parents and clubs figure out that its the ideal solution.
Since they can't play with their grade outside their agegroup, are they doing it for team training only?
Not talking about holdbacks they have to play with their age because you can't play down.
August birthdays can go either way (play on a grade lower team or play on the correct grade in school team) in SY depending on when the district starts and when the player was initially enrolled. Fortunately in this situation all players need to do is play up (because its allowed) to be rostered on the correct grade in school team.
Rule book says...
Clubs can do whatever they want. Go cry.
Here is a good example of this area which basically ever club has matched:
Will travel registration be based on grades?
Registration is based on date of birth, not grade level. Players’ eligibility for grades in school vary depending on the state and school system. After research and discussion, US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and AYSO jointly announced a move to the school-year cut off of August 1 - July 31 to best reduce the misalignment between age and school year.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 22:56
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:So far it's been the opposite as the best teams want kids playing on age (with a few top players allowed to play up) but a few are allowing kids to play up for grade with secondary teams. Then a couple of lesser teams that are trying to match their house rec leagues and go grade but it's been pretty rare.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ignored this thread for a while, but popped in to see if there was anything new only to see FC Copa still being mentioned.
They have a -78 GD in 10 games this fall in my daughter's AG (first 3 matches were all 10+ to 0). I'm not sure why anything they say is worth much.
Does your daughter play for their USL team?
My daughter plays ECNL, but FC Copa is a known joke of a club on the girls side. I have no clue why someone keeps propping up anything they say.
Joke or no joke they're being honest about placing Aug birthdays on the correct grade in school team just like Matchfit.
The reason DC clubs arent being as clear is because theres only one month of birthdays that potentially could play down a grade (because schools start school early Sept). New Jersey, New York and some of the Midwest states start school late Sept and all the way to Nov. Because of this players playing down a grade is a much bigger issue for these clubs and something they can't just try to sweep under the rug with parents and players. They know that colleges wont recruit misaligned players playing down a grade. So to avoid the issue all together they say Aug birthdays play with their grade.
Clubs around here will do the same after they get tired of messing around with accomodating the play downs.
Sure, they’ll play with their grade, but may be on a lower team.
That is how things work. If you dont make the A team you play on the B team thats your grade in school. If you don't like it go somewhere else. Makes things much easier to manage from a club perspective.
They will go somewhere else and maybe play on an A team.
Sure but both the team and club will blow.
Thank you Mr Future for your exciting feedback on what is happening 6 months from now.
What are you going to do this fall when top team players are all one graduating year?
Anonymous
02/09/2026 22:54
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:The only fair way to do it would be to have all August kids play up or have them all play on age. Arbitrary forcing some but not all of them to play up when many aren't ready would be sabotaging their youth soccer experience regardless of grade.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Even better the more you fight Aug birthdays playing with their grade the more parents and clubs figure out that its the ideal solution.
Since they can't play with their grade outside their agegroup, are they doing it for team training only?
Not talking about holdbacks they have to play with their age because you can't play down.
August birthdays can go either way (play on a grade lower team or play on the correct grade in school team) in SY depending on when the district starts and when the player was initially enrolled. Fortunately in this situation all players need to do is play up (because its allowed) to be rostered on the correct grade in school team.
Rule book says...
Clubs can do whatever they want. Go cry.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 22:35
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
So far it's been the opposite as the best teams want kids playing on age (with a few top players allowed to play up) but a few are allowing kids to play up for grade with secondary teams. Then a couple of lesser teams that are trying to match their house rec leagues and go grade but it's been pretty rare.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ignored this thread for a while, but popped in to see if there was anything new only to see FC Copa still being mentioned.
They have a -78 GD in 10 games this fall in my daughter's AG (first 3 matches were all 10+ to 0). I'm not sure why anything they say is worth much.
Does your daughter play for their USL team?
My daughter plays ECNL, but FC Copa is a known joke of a club on the girls side. I have no clue why someone keeps propping up anything they say.
Joke or no joke they're being honest about placing Aug birthdays on the correct grade in school team just like Matchfit.
The reason DC clubs arent being as clear is because theres only one month of birthdays that potentially could play down a grade (because schools start school early Sept). New Jersey, New York and some of the Midwest states start school late Sept and all the way to Nov. Because of this players playing down a grade is a much bigger issue for these clubs and something they can't just try to sweep under the rug with parents and players. They know that colleges wont recruit misaligned players playing down a grade. So to avoid the issue all together they say Aug birthdays play with their grade.
Clubs around here will do the same after they get tired of messing around with accomodating the play downs.
Sure, they’ll play with their grade, but may be on a lower team.
That is how things work. If you dont make the A team you play on the B team thats your grade in school. If you don't like it go somewhere else. Makes things much easier to manage from a club perspective.
They will go somewhere else and maybe play on an A team.
Sure but both the team and club will blow.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 22:30
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
The only fair way to do it would be to have all August kids play up or have them all play on age. Arbitrary forcing some but not all of them to play up when many aren't ready would be sabotaging their youth soccer experience regardless of grade.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Even better the more you fight Aug birthdays playing with their grade the more parents and clubs figure out that its the ideal solution.
Since they can't play with their grade outside their agegroup, are they doing it for team training only?
Not talking about holdbacks they have to play with their age because you can't play down.
August birthdays can go either way (play on a grade lower team or play on the correct grade in school team) in SY depending on when the district starts and when the player was initially enrolled. Fortunately in this situation all players need to do is play up (because its allowed) to be rostered on the correct grade in school team.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 22:13
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ignored this thread for a while, but popped in to see if there was anything new only to see FC Copa still being mentioned.
They have a -78 GD in 10 games this fall in my daughter's AG (first 3 matches were all 10+ to 0). I'm not sure why anything they say is worth much.
Does your daughter play for their USL team?
My daughter plays ECNL, but FC Copa is a known joke of a club on the girls side. I have no clue why someone keeps propping up anything they say.
Joke or no joke they're being honest about placing Aug birthdays on the correct grade in school team just like Matchfit.
The reason DC clubs arent being as clear is because theres only one month of birthdays that potentially could play down a grade (because schools start school early Sept). New Jersey, New York and some of the Midwest states start school late Sept and all the way to Nov. Because of this players playing down a grade is a much bigger issue for these clubs and something they can't just try to sweep under the rug with parents and players. They know that colleges wont recruit misaligned players playing down a grade. So to avoid the issue all together they say Aug birthdays play with their grade.
Clubs around here will do the same after they get tired of messing around with accomodating the play downs.
Sure, they’ll play with their grade, but may be on a lower team.
That is how things work. If you dont make the A team you play on the B team thats your grade in school. If you don't like it go somewhere else. Makes things much easier to manage from a club perspective.
They will go somewhere else and maybe play on an A team.
Sure but both the team and club will blow.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 21:53
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ignored this thread for a while, but popped in to see if there was anything new only to see FC Copa still being mentioned.
They have a -78 GD in 10 games this fall in my daughter's AG (first 3 matches were all 10+ to 0). I'm not sure why anything they say is worth much.
Does your daughter play for their USL team?
My daughter plays ECNL, but FC Copa is a known joke of a club on the girls side. I have no clue why someone keeps propping up anything they say.
Joke or no joke they're being honest about placing Aug birthdays on the correct grade in school team just like Matchfit.
The reason DC clubs arent being as clear is because theres only one month of birthdays that potentially could play down a grade (because schools start school early Sept). New Jersey, New York and some of the Midwest states start school late Sept and all the way to Nov. Because of this players playing down a grade is a much bigger issue for these clubs and something they can't just try to sweep under the rug with parents and players. They know that colleges wont recruit misaligned players playing down a grade. So to avoid the issue all together they say Aug birthdays play with their grade.
Clubs around here will do the same after they get tired of messing around with accomodating the play downs.
Sure, they’ll play with their grade, but may be on a lower team.
That is how things work. If you dont make the A team you play on the B team thats your grade in school. If you don't like it go somewhere else. Makes things much easier to manage from a club perspective.
They will go somewhere else and maybe play on an A team.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 20:02
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ignored this thread for a while, but popped in to see if there was anything new only to see FC Copa still being mentioned.
They have a -78 GD in 10 games this fall in my daughter's AG (first 3 matches were all 10+ to 0). I'm not sure why anything they say is worth much.
Does your daughter play for their USL team?
My daughter plays ECNL, but FC Copa is a known joke of a club on the girls side. I have no clue why someone keeps propping up anything they say.
Joke or no joke they're being honest about placing Aug birthdays on the correct grade in school team just like Matchfit.
The reason DC clubs arent being as clear is because theres only one month of birthdays that potentially could play down a grade (because schools start school early Sept). New Jersey, New York and some of the Midwest states start school late Sept and all the way to Nov. Because of this players playing down a grade is a much bigger issue for these clubs and something they can't just try to sweep under the rug with parents and players. They know that colleges wont recruit misaligned players playing down a grade. So to avoid the issue all together they say Aug birthdays play with their grade.
Clubs around here will do the same after they get tired of messing around with accomodating the play downs.
Sure, they’ll play with their grade, but may be on a lower team.
That is how things work. If you dont make the A team you play on the B team thats your grade in school. If you don't like it go somewhere else. Makes things much easier to manage from a club perspective.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 19:57
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Even better the more you fight Aug birthdays playing with their grade the more parents and clubs figure out that its the ideal solution.
Since they can't play with their grade outside their agegroup, are they doing it for team training only?
Not talking about holdbacks they have to play with their age because you can't play down.
August birthdays can go either way (play on a grade lower team or play on the correct grade in school team) in SY depending on when the district starts and when the player was initially enrolled. Fortunately in this situation all players need to do is play up (because its allowed) to be rostered on the correct grade in school team.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 19:38
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Dare to dream...dare to dream.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
People aren't telling you what they want, they are telling you what is happening and pointing out you are wrong at every turn.
If youth soccer does switch to grade year, if will be so far down the road that your daughters will be adults by then anyway.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 19:12
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Even better the more you fight Aug birthdays playing with their grade the more parents and clubs figure out that its the ideal solution.
Since they can't play with their grade outside their agegroup, are they doing it for team training only?
Anonymous
02/09/2026 19:10
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Ignored this thread for a while, but popped in to see if there was anything new only to see FC Copa still being mentioned.
They have a -78 GD in 10 games this fall in my daughter's AG (first 3 matches were all 10+ to 0). I'm not sure why anything they say is worth much.
Does your daughter play for their USL team?
My daughter plays ECNL, but FC Copa is a known joke of a club on the girls side. I have no clue why someone keeps propping up anything they say.
Joke or no joke they're being honest about placing Aug birthdays on the correct grade in school team just like Matchfit.
The reason DC clubs arent being as clear is because theres only one month of birthdays that potentially could play down a grade (because schools start school early Sept). New Jersey, New York and some of the Midwest states start school late Sept and all the way to Nov. Because of this players playing down a grade is a much bigger issue for these clubs and something they can't just try to sweep under the rug with parents and players. They know that colleges wont recruit misaligned players playing down a grade. So to avoid the issue all together they say Aug birthdays play with their grade.
Clubs around here will do the same after they get tired of messing around with accomodating the play downs.
Sure, they’ll play with their grade, but may be on a lower team.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 19:03
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Even better the more you fight Aug birthdays playing with their grade the more parents and clubs figure out that its the ideal solution.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 19:01
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.
They're all going to have Aug birthdays play with their grade over tim. It's easier for clubs to manage and better for recruiting. They might not tell you but it will happen.
You're swimming upstream.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 18:25
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
This week, Bethesda, SAC, BA, DCSC and PPA in DC area and United FA in Georgia said default to age with some case by case to play up, grade not a thing.Anonymous wrote:Age guys day today.
That's reality whomping on his nuts over and over again.
On the other side you got Penn Fusion and Matchfit possibly leaning towards going grade.
Not a great week for the belief that players will be forced to play up on grade in the DC area this week for sure.