Anonymous
02/12/2026 17:21
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:D3 good academic schools are the ticket anyway. Just get the grades, become a good player in whatever age group and then your set.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Who is they?
Parents with the kids highly desired by D1 colleges aren't thinking about this crap.
Exactly. And beware of parents who just want to rail against kids for following the rules, like playing on age.
Playing with your grade is 100% allowed by the rules.
LIES
or they would switch to school grade naming
Anonymous
02/12/2026 17:20
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:D3 good academic schools are the ticket anyway. Just get the grades, become a good player in whatever age group and then your set.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Who is they?
Parents with the kids highly desired by D1 colleges aren't thinking about this crap.
Parents with highly desired D3 players aren't worried about this school grade crap either
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:48
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:D3 good academic schools are the ticket anyway. Just get the grades, become a good player in whatever age group and then your set.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Who is they?
Parents with the kids highly desired by D1 colleges aren't thinking about this crap.
Exactly. And beware of parents who just want to rail against kids for following the rules, like playing on age.
Playing with your grade is 100% allowed by the rules.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:31
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:D3 good academic schools are the ticket anyway. Just get the grades, become a good player in whatever age group and then your set.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Who is they?
Parents with the kids highly desired by D1 colleges aren't thinking about this crap.
Exactly. And beware of parents who just want to rail against kids for following the rules, like playing on age.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:30
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would be pointless for rival clubs to try to poach the oldest player(s) on a top team in one age and then turn around and offer them the second team for their club on age up.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
The idea is if Stars Blue is "better" but forcing a player to play on a grade lower team. Other teams would offer them a position on their top team thats the correcr grade in school. Which will happen.
Which will propagate Aug birthdays playing woth their grade on multiple teams.
There are always edge cases. You'll have players good enough for the A team on age but not if playing up (even if the same grade). And to force that OR go to a club that does could mean bench time, etc. At least the system provides some choice for those families.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:29
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
D3 good academic schools are the ticket anyway. Just get the grades, become a good player in whatever age group and then your set.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Who is they?
Parents with the kids highly desired by D1 colleges aren't thinking about this crap.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:13
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Who is they?
Parents with the kids highly desired by D1 colleges aren't thinking about this crap.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:11
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Checking back in and it's the exact same thing as hundreds of pages ago - do you ever get tired of arguing the same thing over and over?
So many clubs doing at least something someone agrees with -- we ALL get to be right. It's great!
Its just a matter of time before clubs group Aug birthdays on their grade in school team. Its easier for the club and sets them up for recruiting.
And considering the League rules doesn't matter, clubs can do what they want
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:07
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Two "wills" equal random speculation.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would be pointless for rival clubs to try to poach the oldest player(s) on a top team in one age and then turn around and offer them the second team for their club on age up.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
The idea is if Stars Blue is "better" but forcing a player to play on a grade lower team. Other teams would offer them a position on their top team thats the correcr grade in school. Which will happen.
Which will propagate Aug birthdays playing woth their grade on multiple teams.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:06
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
With RAE, college coaches saying they don't care about age groups, top teams blocking most playing up and the fact that you reach out to schools and go to IDs. August kids will be fine.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:05
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Would be pointless for rival clubs to try to poach the oldest player(s) on a top team in one age and then turn around and offer them the second team for their club on age up.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
The idea is if Stars Blue is "better" but forcing a player to play on a grade lower team. Other teams would offer them a position on their top team thats the correcr grade in school. Which will happen.
Which will propagate Aug birthdays playing woth their grade on multiple teams.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:04
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Unless their coaches and mentors explain it's not completely necessary for them to achieve their goals (which it seems a lot of people think to be the case). It'll definitely be on them to convince any parents/players who might be worried about it.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:04
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Yup, some kids playing up an age group and some holdbacks on teams. May-July school holdbacks will still be off their grade. Probably 3-4 starters on each team off grade.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Don't fool yourself, it's a push for everyone. College coaches see around maybe 30 players in any one game, they have no idea who is spoken for or even wants to play in college.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:College recruiting is almost all push not pull. Virtually no college coach can just pick and choose who the want (some kids want to stay close to home, some want to move far away, etc.), that's why you have to let them know you are interested.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What is easiest for college coaches and what is in the best interests of every individual player will not align. With college coaches evaluating the player and not what age group they are in, there are multiple paths for players to go.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Crystal clear, college coaches evaluate players not their age groups. "College coaches evaluate players based on their performance, development, and potential, not the exact age grouping of their club team"Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Pretty clear age groups don't matter for recruiting because college coaches evaluate players not what age group they are in.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Different Valor points out college coaches don't care about your age group.
https://www.valorsoccer.com/copy-of-tryouts-faq
"Will this impact college recruiting?
This change will not negatively impact college recruiting. College coaches evaluate players based on their performance, development, and potential, not the exact age grouping of their club team. "
They will also give kids the option to play up with friends and other play up on case by case.
Again you're mixing two seperate things.
Valor is saying that changing from BY to SY is better for college recruiting. This is because all players on the field during games will be the same grade in school.
Valor is not saying anything about Aug and Sept birthdays playing on a grade down team. If you asked them about this they would probabaly say that its a bad idea if the player wants to get recruited and play in college.
"Will this impact college recruiting?
This change will not negatively impact college recruiting. College coaches evaluate players based on their performance, development, and potential, not the exact age grouping of their club team. "
Again they're talking about BY to SY change.
Not Aug/Sept birthdays playing on a geade down team.
Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior classes.
Will this hurt my child’s college recruiting process? No. In fact, it is expected to help. College coaches recruit by graduating class (e.g., "Class of 2028"). Aligning club soccer age groups with school grades makes it easier for scouts to evaluate players against their direct academic peers, streamlining the recruiting pathway
Did you seriously say college recruiters are evaluating against academic peers?
You said that out loud
Yes, Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club said exactly that
One fool makes many I guess
Ask yourself, what the heck academic peers have to do with what soccer scouts look for in an individual to evaluate their skills and potential?
You're working double time on behalf of all the fools. In case you haven't seen it recently.
Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior classes.
Will this hurt my child’s college recruiting process? No. In fact, it is expected to help. College coaches recruit by graduating class (e.g., "Class of 2028"). Aligning club soccer age groups with school grades makes it easier for scouts to evaluate players against their direct academic peers, streamlining the recruiting pathway
But college coaches are the ones recruiting for their teams. You can choose whatever path you want but if you're not in front of and available for college coaches in the way they want you to be seen what does it matter?
Its push for you because your making it harder on Aug birthdays by encouraging them to play down a grade. Which makes college coaches instantly pass on the player.
For everyone else on a correct grade team, on a top team, at a top club its a matter of choosing which offer to accept.
And even with all the streamlining, there's still be misaligned players, even IF Aug/Sept played up on grade
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:02
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.
They all care about getting recruited and therefore care about playing on their grade in school team.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 16:01
Subject: ECNL moving to school year part 2
Would be pointless for rival clubs to try to poach the oldest player(s) on a top team in one age and then turn around and offer them the second team for their club on age up.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Stars Blue parents are saying that Stars is picking some Aug birthdays to play with their grade in school team and forcing others to play grade down.
This will go over well.
Seems fine if it's about soccer ability.
Forcing players to play down a grade makes them easy recruitment targets by other clubs.
If they care about grade. Not all do.