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Who determines the playing season? Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall

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    Who determines the playing season? Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall

    Question - who determines the playing season? If a Club wanted to form teams and run their season from Spring to Fall, and stay within a single calendar year, could they do so? Wouldn't that allow them to align themselves better with the calendar year age cutoff?
    The mandate says you need to use the year the season ends to determine your players age (i.e. 2016-2017 season uses 2017 for basing age). If you changed your season to run Jan 1st - Dec 31st, 2016, you would use 2016 for basing age. That would, of course, make your team older than those using split-year seasons during the Fall, but the same age during following Spring when you will be starting your 2017 season.

    I thought there were some states and programs that currently use the Spring to Fall, single year season. With this new age change, won't this be a problem when they now compete against combined year programs?

    To me, it makes more sense to have the club season run within a single calendar year in order to better comply with this new age change mandate. This would also help the older Aug - Dec kids transition to their new age group, as they wouldn't actually "skip" a year but instead would move up one year the Fall, and then another year the following Spring. The younger Jan - July kids would repeat their same playing age in Fall and then move up one year the following Spring. From that point forward they would stay on course.

    It just seems to make more sense to have a calendar year season when you have a calendar year age chart. For example, as it currently stands with the split-year season, many players on a U-13 team would only be 11 when their season starts and the majority would only be 12 when the season ENDS in Spring and that doesn't seem logical. U-13 means 13 or younger, and there wouldn't be hardly any 13 year olds. Although, under a calendar year season you would have a well balanced group of kids aged 12-13 at U-13, without having any kids turn 14 before the end of the season.

    #2
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    Question - who determines the playing season? If a Club wanted to form teams and run their season from Spring to Fall, and stay within a single calendar year, could they do so? Wouldn't that allow them to align themselves better with the calendar year age cutoff?
    The mandate says you need to use the year the season ends to determine your players age (i.e. 2016-2017 season uses 2017 for basing age). If you changed your season to run Jan 1st - Dec 31st, 2016, you would use 2016 for basing age. That would, of course, make your team older than those using split-year seasons during the Fall, but the same age during following Spring when you will be starting your 2017 season.

    I thought there were some states and programs that currently use the Spring to Fall, single year season. With this new age change, won't this be a problem when they now compete against combined year programs?

    To me, it makes more sense to have the club season run within a single calendar year in order to better comply with this new age change mandate. This would also help the older Aug - Dec kids transition to their new age group, as they wouldn't actually "skip" a year but instead would move up one year the Fall, and then another year the following Spring. The younger Jan - July kids would repeat their same playing age in Fall and then move up one year the following Spring. From that point forward they would stay on course.

    It just seems to make more sense to have a calendar year season when you have a calendar year age chart. For example, as it currently stands with the split-year season, many players on a U-13 team would only be 11 when their season starts and the majority would only be 12 when the season ENDS in Spring and that doesn't seem logical. U-13 means 13 or younger, and there wouldn't be hardly any 13 year olds. Although, under a calendar year season you would have a well balanced group of kids aged 12-13 at U-13, without having any kids turn 14 before the end of the season.
    The league decides

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      #3
      So, does anyone think their league is considering making this change? It would seem to solve at least a few of the issues this new age mandate is causing.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        So, does anyone think their league is considering making this change? It would seem to solve at least a few of the issues this new age mandate is causing.
        What issue would they be solving? The problem with your child no longer being the oldest? Or the fact that the youngest now will soon be the oldest? Sure sounds like a problem to me!! Life is so unfair!!! Whaaaaaaaah!

        Comment


          #5
          I'm guessing you didn't read or understand the post. There is no changing of the age chart, the Jan kids would still be the oldest and Dec the youngest. It would just help in the implementing of the new age change while also avoiding the "skipping" of a development year and/or small-sided game phase. I can't imagine the USSF intended kids to skip a year of small-sided development as that would seem to go against everything they are trying to change.

          This just seems to be a simple fix that still implements the age date change they want, without the loss of a development year.

          Comment


            #6
            This would not be an issue with in-state competition. However, for any current Regional or National Championship type scenarios it would not be in alignment with those competitions. It is not necessarily a bad idea to change what constitutes a "year" but it would be preferable for it to line up with the rest of the region and nation.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              I'm guessing you didn't read or understand the post. There is no changing of the age chart, the Jan kids would still be the oldest and Dec the youngest. It would just help in the implementing of the new age change while also avoiding the "skipping" of a development year and/or small-sided game phase. I can't imagine the USSF intended kids to skip a year of small-sided development as that would seem to go against everything they are trying to change.

              This just seems to be a simple fix that still implements the age date change they want, without the loss of a development year.
              I think it is an intriguing idea, which kind of matches what is done in Canada I think. It seems like California is close to this as well for certain ages. At the younger ages, think it would be great if we could facilitate a true summer season, or just make it a continuation of the spring season, to make us less dependent on summer tournaments for games (with a more rational game to practice ratio). Season runs March to October, getting the best field conditions for a bulk of the season is an added plus.

              Think the biggest mechanical piece to figure out is how state cup would work, but not sure insurmountable:
              • gap between end of season and state cup or between state cup and regionals;
              • also if still a spring state cup would be a different u than what was played the prior season, so you might have teams playing in state cup 11v11 that competed in a league as 9v9.


              However, I think DOCs have already talked about what tryouts look like in the spring, so the ship may have sailed already for this year.

              Comment


                #8
                Mostly club seasons are set to avoid conflicts with school soccer. States differ on their rules about playing club soccer during the school season. States also differ on when they play school soccer. Generally club leagues are set up to allow kids to play school soccer.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Slow Xavi View Post
                  I think it is an intriguing idea, which kind of matches what is done in Canada I think. It seems like California is close to this as well for certain ages. At the younger ages, think it would be great if we could facilitate a true summer season, or just make it a continuation of the spring season, to make us less dependent on summer tournaments for games (with a more rational game to practice ratio). Season runs March to October, getting the best field conditions for a bulk of the season is an added plus.

                  Think the biggest mechanical piece to figure out is how state cup would work, but not sure insurmountable:
                  • gap between end of season and state cup or between state cup and regionals;
                  • also if still a spring state cup would be a different u than what was played the prior season, so you might have teams playing in state cup 11v11 that competed in a league as 9v9.


                  However, I think DOCs have already talked about what tryouts look like in the spring, so the ship may have sailed already for this year.
                  At the pre-HS ages there is no reason why the "season" couldn't run from February through November in Oregon. League starts in February, play 1 game per week through mid-May, stop for a short State Cup tourney. Let teams do tournaments in late June and July, take August off, and restart the 2nd half of the league in September, with 1 game per week through mid-November. This is basically how it's done in BC in the EA Sports BCSPL.

                  Tryouts would need to be moved to January.

                  This would allow the 2004 age group, for example, to be U12 for all of 2016, playing 9v9 in both spring and fall.

                  It's gets a little trickier with the HS age groups and working around the HS seasons but it can be done.

                  For reference, here is the BCSPL Periodization Plan for 2015 http://www.bcsoccerpremierleague.net...%20Plan%20.pdf

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by All for One View Post
                    At the pre-HS ages there is no reason why the "season" couldn't run from February through November in Oregon. League starts in February, play 1 game per week through mid-May, stop for a short State Cup tourney. Let teams do tournaments in late June and July, take August off, and restart the 2nd half of the league in September, with 1 game per week through mid-November. This is basically how it's done in BC in the EA Sports BCSPL.

                    Tryouts would need to be moved to January.

                    This would allow the 2004 age group, for example, to be U12 for all of 2016, playing 9v9 in both spring and fall.

                    It's gets a little trickier with the HS age groups and working around the HS seasons but it can be done.

                    For reference, here is the BCSPL Periodization Plan for 2015 http://www.bcsoccerpremierleague.net...%20Plan%20.pdf
                    Thank you for posting that. Think it would be healthier for the 2004s and wonder if it would be easier to administer over the long-haul . . . yes HS ages would be a bit different, but basically you just treat their season as starting and finishing earlier than the youngers. The seasons wouldn't align with US Academy or ECNL, but not sure that is the end of the world.

                    The Canadian image has a lot going on it, but looks like there was some thought put into the periodization. As a side, I've always thought Oregon leagues (adult/kids) should think about pushing some league games into August; realize you have plenty of family vacations that will effect player availability, but finding fields is so much easier for August (grass fields are available) than it is for late November. I also wouldn't mind league games in the middle of summer . . . even middle of the road teams are kind of forced to tournaments just to get games in and never thought that made the most sense.

                    I don't know if there is time to implement for next year unfortunately, but will at least mention to our DOC.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Slow Xavi View Post
                      Thank you for posting that. Think it would be healthier for the 2004s and wonder if it would be easier to administer over the long-haul . . . yes HS ages would be a bit different, but basically you just treat their season as starting and finishing earlier than the youngers. The seasons wouldn't align with US Academy or ECNL, but not sure that is the end of the world.

                      The Canadian image has a lot going on it, but looks like there was some thought put into the periodization. As a side, I've always thought Oregon leagues (adult/kids) should think about pushing some league games into August; realize you have plenty of family vacations that will effect player availability, but finding fields is so much easier for August (grass fields are available) than it is for late November. I also wouldn't mind league games in the middle of summer . . . even middle of the road teams are kind of forced to tournaments just to get games in and never thought that made the most sense.

                      I don't know if there is time to implement for next year unfortunately, but will at least mention to our DOC.
                      Under the current system right after tryouts we do tournaments so that everyone can figure out how their team works best together. Who the hell wants to do tournaments in February and March? Also nobody wants to have their entire summer weekends monopolized by soccer, as it stands now 4 or 5 weekends for tournaments is more than most are willing to do. Lastly, most of the tournaments in the Portland metro area are geared towards middle-of-the-road teams so there are lots of options to play the correct competition

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Under the current system right after tryouts we do tournaments so that everyone can figure out how their team works best together. Who the hell wants to do tournaments in February and March? Also nobody wants to have their entire summer weekends monopolized by soccer, as it stands now 4 or 5 weekends for tournaments is more than most are willing to do. Lastly, most of the tournaments in the Portland metro area are geared towards middle-of-the-road teams so there are lots of options to play the correct competition
                        Also one of our main problems is that teams are not correctly placed in tournaments. Most teams and coaches think their team is better than they actually are

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Under the current system right after tryouts we do tournaments so that everyone can figure out how their team works best together. Who the hell wants to do tournaments in February and March? Also nobody wants to have their entire summer weekends monopolized by soccer, as it stands now 4 or 5 weekends for tournaments is more than most are willing to do. Lastly, most of the tournaments in the Portland metro area are geared towards middle-of-the-road teams so there are lots of options to play the correct competition
                          I don't know anyone who thinks from a development perspective dependence on summer tournaments is the way to do it - it nickles and dimes parents to death and is arguably too many games in a short amount of time v. training time. It is one thing if you have a badass local team you want to test regionally or you think that it makes sense for your team to get a travel experience once a year . . . but a summer filled with mediocre summer tournaments? I would take a summer league any day over that (maybe do games midweek).

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            Also one of our main problems is that teams are not correctly placed in tournaments. Most teams and coaches think their team is better than they actually are
                            Lets face it, summer tourneys in Oregon are a joke.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              US Soccer Decides

                              The Federation sets the seasonal year. See USSF Bylaw 106, Section 2. (http://www.ussoccer.com/~/media/file...book.pdf?la=en)

                              "The seasonal year of the Federation begins on September 1 of the calendar year and ends on August 31 of the following calendar year."

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