05 Fall Club Soccer

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Being born Sept-Dec isn’t so rare that an 05 born then is a unicorn. I don’t see what an issue this is since most late 05’s will end up playing with other late 05’s and early 06’s another year before HS, which should be a plus developmentally. These are their peers they’ll graduate with and be recruited alongside. Bigger question for many is the opposite: once you go on to HS, do you still stick to a club for the spring-only game season or just play HS and do other sports or activities in the spring?

Orphaned kids face two issues - no team to play on for the fall of 8th grade while the rest of their teammates play HS. Then if they keep playing, they may not have a team spring of senior year. Fortunately most leagues are doing a combined u18/19 team and by this time it isn't as many kids. But as you said there's a decent number of 8th grade orphans. Many can't find a solution for the fall and playing down with younger kids isn't exactly a joy even if they can do it. I know some who used the time to try other sports, liked those and moved away from soccer. All of it is unnecessary if we went back to grade year.

Once in HS it all depends on how much you love soccer and what you want to do with it. That's an individual choice. Lots of kids drop it in HS because they discover new things they enjoy or decide they're not going to play in college (lack of skill or lack of desire). If you just want to play for enjoyment, then don't fork over thousands in fees and travel. Find a decent team locally and do something else with your time and money - including keeping your grades up.

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Perhaps this is a good time to try other sports or activities. Most kids concentrate on soccer, because they got sucked in at an early age and that’s all they know. If they’re decent at soccer
and generally athletic, they will likely do well and find joy in other sports too. Perhaps they will discover new passions. I think it’s a good thing. It gives kids an opportunity to get out of their narrow little world. Its only a few months. Make the best of your situation.

[Unregistered]

Perhaps this is a good time to try other sports or activities. Most kids concentrate on soccer, because they got sucked in at an early age and that’s all they know. If they’re decent at soccer
and generally athletic, they will likely do well and find joy in other sports too. Perhaps they will discover new passions. I think it’s a good thing. It gives kids an opportunity to get out of their narrow little world. Its only a few months. Make the best of your situation.

Partly the result of the push to focus on one sport at an early age. One of my kid's teammates - good player and really did love soccer but got trapped the first year of the change - tried fencing of all things, fell in love with it and is crazy good. Go figure.

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….. once you go on to HS, do you still stick to a club for the spring-only game season or just play HS and do other sports or activities in the spring?

If player has college soccer aspirations, D1 - D3, they have to play club in the spring. If they don't then by all means I recommend playing other sports. Club asks a heavy price in $ and time

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Orphaned kids face two issues - no team to play on for the fall of 8th grade while the rest of their teammates play HS. Then if they keep playing, they may not have a team spring of senior year. Fortunately most leagues are doing a combined u18/19 team and by this time it isn't as many kids. But as you said there's a decent number of 8th grade orphans. Many can't find a solution for the fall and playing down with younger kids isn't exactly a joy even if they can do it. I know some who used the time to try other sports, liked those and moved away from soccer. All of it is unnecessary if we went back to grade year.

Once in HS it all depends on how much you love soccer and what you want to do with it. That's an individual choice. Lots of kids drop it in HS because they discover new things they enjoy or decide they're not going to play in college (lack of skill or lack of desire). If you just want to play for enjoyment, then don't fork over thousands in fees and travel. Find a decent team locally and do something else with your time and money - including keeping your grades up.

My kids club has U15 teams that play in the Fall, it is not counted in standings and scores are not posted but they train and play all fall as 8th graders and the winter come together with their freshmen team, lots of the freshmen also jump in for training and games when their HS schedule permits. If you are a trapped 8th grader I would suggest looking on the NEP website and look to see if there are any teams in your area that had U15 teams that played last fall and then reach out
https://events.gotsport.com/events/s...r=Girls&Age=15

[Unregistered]

My kids club has U15 teams that play in the Fall, it is not counted in standings and scores are not posted but they train and play all fall as 8th graders and the winter come together with their freshmen team, lots of the freshmen also jump in for training and games when their HS schedule permits. If you are a trapped 8th grader I would suggest looking on the NEP website and look to see if there are any teams in your area that had U15 teams that played last fall and then reach out
https://events.gotsport.com/events/s...r=Girls&Age=15

One more point, our club does a 18/19 "Senior Only" team for their last year of club which works out for everyone, I think most clubs are moving in this direction as well, and then you have trapped U20s too and they are allowed to play as long as they are still in HS, this is mostly prep school kids that repeat a year

Remember not to long ago when it was "U" year we had kids that were born in August or skipped a year and they went on into HS while most of their team was still back in 8th grade.

[Unregistered]

The fall 8th grade U15 experience is trash they should do away with it completely