05 player with a fall birthday...entering 8th grade while the majority of entire team is entering high school. Anyone in a similar situation? Still participating in club soccer for the fall?
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Happens every year. Good luck. -
My fall 02 was first BY to experience the Orphaned 8th Grader issue.
Three years later and I haven’t seen real progress. Different clubs/leagues offer different options for a Silly Season.Comment
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I've seen situations where some teams/leagues would let a few kids in that situation play with the 06 in the fall but that wasn't in Mass. And it was on a middle of the pack team (not a top elite team).Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Unfortunately, if you have a kid with a fall birthday (I do, too), there is no real solution. In order to help US Soccer identify kids for the YNT (less than 1% of kids playing), hundreds of “orphaned “ 8th graders in New England have no team in the fall (same issue in other parts of the country in the spring). My kid (not yet in HS) plays ECNL and she will basically lose half of a year unless she goes to private school, where you can play as an 8th grader.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Some leagues and teams allow orphaned 8th graders to play down for the fall. Clubs especially can accommodate at least for practices, but league rules might disallow for games. Ask around and you might be able to find an option. If not have him/her work on their own (lots of good training videos on line) and stay in shape. Their HS classmates will come back in November ready to roll.
The entire calendar year situation sucks and isn't necessary for 99% of US playersComment
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Find something else, swim or gym.Composite team that was put together when my kid went thru this was a joke and travel was like regular season.Comment
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Most freshmen (the Jan-Aug ‘05s this year) would have a better soccer experience if they were allowed to play a modified Fall club season with their Sep-Dec ‘05 teammates: just play weekend games and an occasional practice. HS coaches should chill and recognize the need for a transitional year for the orphaned 8th graders since they will be the age-advantaged 9th graders next year.Comment
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Yes it’s a disadvantage now but come college exposure time it’s a definite advantage if a skilled player.Comment
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That's what freshman amd JV teams are for. And if you're any good you'll be on varsity. HS coaches want them under their watch, not a club. Also some clubs aren't any good. Finally there are often restrictions on doing HS and club and for good reason - burnout.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Not sure if your kid plays in the NEP, but if you look at the fall schedule for last year, there are about 38 boys teams and 40 girls teams in the U15 bracket (all trapped 8th graders with a handful of freshmen that didn't play high school). I'm sure some of these clubs struggle to fill rosters for these teams, so you could contact one close by, if your club isn't participating, and see if your player could jump in for the fall season. My kid played on a combined team last fall and it worked out fine. He had regular training and games (different coach and mostly different players) so when everyone went their separate ways at the end of the season, he felt prepared to jump back to his own team with the returning freshmen. That's the best we could ask for given the situation.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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ECNL rules actually allow for two orphaned 8th graders to play per game. Check to see if your club will allow.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Some other leagues allow it also. Some clubs will also let you practice with younger teams even if you can't play games. It's not ideal but better than nothing. They also can do work on their own (have to be very disciplined) or work on a different sport.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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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?Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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