ECNL wants to switch back to school year from birth year

[Guest]

We can’t do birth year because it splits up school grades and gives an advantage to those born Jan-June

We can’t do school grad year because parents will hold their kids back to try to give them an advantage

We can’t do arbitrary mid-year to mid-year because it gives an advantage to kids born in the second half of the year and confuses parents because it’s not connected to birth or grad year

club soccer is cancelled, it’s too complicated

“Playing up with older kids is an advantage”

”Holding a kid back a year is an advantage”

….these two statements cannot both be true wrt college recruitment

[Guest]

“Playing up with older kids is an advantage”

”Holding a kid back a year is an advantage”

….these two statements cannot both be true wrt college recruitment

They could both be true but for different kids.

[Guest]

IF the game is just about college recruiting Then
BOY holding them back a year typically is an advantage. Physical development matters
GIRL playing up a year gets them looked at year earlier and shows them off against (perceived) stronger competition.

[Guest]

We can’t do birth year because it splits up school grades and gives an advantage to those born Jan-June

We can’t do school grad year because parents will hold their kids back to try to give them an advantage

We can’t do arbitrary mid-year to mid-year because it gives an advantage to kids born in the second half of the year and confuses parents because it’s not connected to birth or grad year

club soccer is cancelled, it’s too complicated

Like most things in life, there's no perfect solution.
But #3 is the closest.

So my d for instance will play on a team with all 8th graders and two 9th graders who will miss their fall club season if they want to play JV / V soccer.

[Guest]

Like most things in life, there's no perfect solution.
But #3 is the closest.

So my d for instance will play on a team with all 8th graders and two 9th graders who will miss their fall club season if they want to play JV / V soccer.

How that will happen?

This coming fall, under the current BY system 2010s will mostly be 9th graders with the Aug–Dec kids in 8th grade. Club soccer for 2010s won't start until the spring, so there won't be a fall club season to miss.

2011s will be mostly 8th graders with Aug–Dec kids in 7th grade. They will have fall club soccer but won't (or don't have to) be playing HS soccer.

[Guest]

How that will happen?

This coming fall, under the current BY system 2010s will mostly be 9th graders with the Aug–Dec kids in 8th grade. Club soccer for 2010s won't start until the spring, so there won't be a fall club season to miss.

2011s will be mostly 8th graders with Aug–Dec kids in 7th grade. They will have fall club soccer but won't (or don't have to) be playing HS soccer.

Why are you talking about this year?
Next year when the change goes into affect there will be following teams

Aug 1 2007 till July 31 2008. All 12th graders. No fall club season.

Aug 1 2008 till July 31 2009 11th graders and few Aug born 12th graders. No fall club season.

Aug 1 2009 till July 31 2010 10th graders and few Aug born 11th graders. No fall club season.

Aug 1 2010 till July 31 2011 9th graders and few Aug born 10th graders. No fall club season.

Aug 1 2011 till July 31 2012 8th graders and few Aug born 9th graders. 9th graders will miss fall club season.

[Guest]

That sounds worse than birth year

just look at basketball. Players are regularly held back 2 years. The age difference is obscene.

[Guest]

Why are you talking about this year?

Just using it as an example because we don't have an official statement on whether or which year a change would go into effect.

Next year when the change goes into affect there will be following teams
...
Aug 1 2011 till July 31 2012 8th graders and few Aug born 9th graders. 9th graders will miss fall club season.

Because of school districts that use Sept cutoff? Why don't the clubs just keep those few players on their (current) 2011 teams, which won't have a fall 2025 club season?

[Guest]

Just using it as an example because we don't have an official statement on whether or which year a change would go into effect.



Because of school districts that use Sept cutoff? Why don't the clubs just keep those few players on their (current) 2011 teams, which won't have a fall 2025 club season?

So you're saying that if a kid is a 9th grader born in August, clubs should allow them to play on the 9th / 10th grade team?

What about schools that use Dec 31 as cutoff?

[Guest]

So you're saying that if a kid is a 9th grader born in August, clubs should allow them to play on the 9th / 10th grade team?

What about schools that use Dec 31 as cutoff?

I'm trying to think of solutions that could work with the least pain, not come up with the most extreme edge cases.

[Guest]

I'm trying to think of solutions that could work with the least pain, not come up with the most extreme edge cases.

Maybe clubs will let players choose their team.

[Guest]

Maybe clubs will let players choose their team.

Parents at some clubs already choosing their teams

[Guest]

IF the game is just about college recruiting Then
BOY holding them back a year typically is an advantage. Physical development matters
GIRL playing up a year gets them looked at year earlier and shows them off against (perceived) stronger competition.

Yes but has nothing to do with club soccer.

[Guest]

just look at basketball. Players are regularly held back 2 years. The age difference is obscene.

Has nothing to do with club sports.

[Guest]

Has nothing to do with club sports.

Exactly, I think the people who keep interjecting these crazy held back scenarios are missing the main point. ECNL isn't pushing only 8th graders play 8th graders, it's just aligning the calendar so MOST 8th graders are playing against 8th graders. Right now it's 25-33% of the team on average in a different grade. Move the date to 8/1 (or 9/1) etc and now that % is lower. That's it!