ECNL wants to switch back to school year from birth year

[Guest]

We are with a GA club and been there long enough to be able to talk openly with the coaches. They are saying yes it’s happening and it’s not just ECNL who’s pushed for this, coaches and directors across the country have been unhappy with the birth year since the switch in 2017. If it takes ECNL to drive it as they are most popular and have a platform and influence to make change so be it. Our coaches are fully expecting an announcement from ECNL and GA etc by end of summer but the change will not fully be in place until end of next spring for tryouts and start of fall season for league games. 2025. Our coaches are already putting together a list of trapped players to begin giving that group and opportunity to train with 11s this fall so they are training and not a complete loss of season. Another poster said the trapped players will train with 11 girls and 11 boys giving the. 4-5 trainings a week with no games except if their town or middle school has them. Glad this is the last year of trapped 8th graders.

Did your coach indicate if they were going to use graduation year or an August cutoff?

[Guest]

Did your coach indicate if they were going to use graduation year or an August cutoff?

They don’t know. Just confirmed that it’s happening. I think GA coaches are not fully in the loop. Anyone have details from their ECNL clubs? Feel like we are on a need to know basis. When they need us to know.

[Guest]

That's the "whole point" of my post, which I know you read because you quoted it. Unfortunately, we do not have a "top team" in our area. We have two mediocre ECNL teams. Currently, the team she is on is fine and competitive. She's a young player on her team and, with this change she would play mostly with girls from the next age group down, which is currently not a very good team. So, my whole point was, if she's a top player on her current team (which comes from her coaches, not from her parents), how much will she be challenged if she moves to a team with mostly younger players who are not as good as her? I didn't even say that we would demand she play up, I just said it was an option we would have to explore if neither of our age appropriate ECNL clubs have teams where she would be challenged by the other (now mostly younger) players.

Since you're dying to know her age, she is a late 2011. So, she is still young enough that she needs to be on a team where she is challenged by other players. As she gets older she may not continue to be a top player, in which case playing her age group may not be an issue. As she gets older, we may want her to "shine" at her appropriate age level. It would be best for her to play at her appropriate age level so she is seen at the same time as her graduating class. But, right now, as things stand for us, we will need to consider how this change affects her and her overall development, as will other people with kids in the same situation.

BTW, I think this is the right move for ECNL, generally, and think it should be made. But, it will impact some kids differently than others. My initial post was simply meant to point out that it may affect younger top players in a negative way and is something parents of those kids should keep in mind.

So, now go ahead and do your thing where you talk down to me and explain how my kid is really no good and we should just plant her wherever you, in your infinite wisdom, think is best.

The fact you’re so condescending to 2 ecnl teams shows your hubris. Your what makes this process so annoying. Do you even know what you think makes your kid good? I just ask because most parents have no clue. They either think mis is a goal scorer or runs fast. It’s pretty funny

[Guest]

They don’t know. Just confirmed that it’s happening. I think GA coaches are not fully in the loop. Anyone have details from their ECNL clubs? Feel like we are on a need to know basis. When they need us to know.

I can confirm there was a verbal press release but nothing electronic will be released for a few months

[Guest]

ECNL exists to sell parents the D1 dream for their daughters. Thinking that international play or the YNT means anything to 99% of the youth soccer consumers is the fundamental mistake USSF made with their failed DA program. Even if it did mean something players that are good enough for that discussion are going to get there regardless of how club soccer is configured. So if the college coaches tell ECNL they want grad year cohorts and ECNL is tired of dealing with trapped players on both ends of HS years then they are free to switch their system to whatever they want, they don't need USSF approval.

Ecnl is beholden to US club soccer.
US club soccer is beholden to USSF.

You can’t say USSF has no say.

[Guest]

I love when the source is trust me bro. According to multiple sources and various coaches it’s happening. The only question is whether they are changing to August 1 cutoff or straight graduation year.

My cousin is one of the directors at solar in Texas . They are consistently a top 5 ecnl club . He hasn’t heard any of this to be true and all speculation. Carry on ppl

[Guest]

I can confirm there was a verbal press release but nothing electronic will be released for a few months

What is a “verbal press release” that can’t be printed/posted “for a few months”?

[Guest]

My cousin is one of the directors at solar in Texas . They are consistently a top 5 ecnl club . He hasn’t heard any of this to be true and all speculation. Carry on ppl

Guess he’s not in the loop.

[Guest]

Guess he’s not in the loop.

You should tell him to listen to the ECNL podcasts. Where there is smoke, there is fire. No way ECNL would be having these conversations if they weren’t soft launching the news. USSF knows they screwed up with the age change. Participation numbers don’t lie. They won’t be fighting the change.

[Guest]

You should tell him to listen to the ECNL podcasts. Where there is smoke, there is fire. No way ECNL would be having these conversations if they weren’t soft launching the news. USSF knows they screwed up with the age change. Participation numbers don’t lie. They won’t be fighting the change.

Again not happening. Most fair is what is now

[Guest]

Guess he’s not in the loop.

I guess sitting on the ecnl board isn’t in the loop . Keeping believing everything you read on the internet .

[Guest]

Again not happening. Most fair is what is now

please elaborate on how the current setup is “most fair”. There’s 49 pages listing the pros and cons of every possible setup. The current config impacts a large number of players who get caught up in half-baked seasons twice during their HS years while switching back to what it was before 2017 has the only down side of reclassing shenanigans. Other than reclassing what are the downsides of keeping school grade as the grouping?

[Guest]

please elaborate on how the current setup is “most fair”. There’s 49 pages listing the pros and cons of every possible setup. The current config impacts a large number of players who get caught up in half-baked seasons twice during their HS years while switching back to what it was before 2017 has the only down side of reclassing shenanigans. Other than reclassing what are the downsides of keeping school grade as the grouping?

Because ppl will do whatever they can do gain an advantage. Birth year you cannot get around . Ppl will hold kids back on purpose.

[Guest]

please elaborate on how the current setup is “most fair”. There’s 49 pages listing the pros and cons of every possible setup. The current config impacts a large number of players who get caught up in half-baked seasons twice during their HS years while switching back to what it was before 2017 has the only down side of reclassing shenanigans. Other than reclassing what are the downsides of keeping school grade as the grouping?

BY actually doesn’t impact a large number of players. Anyway, this is not happening so give your dream up

[Guest]

BY actually doesn’t impact a large number of players. Anyway, this is not happening so give your dream up

It impacts 30% of the players. Direct quote from ECNL podcast: “players are getting screwed twice.” ECNL president Christian asks “Why? Why are we creating this adversity?”