ECNL wants to switch back to school year from birth year

[Guest]

Why so much energy crying about people saying they want it to change if you agree with them?

You’re right, the crying is coming from the person saying it’s not that bad. The one (incorrectly) saying girls are getting “screwed” in 8th grade and throughout the recruiting process, she’s not crying

[Guest]

Until there is a change this is 98 pages of nothing.

Both my boys are still you U9 and U11 but my U9 is an Oct birth year and to this point has not been much of a hinder to him. His local town team he plays 2 age groups up, and for club he played 1 age group up on the top team (I know U8/U9 is nothing to brag about). He works hard and likes to compete. He could not care less what age his teammates or opponents are.

Until a change is made, just worry about what’s in front of you and not what you think is right or wrong as your opinion won’t change a thing.

[Guest]

Commenting simply to see this thread get to 100 pages. For crying out loud. Instead of speculating, just treat your kid's PE activity as status quo. If a change happens, it happens. If not, status quo.

[Guest]

I just listened to the ECNL podcast and it did seem like the president and vice president are anti birth year and briefly did mention if a change was made it would be next year. But nothing was said or talked about in absolutes facts. MLS next does not follow the exact US Club soccer rules so it’s not unlikely that ECNL could make changes as well. Will be interesting to see what happens.

[Guest]

I just listened to the ECNL podcast and it did seem like the president and vice president are anti birth year and briefly did mention if a change was made it would be next year. But nothing was said or talked about in absolutes facts. MLS next does not follow the exact US Club soccer rules so it’s not unlikely that ECNL could make changes as well. Will be interesting to see what happens.

In politics there is freedom. They literally can do what they want given their size.

[Guest]

You’re right, the crying is coming from the person saying it’s not that bad. The one (incorrectly) saying girls are getting “screwed” in 8th grade and throughout the recruiting process, she’s not crying

Exactly. Pointing out a flaw in the system is not crying. Thank you for your understanding.

[Guest]

There is no downside. For the 18th time, it SHOULD change.

In the meantime, it hasn’t changed and it might not soon. In the interim you can stand by the wailing wall of self pity or figure out how to use some of the advantages BY provides.

Use 8th grade for added physical and skills training, or maybe offer a well needed break and exposure to dance, drama, art - whatever floats her boat. She’s not going to fall behind, and she might get ahead.

Use the recruiting window to your advantage. “Dear coach, do you know that club soccer went BY 7 years ago? When you watch games there are 2 GYs represented on each team. Yes, isnt that really cool! While you focus on all my Sophomore classmates, check out #33 - I am the Larry Bird of girls soccer. I am very interested in your college. I would love to be a part of your incoming class of 202x +1. My schedule of games is below and if you have any questions please contact my coach”

get ahead and get a head start. Again, it SHOULD go back, but it’s not the reason any girl left soccer or wasn’t recruited

Why don’t you ask your daughter to take the fall off, imbecile.

[Guest]

Why don’t you ask your daughter to take the fall off, imbecile.

Thats exactly what we did. She took 8th grade fall off from club, played town, and did the play. Great reset and she was hungry healthy coming back at Thanksgiving. That was years ago and she now plays in college. Time off was s blessing

[Guest]

Thats exactly what we did. She took 8th grade fall off from club, played town, and did the play. Great reset and she was hungry healthy coming back at Thanksgiving. That was years ago and she now plays in college. Time off was s blessing

Then take a year off. Hell, take three years off since time off is so beneficial.

[Guest]

Then take a year off. Hell, take three years off since time off is so beneficial.

Sat night logic

[Guest]

Thats exactly what we did. She took 8th grade fall off from club, played town, and did the play. Great reset and she was hungry healthy coming back at Thanksgiving. That was years ago and she now plays in college. Time off was s blessing

Unfair advantage. Switch back to Aug cutoff to level the playing field.

[Guest]

We have a trapped 8th grader. It does suck. But our concern is not 8th grade it’s the recruiting part in high school. And yes it’s irresponsible to take money from Q4 players for years asking them to pay to travel knowing they are only helping the Q1-3 players get recruited.

[Guest]

We have a trapped 8th grader. It does suck. But our concern is not 8th grade it’s the recruiting part in high school. And yes it’s irresponsible to take money from Q4 players for years asking them to pay to travel knowing they are only helping the Q1-3 players get recruited.

I didn’t realize that no Q4 players ever get recruited. Amazing that you could be a starter on a top team in a top league and not get recruited just because you were a Q4, all because the college coaches can’t figure out which year a kid graduates. (Sarcasm in case you hadn’t realized)

Factors more important than BY/GY:
- are you good, meaning do you start and are you a vital piece for the team
- are you in a top league, call it kool aid if you must, but top leagues get recruited better.
- does your club work to get you recruited and have good relationships with scouts
-how is your work rate, body language and personal character

if you answered all of those questions with positive answers, I guarantee that you will get recruited regardless of birthdate. If any of those questions were answered negatively, then fix it. You can control much of this. Work on your weaknesses, be a better teammate, move to a better league.

Or whine on this board about a policy change that may never happen. If the change ever does happen, those four factors will still decide your future more than your birth day, so work on them while you whine.

[Guest]

I didn’t realize that no Q4 players ever get recruited. Amazing that you could be a starter on a top team in a top league and not get recruited just because you were a Q4, all because the college coaches can’t figure out which year a kid graduates. (Sarcasm in case you hadn’t realized)

Factors more important than BY/GY:
- are you good, meaning do you start and are you a vital piece for the team
- are you in a top league, call it kool aid if you must, but top leagues get recruited better.
- does your club work to get you recruited and have good relationships with scouts
-how is your work rate, body language and personal character

if you answered all of those questions with positive answers, I guarantee that you will get recruited regardless of birthdate. If any of those questions were answered negatively, then fix it. You can control much of this. Work on your weaknesses, be a better teammate, move to a better league.

Or whine on this board about a policy change that may never happen. If the change ever does happen, those four factors will still decide your future more than your birth day, so work on them while you whine.

We get it. You have a Q1 kid. Basically your advice is suck it up. Well whoever decides to go grade year, Sept 1 cutoff whether it be GA or ECNL, will show real understanding of the issue, concern for all
players, and likely come out on top. Remember when DA, now GA, ignored the issue that high school girls wanted to play for their high school so all the girls jumped ship and went to play for ECNL? Same thing could happen here when girls who want to be recruited will choose clubs playing in leagues their entire grade plays the same team, where their teammates are all in the same grade going through recruiting together. Leagues/clubs/ men in charge underestimate the social aspect to sports for girls. They want to play with their grade even if they are from different schools. It’s bonding to go through recruiting, I’d clinics everything together. If GA we’re to be first to look at this and change to grad year or Sept 1 cut off that could be the differentiating piece that gets them players. If ECNL does this change and GA doesn’t, that will be the final nail in the GA coffin.

[Guest]

We get it. You have a Q1 kid. Basically your advice is suck it up. Well whoever decides to go grade year, Sept 1 cutoff whether it be GA or ECNL, will show real understanding of the issue, concern for all
players, and likely come out on top. Remember when DA, now GA, ignored the issue that high school girls wanted to play for their high school so all the girls jumped ship and went to play for ECNL? Same thing could happen here when girls who want to be recruited will choose clubs playing in leagues their entire grade plays the same team, where their teammates are all in the same grade going through recruiting together. Leagues/clubs/ men in charge underestimate the social aspect to sports for girls. They want to play with their grade even if they are from different schools. It’s bonding to go through recruiting, I’d clinics everything together. If GA we’re to be first to look at this and change to grad year or Sept 1 cut off that could be the differentiating piece that gets them players. If ECNL does this change and GA doesn’t, that will be the final nail in the GA coffin.

lol, you realize that on high school your kid will be playing vs older kids and also in college if she gets that far. You also realize rae drops precipitously over time right. There’s not much difference in a u15 and u16. The poster is saying stop using the cutoff as a crutch. It’s a useless crutch. Mostly I see it as an excuse by b teamers for being on the b team. Pro tip that’s not the reason