ECNL wants to switch back to school year from birth year

[Guest]

Birth year > School Year
January kids will continue to be the supreme overlords of comp soccer.

[Guest]

I was told we will know of changes for 25/26 early next year. ECNL will not go back to SY (potentially) until 26/27. But they are looking into moving back with US club soccer and the rest of the governing body. They will allow players to play with their SY for showcases next year. No nationals or league games.

[Guest]

I was told we will know of changes for 25/26 early next year. ECNL will not go back to SY (potentially) until 26/27. But they are looking into moving back with US club soccer and the rest of the governing body. They will allow players to play with their SY for showcases next year. No nationals or league games.

Who told you this?

[Guest]

Who told you this?

Top Secret Info. But if I’m wrong I’ll buy you a beer.

[Guest]

Birth year > School Year
January kids will continue to be the supreme overlords of comp soccer.

As it should be.

[Guest]

They will allow players to play with their SY for showcases next year. No nationals or league games.

So they sat around having coffee and trying to think of ways to make this even more messed up. Because players will of course perform at their best if they are just dropped into teams they don't usually play with. Got it.

[Guest]

So they sat around having coffee and trying to think of ways to make this even more messed up. Because players will of course perform at their best if they are just dropped into teams they don't usually play with. Got it.

Then I’d recommend the new “U16 slim team” in 2025

[Guest]

So they sat around having coffee and trying to think of ways to make this even more messed up. Because players will of course perform at their best if they are just dropped into teams they don't usually play with. Got it.

Even better, they will get more playing time than January’s

[Guest]

So they sat around having coffee and trying to think of ways to make this even more messed up. Because players will of course perform at their best if they are just dropped into teams they don't usually play with. Got it.

My bet would be on kids who are being dropped down would preform better on average regardless. Good players can play under any circumstances. Also why can they not train with that team for a few weeks leading up to a showcase?

[Guest]

We have a trapped kid this fall. No team. She’s bummed out but that’s life atleast she’s not injured. Her club is having her practice and play on 2011 team as they have permission to take two players. The alternative was two months of going to the field with dad and playing for a lousy middle school team. (which we would do if needed.) She is on track to play college soccer since she’s driven and it’s what SHE wants. She’s going to work hard at college ID clinics and we will have to pay extra $ for those. That’s our situation.
I think the birth year was a giant mistake. But I can’t change it.
We know many coaches and out DOC agrees as the trapped 8th graders and juniors heading to senior year with no team are left behind.

The fact this won’t be fixed until 2025, or 2026 also is a shame. It means the powers that be recognize their mistake, see the problem but have no desire to make changes quickly they’d rather make sure all adults are happy while the players are cast aside.

Club soccer has failed many kids. As parents we do our best to help but this is a problem only the top can fix. Let’s hope they do.

[Guest]

We have a trapped kid this fall. No team. She’s bummed out but that’s life atleast she’s not injured. Her club is having her practice and play on 2011 team as they have permission to take two players. The alternative was two months of going to the field with dad and playing for a lousy middle school team. (which we would do if needed.) She is on track to play college soccer since she’s driven and it’s what SHE wants. She’s going to work hard at college ID clinics and we will have to pay extra $ for those. That’s our situation.
I think the birth year was a giant mistake. But I can’t change it.
We know many coaches and out DOC agrees as the trapped 8th graders and juniors heading to senior year with no team are left behind.

The fact this won’t be fixed until 2025, or 2026 also is a shame. It means the powers that be recognize their mistake, see the problem but have no desire to make changes quickly they’d rather make sure all adults are happy while the players are cast aside.

Club soccer has failed many kids. As parents we do our best to help but this is a problem only the top can fix. Let’s hope they do.

Many of her older teammates will be sitting on a bench while your daughter plays.
All of her teammates will also be paying for college ID clinics.

[Guest]

Birth year > School Year
January kids will continue to be the supreme overlords of comp soccer.

Exactly. Do you think it is a coincidence that every USWNT player was born in January?

[Guest]

Many of her older teammates will be sitting on a bench while your daughter plays.
All of her teammates will also be paying for college ID clinics.

They will be training all week with older better high school players. The 9th grade club players are good and most will make varsity in our town, they already go to practices all summer and will continue to train all fall getting some minutes in games. They may not get much game time but they will and have been training w older club players all summer and fall. The trapped 8th graders not allowed to practice w the high school. They aren’t doing as much or anything this summer unless they are paying through the nose for trainers and speed agility clinics. Trapped 8th graders are definitely lost in the shuffle and do fall behind in the summer/fall.

[Guest]

Exactly. Do you think it is a coincidence that every USWNT player was born in January?

Yea it’s because they not only have a leg up, they also aren’t cut as much. Who gets cut? Trapped 8th graders. Think about it they already deal with RAE. Then they have the mental stress of being a grade below which leaves them out socially and they are often snubbed for being in the grade below. Now add the trapped season(s) yes it’s summer and fall as the 9th graders start training w high school captains practices in the summer, while 8th graders lose their edge, lose social connections, lose muscle and just aren’t as fit as 9th graders doing sprints and 2 plus hour trainings each day. No way an 8th grader can come to Dec showcase and be at the same level as the rest of her teammates who have been grinding with older teammates since July. Those 8th graders are eventually cut, they do t get college spots, they don’t get pro spots.

[Guest]

They will be training all week with older better high school players. The 9th grade club players are good and most will make varsity in our town, they already go to practices all summer and will continue to train all fall getting some minutes in games. They may not get much game time but they will and have been training w older club players all summer and fall. The trapped 8th graders not allowed to practice w the high school. They aren’t doing as much or anything this summer unless they are paying through the nose for trainers and speed agility clinics. Trapped 8th graders are definitely lost in the shuffle and do fall behind in the summer/fall.

If you have watched ANY high school soccer at all, you would not place so much emphasis on the “older better” players. Some towns have a group of talented kids on the same team, Natick and Hopkinton spring to mind, but most high school rosters are fortunate to have one or two talented kids surrounded by a bunch of semi-athletic kids who couldn’t hit a 15 yd pass in 10 tries. My town doesn’t have a single player who would have made my kids club team when she was in 8th or 9th grade. Often, bad habits are formed from playing in a set up like that, and that would be preferable to the injuries that come along from playing with lesser skilled players who rely on rugby tactics to compensate.

More importantly, if your kid isn’t doing anything this summer, why not? Does she own a ball, does your town have parks? Yes, I am simplifying things, but why do you need to pay through the nose for clinics when those clinics simply organize and motivate kids to do things that they could be doing on their own.