Announcement

**Unregistered** · 06-10-2016, 01:02 PM

Stressful. How many players don't have a good place to land? Some communication from clubs that still help accommodate players after this confusing try out season ends would probably serve a lot of kids.

**Unregistered** · 06-10-2016, 01:24 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Well, tryout season has been an absolute shhtttt-show with teams folding left and right, others attempting to merge, teams jumping to other clubs to avoid being broken up and infighting and scheming between the various parents, coaches and administrators who can't agree on the best way to deal with the age group changes.

Thanks USSF.

EDP sent out a notice basically saying they will not tightly follow the guidelines. Finally someone doing the right thing for players. We're not in edp but a buddy who is an edp coach confirmed it. Wish we were as one team collapsed and we're not a big club to begin with. I'd lmao of everyone just ends up ignoring it

**Unregistered** · 06-10-2016, 01:40 PM

I'm seeing two trends.

1) Small clubs are bleeding younger players to the big club because they don't have teams in every age group to accommodate all of the kids that find themselves in new age groups. These consist of older kids that are cut because the team wants the younger kids to play on age and of younger kids whose only option would be to play up with their existing team to stay within the club.

2) Big clubs are bleeding entire teams to small clubs because the big clubs are trying to force the teams to split up while the small clubs will gladly take in mixed age group teams with open arms.

The small clubs may actually end up with more net players as a result but it's still a tough pill to swallow seeing all of the existing teams retain players.

**Unregistered** · 06-10-2016, 02:45 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I'm seeing two trends.

1) Small clubs are bleeding younger players to the big club because they don't have teams in every age group to accommodate all of the kids that find themselves in new age groups. These consist of older kids that are cut because the team wants the younger kids to play on age and of younger kids whose only option would be to play up with their existing team to stay within the club.

2) Big clubs are bleeding entire teams to small clubs because the big clubs are trying to force the teams to split up while the small clubs will gladly take in mixed age group teams with open arms.

The small clubs may actually end up with more net players as a result but it's still a tough pill to swallow seeing all of the existing teams retain players.

Not around us. The smaller clubs are getting hammered, just as predicted when this was first announced. I think in the end it will level out but some clubs may not make it or will have a tough year coming up.

**Unregistered** · 06-10-2016, 08:25 PM

Merging

I wonder if clubs will merge so they will have enough players for each age bracket, especially the "all-in" clubs committed to EDP. I know of one in NJ who already has done so.

**Unregistered** · 06-11-2016, 07:01 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I wonder if clubs will merge so they will have enough players for each age bracket, especially the "all-in" clubs committed to EDP. I know of one in NJ who already has done so.

Time will tell but I do agree it's going to be a tough year for many clubs. If you're thinking about a club, don't know much about it, and see they only have a few teams you already are thinking they are on shaky ground. The mess created from all of this will eventually sort itself out and become the new normal, but it's a painful process for many - and really wasn't necessary for the vast majority of players.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 09:58 AM

Another club in my team just announced it's folding over this age group change. Half the girls are supposedly just dropping out of soccer completely rather than trying to find a new team elsewhere.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Another club in my team just announced it's folding over this age group change. Half the girls are supposedly just dropping out of soccer completely rather than trying to find a new team elsewhere.

Whoops, meant team in my club.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 10:26 AM

The U16 teams being forced to go U20 next year in LIJSL are dropping like flies.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 02:56 PM

U16 going to U20? Don't understand that BUT I do know that 2002 boys who are BU13 at the moment will be on BU15 teams which is what I think they will be calling 2002 teams.

AND I think that most leagues dont't start BU15 teams until after high school season ends.

Is this true? If it is then I can imagine a lot of 'on the fence' soccer kids just leaving their club teams rather than 'practice only with no games' in september and october.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

U16 going to U20? Don't understand that BUT I do know that 2002 boys who are BU13 at the moment will be on BU15 teams which is what I think they will be calling 2002 teams.

AND I think that most leagues dont't start BU15 teams until after high school season ends.

Is this true? If it is then I can imagine a lot of 'on the fence' soccer kids just leaving their club teams rather than 'practice only with no games' in september and october.

I think the OP meant some HS teams are having to combine bigger age groupings because of the mess this has created, especially at smaller clubs. They just don't have enough players to field teams at each age group. I know at least one team doing that at a medium sized club.

It's also a mess for those trapped 8th graders no doubt about it. EDP has said they will be flexible and basically let teams recommend what group they should be in. So a 2003 team with a few trapped 2002s could play 2003 in the fall.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

U16 going to U20? Don't understand that BUT I do know that 2002 boys who are BU13 at the moment will be on BU15 teams which is what I think they will be calling 2002 teams.

AND I think that most leagues dont't start BU15 teams until after high school season ends.

Is this true? If it is then I can imagine a lot of 'on the fence' soccer kids just leaving their club teams rather than 'practice only with no games' in september and october.

I'm not talking about 2002's.

The Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) has made the top age group a combined U18/U19/U20. Well, really just half of U20 (Aug 1st 1997 and later). So if a current U16 team has any 1999's on it and decides to stay together they will be considered a U18 team which puts them in that U20 bracket. And a lot of parents are freaking out about that which is causing a number of U16 teams to fold.

**Unregistered** · 06-13-2016, 04:22 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I'm not talking about 2002's.

The Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) has made the top age group a combined U18/U19/U20. Well, really just half of U20 (Aug 1st 1997 and later). So if a current U16 team has any 1999's on it and decides to stay together they will be considered a U18 team which puts them in that U20 bracket. And a lot of parents are freaking out about that which is causing a number of U16 teams to fold.

And on Long Island many club teams choose to play during the High School season.