2002 Birth Year Age Group Discussion

[Unregistered]

Does anybody have any information on how the 2002 age group teams are going to run? What has your club shared with you?

This is not meant to be a time to complain. I am just looking for information that I can't seem to find anywhere.

My son is an October 2002 player. That means he is on a U13B team this year, but will try out for a U14 team in May. How does that work with the following issues?:

1. When August hits, and the majority of his teammates run off to high school teams, what is my son supposed to do?
- Will the "leftover kids" have training sessions? Do we have to pay more for those sessions, even though our kids will be training with younger kids at a slower pace (when they need to step it up and get ready for the bigger faster play)?
- Will there be a Fall season for the September-December kids, or will he have to sit and watch his teammates play with the High School teams?
** Please don't say "Play rec" because there are rules against club players playing in rec leagues.
-

2. Currently, the U14B teams are SUPPOSED to run through August. Families have paid dues through August. WILL they switch teams up in May - despite the original plan to play through August? Do they get reimbursed if they switch clubs, since they won't stick around for those last 3 months?

Yes, it will be tough to stay on the A team when they are competing for roster spots against kids who have already been playing at the level above for a year. They then have to compete for field time against kids who have established spots on that team.

[Unregistered]

Boy's soccer sucks. Go discuss elsewhere.

[Unregistered]

U.S. Soccer and USYS has changed the age group matrix to equate 2002s with u15s for the 2016-17 year. Without saying anything they have been changing posted charts...who knows for sure whether they will be u/14s or u15s.

It is up to the state leagues to decide if 2002s (whether they are considered u14s or u15s) will be a two season or one season soccer year. Since up to half of the players might be in 8th grade and half in 9th - Hawaii, for example, has a July school cut off), many are assuming club leagues across the country will keep u14 as year round soccer or change u15 to be year round (if they say 2002s will be called u15). This way ALL club players will have a club team their 8th grade year. Your son and all the Oregon Sept-Dec born boys & girls will be basically out of luck their entire senior year when the rest of their team is off at college so the league's will likely throw them a little 8th grade bone so fewer of these kids quit soccer.

Birth year is going to be so much fun.

[Unregistered]

Does anybody have any information on how the 2002 age group teams are going to run? What has your club shared with you?

This is not meant to be a time to complain. I am just looking for information that I can't seem to find anywhere.

My son is an October 2002 player. That means he is on a U13B team this year, but will try out for a U14 team in May. How does that work with the following issues?:

1. When August hits, and the majority of his teammates run off to high school teams, what is my son supposed to do?
- Will the "leftover kids" have training sessions? Do we have to pay more for those sessions, even though our kids will be training with younger kids at a slower pace (when they need to step it up and get ready for the bigger faster play)?
- Will there be a Fall season for the September-December kids, or will he have to sit and watch his teammates play with the High School teams?
** Please don't say "Play rec" because there are rules against club players playing in rec leagues.
-

2. Currently, the U14B teams are SUPPOSED to run through August. Families have paid dues through August. WILL they switch teams up in May - despite the original plan to play through August? Do they get reimbursed if they switch clubs, since they won't stick around for those last 3 months?

Yes, it will be tough to stay on the A team when they are competing for roster spots against kids who have already been playing at the level above for a year. They then have to compete for field time against kids who have established spots on that team.

No one knows. Now they say that 2002s will be u15s for 2016-17. Your son will have to skip u13 & go straight to u15 but will still be with 2002s.

Our club hasn't even said one word about going birth year, much less what when the current u13 2002players will try out for the u14 (or u15) 2002 birth year team since those teams are paid extra through the end of July. Perhaps the current u13 2002s have no team for the summer and no team in the fall when the older 2002s are off in high school (at least girls). The 2001s on the current '01 teams with the older 2002s don't have tryouts until August so they'll need a team through the summer as well. Looks like your kid will have no team for summer. After that...Prorated? Refunds? All good questions.

[Unregistered]

Does anybody have any information on how the 2002 age group teams are going to run? What has your club shared with you?

This is not meant to be a time to complain. I am just looking for information that I can't seem to find anywhere.

My son is an October 2002 player. That means he is on a U13B team this year, but will try out for a U14 team in May. How does that work with the following issues?:

1. When August hits, and the majority of his teammates run off to high school teams, what is my son supposed to do?
- Will the "leftover kids" have training sessions? Do we have to pay more for those sessions, even though our kids will be training with younger kids at a slower pace (when they need to step it up and get ready for the bigger faster play)?
- Will there be a Fall season for the September-December kids, or will he have to sit and watch his teammates play with the High School teams?
** Please don't say "Play rec" because there are rules against club players playing in rec leagues.
-

2. Currently, the U14B teams are SUPPOSED to run through August. Families have paid dues through August. WILL they switch teams up in May - despite the original plan to play through August? Do they get reimbursed if they switch clubs, since they won't stick around for those last 3 months?

Yes, it will be tough to stay on the A team when they are competing for roster spots against kids who have already been playing at the level above for a year. They then have to compete for field time against kids who have established spots on that team.

He'll actually tryout for a U15 team in the spring per the latest US Soccer age matrix.

[Unregistered]

No one knows. Now they say that 2002s will be u15s for 2016-17. Your son will have to skip u13 & go straight to u15 but will still be with 2002s.

Our club hasn't even said one word about going birth year, much less what when the current u13 2002players will try out for the u14 (or u15) 2002 birth year team since those teams are paid extra through the end of July. Perhaps the current u13 2002s have no team for the summer and no team in the fall when the older 2002s are off in high school (at least girls). The 2001s on the current '01 teams with the older 2002s don't have tryouts until August so they'll need a team through the summer as well. Looks like your kid will have no team for summer. After that...Prorated? Refunds? All good questions.

Some clubs (FCP, CU, Vancouver clubs) hold HS tryouts in May now.

[Unregistered]

Some clubs (FCP, CU, Vancouver clubs) hold HS tryouts in May now.

Do those clubs also form their u15-u18 teams in May and play/practice as a team all summer or do they just have the tryouts in May?

[Unregistered]

He'll actually tryout for a U15 team in the spring per the latest US Soccer age matrix.

Our TA club has u15 and above tryouts in August and then supplementary tryouts again later in Fall. Due to this, the u14 teams were formed back last May for an extended year (through the summer) and the u14 players all paid more for their extended year.

I have heard that our u14 teams will still play together through the summer so that a refund fiasco doesn't have to be added to this birth year mess. The club is looking into forming a Sept-Dec birth year team (made up of A,B, C team players) for the summer and also for fall (girls) so that those younger 2002s will have a team in the summer and when their teammates are playing high school.

[Unregistered]

Our club has not said anything, and I am sure they are waiting for OYSA to figure out what they are going to do. We will wait until Feb and start asking our club and coach. We have been through the changes before and you just have to be patient as it takes them a while to figure it out or if you have leadership/counseling skills to help please do, we would all appreciate it. We have also paid through the summer, don't think they will be offering refunds except for special circumstances.

[Unregistered]

I've asked my club the same question for my Fall 02 kid. DOC told me that OYSA and club heads met recently to discuss birth year issues, with this subject being one of the topics. Ideas were proposed but nothing is decided as of yet. He said they are supposed to met again after the Fall season and figure it out.

It seems a bit ridiculous that 8th graders might have to sit out the Fall season and wait until Jan to start play because they are 02s, so let's hope they either give the all the 02s a Fall season or let the 8th grade 02s play in the U14 league with the 01s.

[Unregistered]

Do those clubs also form their u15-u18 teams in May and play/practice as a team all summer or do they just have the tryouts in May?

Yes. New teams formed in May and play together from them on.

[Unregistered]

I've asked my club the same question for my Fall 02 kid. DOC told me that OYSA and club heads met recently to discuss birth year issues, with this subject being one of the topics. Ideas were proposed but nothing is decided as of yet. He said they are supposed to met again after the Fall season and figure it out.

It seems a bit ridiculous that 8th graders might have to sit out the Fall season and wait until Jan to start play because they are 02s, so let's hope they either give the all the 02s a Fall season or let the 8th grade 02s play in the U14 league with the 01s.

Do you mean in the u14 w/the 2003s? You can't play down. Plus, the fall 2003s will be on the birth year 2003 (u14) teams so there won't be room for the 2002s. Hoping for a 2 season club soccer for the 2002s.

[Unregistered]

Yes. New teams formed in May and play together from them on.

Interesting. The switch will be easier for them then. Many other clubs still have u14s playing an extended season and u15 & above tryouts in end of August. This year's u14s are paid up through August so the fall 2002s are in an unlucky spot.