Please consider signing this petition

[Unregistered]

The losses will be mostly on the girls side. The solution is simple. Raise fees and move on.

Sunset > your kids team

[Unregistered]

"Yeah. Any kid that wants to play with friends or school mates are weak and soft. It is indicative of poor parenting. You should force them to leave all their friends every 12-18 months and make new ones.

If your kid wants to play soccer to have fun, it is a reflection of poor parenting skills. You are at fault.

They should realize that they are part of something bigger. The USMNT needs this change.

Anyone who plays for enjoyment or with friends should be removed from the team, forcibly if need be."

Yes!

Soccer is not for playing around anymore. People we need to stop catering to our kids. This should be a serious pursuit.

[Unregistered]

Soccer is not for playing around anymore. People we need to stop catering to our kids. This should be a serious pursuit.

It's mostly extremely serious parents of fall born serious players who are upset about this change because it negatively impacts their players chances of being one of the best on the field, now that they will be the youngest. The people who are in this for fun, don't care. Even when teams are breaking up, the fall players will still be together and the Jan-July players will still be together. They will all still be playing with a group of friends.

[Unregistered]

"Yeah. Any kid that wants to play with friends or school mates are weak and soft. It is indicative of poor parenting. You should force them to leave all their friends every 12-18 months and make new ones.

If your kid wants to play soccer to have fun, it is a reflection of poor parenting skills. You are at fault.

They should realize that they are part of something bigger. The USMNT needs this change.

Anyone who plays for enjoyment or with friends should be removed from the team, forcibly if need be."

Yes!

Are there ANY benefits to this change? I mean for girls.

[Unregistered]

Are there ANY benefits to this change? I mean for girls.

Many benefits to girls born Jan-July. Aug-Sept born girls are mostly hurt by the change.

[Unregistered]

Many benefits to girls born Jan-July. Aug-Sept born girls are mostly hurt by the change.

It's about time. Jan-July players have been getting screwed for decades. How are the Jan-July players supposed to maked an elite team (ODP/ECNL) when they get cut or get limited playing time at the club level under the current rules?

Really though, by HS RAE will be mostly gone. 8th graders and seniors eventally will have a fall outlet. The kids will continue to play. Maybe the complainers kids won't, but others will fill in.

It's the parents who might not recover from this. They're the real victims here. :)

[Unregistered]

Are there ANY benefits to this change? I mean for girls.

No net benefit. Some girls will move up some will move down. Net = zero.

There is some personal cost in breaking up teams. I know some don't think that is a big deal but to the girls it is. Maybe at top teams older age groups there is a lot of turn over but a lot more teams stick together.

[Unregistered]

No net benefit. Some girls will move up some will move down. Net = zero.

There is some personal cost in breaking up teams. I know some don't think that is a big deal but to the girls it is. Maybe at top teams older age groups there is a lot of turn over but a lot more teams stick together.

team i used to coach as u11s last year, has only two of the same players this year. there's plenty of turnover at the young ages too.

[Unregistered]

Really though, by HS RAE will be mostly gone.

I agree with what you are saying, except this statement about RAE. RAE does *not* go away. An older kid plays better because they are bigger and more coordinated than their younger peers, so they get picked for the best teams, which have better coaching and competition, thus making the older kid in fact a better player -- for his life, not just till high school.

Malcolm Gladwell's famous example is that most NHL hockey players (well beyond high school age) are born in January, February or March.

This birth year change does not eliminate RAE, it shifts it to January - March kids, from the August - October kids who benefited under the old system.

And that, my friends, is why so many of those aug-Oct parents are so upset.

[Unregistered]

I agree with what you are saying, except this statement about RAE. RAE does *not* go away. An older kid plays better because they are bigger and more coordinated than their younger peers, so they get picked for the best teams, which have better coaching and competition, thus making the older kid in fact a better player -- for his life, not just till high school.

Malcolm Gladwell's famous example is that most NHL hockey players (well beyond high school age) are born in January, February or March.

This birth year change does not eliminate RAE, it shifts it to January - March kids, from the August - October kids who benefited under the old system.

And that, my friends, is why so many of those aug-Oct parents are so upset.

Bingo! & it is the parents of the very serious fall players (& the players themselves) who are upset. The more Rec minded players/parents don't care. The serious ones are freaking out tha their fall player will go down in the pecking order. These same parents never voiced so much as a whimper about breaking up the teams when summer kids were cut because they were too small because they were younger. The fall kids all get to move up together in a group so they certainly won't be losing all their friends anyway.

[Unregistered]

Please consider signing this petition

if the only reason your child is playing soccer is to spend time with friends maybe competitive soccer is not for them. Why as a parent are you so concerned about your child playing with different kids. Is that so bad? Can you as a parent help them through change? I am really surprised at what a huge deal people are making out of this. Play dont play, boys or girls it does not matter. Soccer will go on whatever you decide. Asking people to sign a petition is silly.

[Unregistered]

if the only reason your child is playing soccer is to spend time with friends maybe competitive soccer is not for them. Why as a parent are you so concerned about your child playing with different kids. Is that so bad? Can you as a parent help them through change? I am really surprised at what a huge deal people are making out of this. Play dont play, boys or girls it does not matter. Soccer will go on whatever you decide. Asking people to sign a petition is silly.

What's you point posting here? Move on. If you don't like people questioning this why the heck are you reading this thread?

You clearly don't get it.

People aren't happy and your little man comments aren't going to change anyone's mind. Take your little man whining outside. Nobody wants to listen.

The long term effect on the sport is more concerning to me. It will hurt enrollment in the long run.

There will be more grade level mixes. Less classmates playing soccer together, statistically. This will cost us some talented kids to volleyball and basketball as girls want to play with their school friends. At the younger ages. The youngers eventually become older.

Why break up teams mid stream?

Anyone who doesn't question the logic of moves like this are far too passive.

US Soccer admitted in their Q & A there is no benefits for girls other than they get a chance to make new friends.

[Unregistered]

Bingo! & it is the parents of the very serious fall players (& the players themselves) who are upset. The more Rec minded players/parents don't care. The serious ones are freaking out tha their fall player will go down in the pecking order. These same parents never voiced so much as a whimper about breaking up the teams when summer kids were cut because they were too small because they were younger. The fall kids all get to move up together in a group so they certainly won't be losing all their friends anyway.

almost, but it's the parents (and not the players) who THINK they are serious, making the noise. the actually serious ones are already training extra, and WANT to play older better players. the problem is these complainer think they are serious when they are actually the rec players who shouldn't care. they just need to know their role.

[Unregistered]

Bingo! & it is the parents of the very serious fall players (& the players themselves) who are upset. The more Rec minded players/parents don't care. The serious ones are freaking out tha their fall player will go down in the pecking order. These same parents never voiced so much as a whimper about breaking up the teams when summer kids were cut because they were too small because they were younger. The fall kids all get to move up together in a group so they certainly won't be losing all their friends anyway.

Great players will still be great. Average still average. A 5 month shift in age groups isn't that bad and all the players will be fine. Even the fall born players moving up. Breathe.

[Unregistered]

almost, but it's the parents (and not the players) who THINK they are serious, making the noise. the actually serious ones are already training extra, and WANT to play older better players. the problem is these complainer think they are serious when they are actually the rec players who shouldn't care. they just need to know their role.

My DD has always been very big for her age. She is born in the fall. We are happy she'll get to play with the older team and be challenged by other bigger players. No complaining here!