Age Pure and Small-Sided - US Soccer Official Announcement

ONLYASOCCERDAD wrote:

SantaFe wrote:

This is a win win all the way around for the parents and the kids and soccer."

Can you, rather succinctly explain why? In my view, it separates classmates needlessly.  It results in no more competitive advantage or disadvantage- just choices for say, a 7th grader, to decide if she wants to play with other 7th graders and 8th graders, or else other 7th graders and 6th graders.

If they want to play with mainly kids in their own grade, well, sorry that's just not an option.

just a wild guess hear. is your DD born between aug 1st and dec 31st?

It's not about her losing her age advantage over her competition, it's only about wanting to play with her classmates.

Kind of like saying 'It's not about the money'

"SHOW ME THE MONEY!!"

It's not just about playing with their classmates. Kids grow up surrounded predominately by kids their class, not age pure, age. Just by being around them all the time, playground, class, parties, sleepovers, etc.., they are at the same maturity level as their classmates, even though they may share a birth year with some kids a grade year older. Spending 3 hours of practice and a one hour game per week does not automatically make them the same maturity level as the kids a grade above them.

"just a wild guess hear. is your DD born between aug 1st and dec 31st?"

wow, what smug ignorance. no, she's not. she's an early-year birthday. And I'm totally against this.

I'm still waiting for the explanation of why this is happening. Not one person has put forth the rationale for this. Is this all being done so it makes the US National team not have to work so hard to figure out what age a player is in?

We are doing this on the local level because of a national decision? what's the rationale?

And great point above, SD69. Too bad more people don't have "common" sense.

Correct. They've changed registration year for 1.5 million female soccer players (guys too, but I haven't looked up the #) to help them identify the top 100 players. That's the rationale, it ain't gonna help. Doesn't matter how you slice the pickles, their still pickles. I keep reading about

SD69 wrote:It's not just about playing with their classmates. Kids grow up surrounded predominately by kids their class, not age pure, age. Just by being around them all the time, playground, class, parties, sleepovers, etc.., they are at the same maturity level as their classmates, even though they may share a birth year with some kids a grade year older. Spending 3 hours of practice and a one hour game per week does not automatically make them the same maturity level as the kids a grade above them.

I agree with this. Let's face it, almost none of these kids are going to be playing on a national level, so they could care less about age pure. . For the most part, they want to play with kids, who are in the same grade level regardless of birth year. I understand it has to be phased in, but to me, it would make sense to implement it for the girls entering select next year and the younger ages. For the older girls, it has the potential to screw up teams, byes, etc. For the record, my DD has a very late bday (almost an 03) under current rules, but she would still want to play with her grade level. I guess she will probably play up under the new rules, but I don't think all will and that could really mess up teams because many will have a different opinion from me.

SantaFe wrote:

"just a wild guess hear. is your DD born between aug 1st and dec 31st?"

wow, what smug ignorance.   no, she's not.  she's an early-year birthday.   And I'm totally against this.

I'm still waiting for the explanation of why this is happening.  Not one person has put forth the rationale for this.   Is this all being done so it makes the US National team not have to work so hard to figure out what age  a player is in?

We are doing this on the local level because of a national decision?  what's the rationale?  

And great point above, SD69.   Too bad more people don't have "common" sense.

The rationale is that US Youth Soccer (NTX and LHGCL's parent organization) and US Club Soccer (ECNL's parent organization) fall under the US Soccer Federation, who has issued an edict requiring it.

Distracted, I keep reading about girls playing with their graduating class. Graduating classes are based on the school calender and the school calender doesn't give a rip about what year you were born in. The huge majority of soccer teams have been built around the school calender and now they will have to be remade. Any current 04 player that was born in late 03 will either have to change teams or else the whole team will have to move to 03. I don't see how this change helps anything. Move the registration line from August to January and the top .00067 (that's 100 out 1.5million) magically appear???  Must be a Christmas miracle. Just because some bozo at the top of US Soccer says it's good, doesn't make it good. It's a reshuffle, nothing more. The bigger your club, the easier it'll be to reshuffle. The argument about what the rest of the world is doing? Stupid argument. If our forefathers had bought that argument, we'd still be singing, "God Save the King".

I can see why we never converted to the Metric System.

SantaFe wrote:

"just a wild guess hear. is your DD born between aug 1st and dec 31st?"

wow, what smug ignorance.   no, she's not.  she's an early-year birthday.   And I'm totally against this.

I'm still waiting for the explanation of why this is happening.  Not one person has put forth the rationale for this.   Is this all being done so it makes the US National team not have to work so hard to figure out what age  a player is in?

We are doing this on the local level because of a national decision?  what's the rationale?  

And great point above, SD69.   Too bad more people don't have "common" sense.

Agreed.  My dd is an early-year birthdate who would supposedly "benefit" from this.

I am totally opposed to the move to calendar year.  So is she.  She started in soccer with school friends, and now plays on a team with a classmate (who recruited her to the team).

For these girls playing select with early-year birthdays, I think you will see a lot of girls who like their current team elect to "play up".   Over time, as girls transition off their current team (by choice or not), most of these will naturally move their new age group.

I totally disagree. It seems the only people complaining about the new rule are the parents of kids born august thru dec.. this is only because your kids will be the young kids now

Academy18 wrote:I totally disagree. It seems the only people complaining about the new rule are the parents of kids born august thru dec.. this is only because your kids will be the young kids now

Did you just land from another planet?  Crawl out from under a rock?  Did you not read the above posts ON THIS PAGE?

There have been plenty of people opposed to the change throughout this board with kids born Jan - July.  If you take a couple of seconds to read, you will find 2 on this page alone.

Oooops, I see you are new here  

I CAN'T see why we should want to convert to the system of the competition that we dominate more than anyone else in the world. I'm talking about the women's side. Our women's program is the winningest female soccer program in the history of the planet. Hey, let's change to what everyone else is doing?  Makes no sense.

On the men's side, it's a different problem. When the very best US men athletes stop playing football and basketball, then the U.S. will become a men's world soccer power. I don't see the light at the end of that tunnel appearing any time in my lifetime. U.S. Soccer is looking for the "magic elixir" to solve all their problems. Their search is in vain. The elixir doesn't exist and until they get the athletes, which isn't anytime soon, they won't reach the promised land. As always, the "Chicken Salad Theorem" prevails.

Or the poll (albeit a small sample) - where the majority have early year birthdates and oppose the change.

https://www.txsoccer.net/t27955-calendar-year-poll

You probably didn't see it, being new and all  

I wouldn't recommend any of the kids play up. The kids born Jan thru Jul will be the older kids on there team now. If your kid is on a team aND has been a younger player. Then you already know what your kid has had to compete against.if your kid is not playing as much as you think she should be then get her off that team as fast as you can. See with your eyes not your ears. Because these select coaches are in it for the money and will tell you whatever you want to hear because remember you are not paying to watch other kids play you are paying to watch your Kid play As it my be fun to play on a great team colleges don't take teams they take individuals.

Academy18 wrote:I wouldn't recommend any of the kids play up. The kids born Jan thru Jul will be the older kids on there team now. If your kid is on a team aND has been a younger player. Then you already know what your kid has had to compete against.if your kid is not playing as much as you think she should be then get her off that team as fast as you can. See with your eyes not your ears. Because these select coaches are in it for the money and will tell you whatever you want to hear because remember you are not paying to watch other kids play you are paying to watch your Kid play As it my be fun to play on a great team colleges don't take teams they take individuals.

Isn't that already generally good advice?  Age pure or not?

What if your kid plays the majority of the game and is getting the development from a coach she likes and respects?

Your advice is to change teams so she can be an older kid on her team?

Brilliant.

Some Advice... the worse way to deal with change is to focus on the things you can't change.  Once you accept the changes are going to happen, you will realize your options what to do are clear.    

For most kids in select or ECNL, play with your grade (Jan-July birth).  Aug-Dec you don't have a choice but to play AP or play up if your dd is that exceptional.  Yes the troubling part is you may have to find a new team and/or your Aug-Dec born child may not be as effective in the AP environment. There is nothing you can do legally to change the Aug-Dec birth. So, spend the time working on your options.  Trust me people who have accepted that reality already are working on their options. For the record, I have both scenarios: 00' born Aug 21, 1999 who is playing with her grade currently but will have to play AP with the grade ahead of her and I have an 06' born March 24, 2006.

The harsh reality is ALWAYS make the right decision for child once they start playing club soccer.  Sad, the team thing never really works.

Academy is easy - play AP. Most kids can't make up the 12 to 18 month age gap. They will be fine!

For the scope of this change, this is one poorly managed communication process from top to bottom.  For the US Soccer Organization to announce the change, which has been contemplated for years,  and then to have NTX defer for another 4-5 months on key details is laughable.  I didn't expect a fully baked plan, but to throw this out there without an implementation plan makes no sense.

On a positive note, it gives us something new to post about for the next 4-5 months.  And after they finally release the details in 2016, we can spend the rest of the year posting on the impact and stupidity of the details.

I'm personally glad for the change and many of our club friends are too. So speak for yourself..

Academy18 wrote:I'm personally glad for the change and many of our club friends are too. So speak for yourself..

The only one speaking for everyone else is YOU  

You are the one who said "only" those with late birthdates oppose - which was WRONG

You were the one who "recommended" that NO kids play up so that . . . they can "be the older kids" on their team (not for developmental reasons)

And yet you, in your infinite wisdom, were unable to answer some simple questions.  

The entire premise of the change to calendar year is ridiculous and totally unnecessary.

However, with that said, all of this hand-wringing and wailing and crying over the impact this is going to have on our little Suzies and Mias is equally as ridiculous and unnecessary.

Our little Suzies and Mias will be totally fine playing with some teammates that are either a grade ahead or a grade below. Their growth as a person and a player won't be stunted because of this change.

Heck, this may even be a chance for you to let your little Suzy or Mia out from under the protective shelter and make her have to deal with some change in her life and get her to realize that while change may be a little scary, it's a fact of life, and not always a bad thing.

Change is coming. Glad of it. can't wait. Move your kid up.lol Mr sick of sillyness. But I'm thinking for the majority they will not move up. That means as good as your kid was competing against younger kids probably won't be so good now lol

Academy18 wrote:Change is coming. Glad of it. can't wait. Move your kid up.lol Mr sick of sillyness. But I'm thinking for the majority they will not move up. That means as good as your kid was competing against younger kids probably won't be so good now lol

Math a difficult concept for you?

I already stated that she is a Jan - July birthday, which would make her one of the younger girls now - and doing just fine.

As you have already stated, you are moving you daughter to age pure so she can be one of the older girls on her team.  

My focus is on the development my daughter is receiving from her current coach.

Anyone care to discuss religion? LOL

LOL. Religion, politics, age pure, CPP. Take your pick.

i dont like to attack personally, but Academy 18 is really not a deep thinker, or reader for that matter.

re this quote by skeets:

"For most kids in select or ECNL, play with your grade (Jan-July birth). Aug-Dec you don't have a choice but to play AP or play up if your dd is that exceptional.

skeets, not sure i follow your advice re jan-july "playing w their grade". jan - july will need to play up to play w their grade, as 45% or so of their grade was born in the prior year aug-dec.