Pure year age groups

"Oh wait but if you are an 04 doing well isn't there a 03's version of you right now who will be put down in your spot?"- Rhetorical Question

rhetorical question -A rhetorical question is asked just for effect or to lay emphasis on some point discussed when no real answer is expected. A rhetorical question may have an obvious answer but the questioner asks rhetorical questions to lay emphasis to the point. In literature, a rhetorical question is self-evident and used for style as an impressive persuasive device.

go99 wrote:"Oh wait but if you are an 04 doing well isn't there a 03's version of you right now who will be put down in your spot?"- Rhetorical Question

rhetorical question -A rhetorical question is asked just for effect or to lay emphasis on some point discussed when no real answer is expected. A rhetorical question may have an obvious answer but the questioner asks rhetorical questions to lay emphasis to the point. In literature, a rhetorical question is self-evident and used for style as an impressive persuasive device.

Is that question directed at me?

Please Correct me if I am wrong and confirm if I am correct.

Next year starting in August 2016 birth year 2004 players can play AP 04 9v9 (roster size?) or play up with birth year 2003 11v11.

LHGCL will continue to utilize Club Player Pass which will allow 04 players to play up as needed on 2003 teams.
Plano will continue to not utilize Club Player Pass so there will be no sharing of players from 04 teams to 03 teams.

These changes are set in stone and have a 100% chance of happening.

CBTeamworks wrote:Please Correct me if I am wrong and confirm if I am correct.

Next year starting in August 2016 birth year 2004 players can play AP 04 9v9 (roster size?) or play up with birth year 2003 11v11.

LHGCL will continue to utilize Club Player Pass which will allow 04 players to play up as needed on 2003 teams.
Plano will continue to not utilize Club Player Pass so there will be no sharing of players from 04 teams to 03 teams.

These changes are set in stone and have a 100% chance of happening.

The 04 AP will still be playing 11v11

Keeper I appreciate it but if you could find me a link I would be grateful. The following link shows that in 2016 birth year 2004 will be U12 and that U12 plays 9v9. I didn't see any grandfathering mentioned. http://www.ussoccer.com/coaching-education/resources/2015-player-development-initiatives

From LHGCL site: girlsclassicleague.com

Small Sided Games.

Starting with the 2016 Qualifying Tournament, LHGCL will introduce Phase I of the New Small Sided Standards by introducing 9v9 for U11 teams. It is important to note, that 9v9 will only be played at the U11 level in 2016. By 2017 we will be in full compliance with the Federation's plan and both U11 and U12 will be 9v9. The 9v9 field size will change to accommodate this initiative. Smaller fields and smaller goals.

CBTeamworks wrote:Keeper I appreciate it but if you could find me a link I would be grateful. The following link shows that in 2016 birth year 2004 will be U12 and that U12 plays 9v9. I didn't see any grandfathering mentioned. http://www.ussoccer.com/coaching-education/resources/2015-player-development-initiatives

Front page of LHGCL website...Phase 1 for 2016.

http://www.girlsclassicleague.org/

Thank you for the info.

I emailed PPIL to see what their plan is. They said that nothing has been decided yet but that age pure is mandated for 2016 but small sided doesn't have to be changed for two years. I'm assuming that they'll follow LHGCL.

When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified? Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing? Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1? (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league. Right? (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up) So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

I wouldn't worry too much about it because your team isn't all 05's and nobodies is. And just in general terms the higher up the table a team is the more 04's are actually on the team. The hypothetical mythical all 05 team created to illustrate that its unfair is a waste of time. It is impossible to make a change that is fair to everyone and makes everyone happy

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league.  Right?  (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up)  So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

Actually No. At the moment all teams are designated by age with their youngest player. 05's are the youngest in the present U11 division so that is what they are designated. Thev 04's are moving up with the bye if their is one. The 05 AP teams will then requalify again just like they did 2 months ago. LH will have to fill 20 teams in D1 and 10 in D3 so no you do not have a death sentence unless you are paying your players like SMU did.

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

N+1 is PPL, not LHGCL thing. The club will keep the bye even if all players leave, well unless the players leave together...then they take it with them.

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league.  Right?  (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up)  So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

Actually No. At the moment all teams are designated by age with their youngest player. 05's are the youngest in the present U11 division so that is what they are designated. Thev 04's are moving up with the bye if their is one. The 05 AP teams will then requalify again just like they did 2 months ago. LH will have to fill 20 teams in D1 and 10 in D3 so no you do not have a death sentence unless you are paying your players like SMU did.

I originally was referring to an 04 team...but you went with 03, and I just ran with it to avoid confusion - I should have stuck with the 04s... You are right for the 05s...you can enter the QT and odds are that you will make it again. In the case of the 04 team...not so much.

My DDs team is 75% age pure 04, and 10 of our starting 11 are age pure 04. We play in LHGCL U12. Chances are, we will go age pure 04 for next year at contract signing, which means we will "repeat" U12. We have established that we are competitive against teams that are a majority of 03s, but I have yet to see any consideration given in the press releases as to existing LH teams that will be going age pure to the "younger" 04 group instead of the "older" 03 group.

Granted, our team is a bit of an anomaly in NTX soccer. Usually, bigger/faster wins, and having a team that is almost entirely the younger half of the year puts you at such a disadvantage at U11/12 that you normally wouldn't make LH...so yeah....we are the "hypothetical, mythical" that GO is referring to...but unlike unicorns, we do actually exist.

Someone else called me out on the N+1 being plano and not LH...I am aware of that...just using it to make a point. Would it be logical that an 05 team like the Redknapp (now Gerrard) situation in the 04s last year - where the club keeps the bye returning only 1 player - be given a bye over a current 04 team that retains over 75% of its roster as it moves to age pure 04 (repeating U12)? Wouldn't the logical assumption be that the current 04 team "repeating" U12 should be even stronger when compared to its competition? For GO; kinda like RASE playing up to get harder competition...then moving back down to their actual age group and dominating. I am not saying our team is some super team or anything...just that if we move age pure, we should be even more competitive than we are now...yet, it appears as this point to be unaccounted for in the information released to this point...and even if we earn a bye, we would be relegated out of the league and back to qualifying for a D3 spot.

I hope that LHGCL just hasn't got around to considering our situation yet, and that more information is coming. Hopefully, they have just released their general plan, and will be coming up with policies to address the anomalies in the near future.

10sDad wrote:My DDs team is 75% age pure 04, and 10 of our starting 11 are age pure 04.  We play in LHGCL U12.  Chances are, we will go age pure 04 for next year at contract signing, which means we will "repeat" U12.

Are you guys open-minded about changing clubs? Make some calls. One of these clubs may be interested in having the oldest U12 roster.

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league.  Right?  (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up)  So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

Actually No. At the moment all teams are designated by age with their youngest player. 05's are the youngest in the present U11 division so that is what they are designated. Thev 04's are moving up with the bye if their is one. The 05 AP teams will then requalify again just like they did 2 months ago. LH will have to fill 20 teams in D1 and 10 in D3 so no you do not have a death sentence unless you are paying your players like SMU did.

I originally was referring to an 04 team...but you went with 03, and I just ran with it to avoid confusion - I should have stuck with the 04s...  You are right for the 05s...you can enter the QT and odds are that you will make it again.  In the case of the 04 team...not so much.

My DDs team is 75% age pure 04, and 10 of our starting 11 are age pure 04.  We play in LHGCL U12.  Chances are, we will go age pure 04 for next year at contract signing, which means we will "repeat" U12.  We have established that we are competitive against teams that are a majority of 03s, but I have yet to see any consideration given in the press releases as to existing LH teams that will be going age pure to the "younger" 04 group instead of the "older" 03 group.

Granted, our team is a bit of an anomaly in NTX soccer.  Usually, bigger/faster wins, and having a team that is almost entirely the younger half of the year puts you at such a disadvantage at U11/12 that you normally wouldn't make LH...so yeah....we are the "hypothetical, mythical" that GO is referring to...but unlike unicorns, we do actually exist.  

Someone else called me out on the N+1 being plano and not LH...I am aware of that...just using it to make a point.  Would it be logical that an 05 team like the  Redknapp (now Gerrard) situation in the 04s last year - where the club keeps the bye returning only 1 player - be given a bye over a current 04 team that retains over 75% of its roster as it moves to age pure 04 (repeating U12)?  Wouldn't the logical assumption be that the current 04 team "repeating" U12 should be even stronger when compared to its competition?  For GO;  kinda like RASE playing up to get harder competition...then moving back down to their actual age group and dominating.  I am not saying our team is some super team or anything...just that if we move age pure, we should be even more competitive than we are now...yet, it appears as this point to be unaccounted for in the information released to this point...and even if we earn a bye, we would be relegated out of the league and back to qualifying for a D3 spot.  

I hope that LHGCL just hasn't got around to considering our situation yet, and that more information is coming.  Hopefully, they have just released their general plan, and will be coming up with policies to address the anomalies in the near future.

I do see what you are saying. Although the AP 03 will take the bye into next division you are concerned with the remaining 04 girls that will repeat. Sure that is a big question. Requalify with a brand new team into D3 or find an 04 team that just lost a load of 05 girls. The latter being the more popular choice among parents but also could be the more time consuming. Tryouts and whatnot will consume much of your time next June. Of course you could always play up if your coach is willing to let a younger player on the team and you would forgo the qualifying. Is having to requalify really so much a burden that you would play up though.
WHAT IF- Pretend your DD has been playing up a year and LH instituted a no playing up policy for next year. You would have to find a new team for her to play on and it would be the same process. Perhaps the team you found would have to try and qualify or maybe they were already in D3 or higher. Either way you still have to make the best decision for your DD. Same process just different circumstances.

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league.  Right?  (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up)  So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

Actually No. At the moment all teams are designated by age with their youngest player. 05's are the youngest in the present U11 division so that is what they are designated. Thev 04's are moving up with the bye if their is one. The 05 AP teams will then requalify again just like they did 2 months ago. LH will have to fill 20 teams in D1 and 10 in D3 so no you do not have a death sentence unless you are paying your players like SMU did.

I originally was referring to an 04 team...but you went with 03, and I just ran with it to avoid confusion - I should have stuck with the 04s...  You are right for the 05s...you can enter the QT and odds are that you will make it again.  In the case of the 04 team...not so much.

My DDs team is 75% age pure 04, and 10 of our starting 11 are age pure 04.  We play in LHGCL U12.  Chances are, we will go age pure 04 for next year at contract signing, which means we will "repeat" U12.  We have established that we are competitive against teams that are a majority of 03s, but I have yet to see any consideration given in the press releases as to existing LH teams that will be going age pure to the "younger" 04 group instead of the "older" 03 group.

Granted, our team is a bit of an anomaly in NTX soccer.  Usually, bigger/faster wins, and having a team that is almost entirely the younger half of the year puts you at such a disadvantage at U11/12 that you normally wouldn't make LH...so yeah....we are the "hypothetical, mythical" that GO is referring to...but unlike unicorns, we do actually exist.  

Someone else called me out on the N+1 being plano and not LH...I am aware of that...just using it to make a point.  Would it be logical that an 05 team like the  Redknapp (now Gerrard) situation in the 04s last year - where the club keeps the bye returning only 1 player - be given a bye over a current 04 team that retains over 75% of its roster as it moves to age pure 04 (repeating U12)?  Wouldn't the logical assumption be that the current 04 team "repeating" U12 should be even stronger when compared to its competition?  For GO;  kinda like RASE playing up to get harder competition...then moving back down to their actual age group and dominating.  I am not saying our team is some super team or anything...just that if we move age pure, we should be even more competitive than we are now...yet, it appears as this point to be unaccounted for in the information released to this point...and even if we earn a bye, we would be relegated out of the league and back to qualifying for a D3 spot.  

I hope that LHGCL just hasn't got around to considering our situation yet, and that more information is coming.  Hopefully, they have just released their general plan, and will be coming up with policies to address the anomalies in the near future.

Sounds to me like you're making a bad decision. If you're competitive in your current spot then why would you move to a younger group?

adufresne wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league.  Right?  (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up)  So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

Actually No. At the moment all teams are designated by age with their youngest player. 05's are the youngest in the present U11 division so that is what they are designated. Thev 04's are moving up with the bye if their is one. The 05 AP teams will then requalify again just like they did 2 months ago. LH will have to fill 20 teams in D1 and 10 in D3 so no you do not have a death sentence unless you are paying your players like SMU did.

I originally was referring to an 04 team...but you went with 03, and I just ran with it to avoid confusion - I should have stuck with the 04s...  You are right for the 05s...you can enter the QT and odds are that you will make it again.  In the case of the 04 team...not so much.

My DDs team is 75% age pure 04, and 10 of our starting 11 are age pure 04.  We play in LHGCL U12.  Chances are, we will go age pure 04 for next year at contract signing, which means we will "repeat" U12.  We have established that we are competitive against teams that are a majority of 03s, but I have yet to see any consideration given in the press releases as to existing LH teams that will be going age pure to the "younger" 04 group instead of the "older" 03 group.

Granted, our team is a bit of an anomaly in NTX soccer.  Usually, bigger/faster wins, and having a team that is almost entirely the younger half of the year puts you at such a disadvantage at U11/12 that you normally wouldn't make LH...so yeah....we are the "hypothetical, mythical" that GO is referring to...but unlike unicorns, we do actually exist.  

Someone else called me out on the N+1 being plano and not LH...I am aware of that...just using it to make a point.  Would it be logical that an 05 team like the  Redknapp (now Gerrard) situation in the 04s last year - where the club keeps the bye returning only 1 player - be given a bye over a current 04 team that retains over 75% of its roster as it moves to age pure 04 (repeating U12)?  Wouldn't the logical assumption be that the current 04 team "repeating" U12 should be even stronger when compared to its competition?  For GO;  kinda like RASE playing up to get harder competition...then moving back down to their actual age group and dominating.  I am not saying our team is some super team or anything...just that if we move age pure, we should be even more competitive than we are now...yet, it appears as this point to be unaccounted for in the information released to this point...and even if we earn a bye, we would be relegated out of the league and back to qualifying for a D3 spot.  

I hope that LHGCL just hasn't got around to considering our situation yet, and that more information is coming.  Hopefully, they have just released their general plan, and will be coming up with policies to address the anomalies in the near future.

Sounds to me like you're making a bad decision. If you're competitive in your current spot then why would you move to a younger group?

TO DOMINATE! Just like the mostly 03 rase team did in the 04 group.

adufresne wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:

KeeperCommander wrote:

10sDad wrote:When exactly is the "oldest player" determined/identified?  Today, or July, 2016?

If a team decides to stay in U12 as an age pure 04 team, and more than N+1 of their players are already age pure...and they are already a LHGCL team...will they be accommodated as such for being ahead of the whole age pure thing?  Or will they lose their shot at a bye to a DIII 05 team (club) that may or may not be even returning a single player or at least less than N+1?  (a la Redknapp - club keeps bye)...I realize that very few teams are in this situation, but I know one for sure...

Example 1- if your DD team is all "05" right now playing in D1 LH then to keep that bye they would have to take that bye into U12 or 04. If not then they would requalify as a team next year in U11 again.
Example 2- if your DD team is half and half then the older players "04's" would take that bye into U12 and the AP 05's would requalify next year in U11.

So if your team is all "05" (your oldest player is an 05 on whatever date they choose to make that determination - and you are summarily designated as an age pure 05 team), but your current bye is in the "04/05" league....you are kicked out of the league unless you want to play up a year into the age pure 04 league.  Right?  (which they may or may not even do...as the committee may not decide to let you play up)  So that means 2 years of running up the score in DIII and then DII until you can requalify for D1 again...but by that time, ECNL is starting, so it essentially means a death sentence for your team ever playing D1 again...right?

Actually No. At the moment all teams are designated by age with their youngest player. 05's are the youngest in the present U11 division so that is what they are designated. Thev 04's are moving up with the bye if their is one. The 05 AP teams will then requalify again just like they did 2 months ago. LH will have to fill 20 teams in D1 and 10 in D3 so no you do not have a death sentence unless you are paying your players like SMU did.

I originally was referring to an 04 team...but you went with 03, and I just ran with it to avoid confusion - I should have stuck with the 04s...  You are right for the 05s...you can enter the QT and odds are that you will make it again.  In the case of the 04 team...not so much.

My DDs team is 75% age pure 04, and 10 of our starting 11 are age pure 04.  We play in LHGCL U12.  Chances are, we will go age pure 04 for next year at contract signing, which means we will "repeat" U12.  We have established that we are competitive against teams that are a majority of 03s, but I have yet to see any consideration given in the press releases as to existing LH teams that will be going age pure to the "younger" 04 group instead of the "older" 03 group.

Granted, our team is a bit of an anomaly in NTX soccer.  Usually, bigger/faster wins, and having a team that is almost entirely the younger half of the year puts you at such a disadvantage at U11/12 that you normally wouldn't make LH...so yeah....we are the "hypothetical, mythical" that GO is referring to...but unlike unicorns, we do actually exist.  

Someone else called me out on the N+1 being plano and not LH...I am aware of that...just using it to make a point.  Would it be logical that an 05 team like the  Redknapp (now Gerrard) situation in the 04s last year - where the club keeps the bye returning only 1 player - be given a bye over a current 04 team that retains over 75% of its roster as it moves to age pure 04 (repeating U12)?  Wouldn't the logical assumption be that the current 04 team "repeating" U12 should be even stronger when compared to its competition?  For GO;  kinda like RASE playing up to get harder competition...then moving back down to their actual age group and dominating.  I am not saying our team is some super team or anything...just that if we move age pure, we should be even more competitive than we are now...yet, it appears as this point to be unaccounted for in the information released to this point...and even if we earn a bye, we would be relegated out of the league and back to qualifying for a D3 spot.  

I hope that LHGCL just hasn't got around to considering our situation yet, and that more information is coming.  Hopefully, they have just released their general plan, and will be coming up with policies to address the anomalies in the near future.

Sounds to me like you're making a bad decision. If you're competitive in your current spot then why would you move to a younger group?

valid point.  Response is:
1.  Although we are competitive, we are not a dominant group to be reckoned with..  If we stay age pure 04, we feel that we would still find competition, but it would be in a higher division.  We play DIII (03/04 U12) now, but feel we could be DII or even DI next year (AP 04 U12).  There are some pretty stout 05 teams out there that can and will give us a definite challenge.  We feel we could be top 5-7 or so in AP04, but we don't have any grand illusions of being like RASE was a couple years ago.

2. Going AP 04, and parlaying the "advantage" in number 1 above, it improves our ranking, gets us more invites to showcases in higher visibility brackets, more ECNL opportunities, more college recruiter looks, etc. in the future..without actually gaming the system in our favor.  We would be age pure 04, playing by the rules, etc.  Just the level of competition is changed.   Hopefully, it just works out that we play challenging games every week as we do now - just in a higher division.

3.  We have the luxury of being able to take advantage of #1 and #2 above and still stay together as a unit until ECNL time.  Not many other teams have this opportunity.  So, we are happy about it...and we will play it out whichever way works for us, but just hoping we don't end up in a situation where we blow teams out week after week in league - and have to double up on tournaments to get challenging competition.  Imagine dropping D'feet Black or DTS to D3...kindof a waste of time.  Just hoping LHGCL recognizes this and takes it into consideration - we are obviously at the mercy of their decision, but we will play it out either way.  In the end, league play is just league play.  Go win a few platinum level tournaments, and the league you play in ceases to matter when it comes to showcases.  Sure you take a minor hit on GotSoccer by the lack of league points, but a couple finals appearances in platinum level tournaments negates that pretty quickly.

soccerjack wrote:
TO DOMINATE!  Just like the mostly 03 rase team did in the 04 group.

I'm sure RASE isn't the only mostly 03 team in the 04 group in fact I'm positive. They are just the most disciplined team in the 03/04 group and they don't get rattled when they face pressure. They probably should of played up cause I really only see one team truly challenging them and that's DTS.

Actually the RASE team is split almost in half with 03's and 04's not mostly 03's

go99 wrote:Actually the RASE team is split almost in half with 03's and 04's not mostly 03's

50/50 or 70/30?

60/40 I think

Used to be 50/50 but now about 65/35

go99 wrote:60/40 I think

Go...I luv ya man! Just having fun with you. I don't care if rase is all 03s. I think going to age pure and blowing up an entire system for kids soccer is the most Ill conceived bunch of silliness I've ever seen. All that will change, is the age groupings of the top teams at the younger ages. Teams that like to play together will be blown up and leagues will be blown up.....for what reason???? Stupid stupid stupid. I do get the smaller field and other changes.