Jan 15 (edited) • General discussion
Youth Soccer Age Change: What parents need to know
Youth Soccer Age Group Change — What Parents Need to Know
Starting with the 2026–27 season (beginning August 1, 2026), youth soccer age groups in our club will change to a new system. This aligns teams with the school year (August 1–July 31) instead of the old calendar year model (January 1–December 31).
🧠 Why the Change?
This change matches soccer age groups with the school year, which:
- Keeps teammates closer by age and grade
- Helps kids train and compete with peers at similar stages of physical and emotional development
- Creates more consistent training environments throughout the year
- Makes the transition between school levels smoother
📅 What Is Changing?
Old System:
- Age groups were based on calendar year birthdates (Jan 1–Dec 31).
- New System (2026–27 Season):
- Age groups are based on August 1 – July 31 birthdays
- Teams may be reorganized based on this new system
- Players may move to a different age group to align with school-year peers
📌 What This Means for Your Child
- Your child may be on a different team than last season
- No one will be moved without careful evaluation by coaches
- Annual tryouts/evaluations will still happen placement is based on ability and development, not just age
- Coaches will work with families to minimize disruption and answer questions
📍 How It Helps Players
Kids will benefit because the new system:
- Adds stability in training groups
- Encourages confidence as players compete with kids closer in age
- Makes long-term development planning easier
- Helps with smoother school and social transitions
📆 Example — 2026/27 Age Groups
Age Group
Birthdate Range
U19Aug 1, 2007 – Jul 31, 2009
U17Aug 1, 2009 – Jul 31, 2010
U16Aug 1, 2010 – Jul 31, 2011
U15Aug 1, 2011 – Jul 31, 2012
U14Aug 1, 2012 – Jul 31, 2013
U13Aug 1, 2013 – Jul 31, 2014
U12Aug 1, 2014 – Jul 31, 2015
U11Aug 1, 2015 – Jul 31, 2016
U10Aug 1, 2016 – Jul 31, 2017
U9Aug 1, 2017 – Jul 31, 2018
U8Aug 1, 2018 – Jul 31, 2019
📍 When Does This Take Effect?
- The new age groups begin with the 2026–27 season, starting August 1, 2026
- Tryouts in spring 2026 will use the new age group guidelines
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Youth Soccer Age Change: What parents need to know
