US
SOCCER MANDATED AGE CHANGES
2016
- 2017
The
United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) has announced major
changes for youth soccer which will affect recreational and travel
teams throughout the United States, beginning in August, 2016. These
changes will impact our 2016-2017 programs, starting with tryouts
this spring. This letter will hopefully explain the changes and how
they will affect the Lacey Soccer Club.
The
biggest modification will be the change to “birth year
eligibility.” For the past 25 years, age groups were defined with
an August 1st cutoff. For example, current U12 age group teams are
comprised of players born between August 1, 2003 and July 31, 2004.
Starting next season, the age group cutoff will switch to January 1st
for all age groups. So, for next year, the U11 age group will be
comprised of players born in the year 2006. This change will take
place throughout the United States.
Tryouts
for next year’s teams will take over a two-week period starting at
the end of April beginning of May. Our tryouts will use these new age
classifications, as mandated by U.S. Soccer. Specific dates for each
specific age group will be posted on website as tryouts draw closer.
Another
change mandated by U.S. Soccer will be the number of players on the
field for some age groups. Currently, games U11 and younger are
played 8v8 while games U12 and older are played 11v11. Beginning in
the Fall, games for U8 and younger will be played 4v4, U9 and U10
will be played 7v7, and will be played on slightly smaller sized
fields. Ages U11 and U12 will be played 9v9 and played on mid-sized
fields. Age groups U13 and older will still play full-sided 11v11.
Small-Sides
Games USSF Standards Chart:
https://usys-assets.ae-admin.com/assets/1/15/Standards%20Chart%20SSG.pdf
Lacey
Soccer Club’s Implementation of These Changes will be as follows:
We will
start from scratch and form NEW teams, from the U8-U12 age groups.
Teams will be formed at tryouts in the same manner as previous years,
however using the new “birth year” parameters. U13 and older aged
players may be allowed to play for an age group older than defined by
their year of birth, based on the results of tryouts and evaluations
by the training staff.
As we
get closer to the tryout dates, you will be required to register, if
you wish to tryout for a travel team. There will be no charge for
pre-registration and will be done through our website at
www.laceysoccerclub.com.
Every
club in the United States has been struggling with how to adapt these
new guidelines over the past few months. We are required by our
governing bodies to make these changes. These changes are in the best
interest of individual player development, clubs, and youth soccer in
the United States as a whole.
For more
information please go to US Youth Soccer and read in detail all the
mandated changes --
http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/changes_coming_to_youth_soccer_in_2016/
If you have further questions or
concerns, please e-mail your inquiry to the Travel Vice Presidents -
Wayne Lehto
([email protected])
and Kevin Edinger ([email protected])
and
they will address them.
Thank
You