The U.S. Club Soccer, U.S. Youth Soccer and American Youth Soccer Organizations determined that club soccer teams will be separated by graduation year — from Aug. 1 to the following July 31 — instead of birth years.
This change will take effect on Aug. 1 for the 2026-27 competitive season.
According to AYSO, the number of “trapped players” — players stuck in 8th grade while their teammates are playing high school soccer — will be greatly reduced. Before, these trapped players disrupted training schedules and reduced competition opportunities since the remaining players had to play down age groups to fill the spots on the team.
Junior Bella Tilgner, with a September birthday, was one of these trapped players.
“I was one of two 8th graders [while the rest of my team were freshmen], and during my 8th grade spring season I had to play down with a different level and with younger players,” Tilgner said. “I found it really difficult to get the same amount of energy with people I didn’t know and join a team I didn’t know. The intensity and the practice just wasn’t the same as when my teammates in high school were able to play.”
However, there will always be trapped players, according to US Club Soccer.
States and counties throughout the country have different school year cut-offs. This will result in some number of trapped players or force-ups — players in younger soccer age groups that must play in an older age group to be with their school-year peers.
But even with this small number of players having to move up an age group, changing to graduation years, Tilgner says, will positively affect the recruitment process.
In the summer after players’ sophomore year, college coaches are allowed to contact players of that class.
“On teams separated by birth year, by the time it’s [the younger players] turn to commit, the rest of the team has already committed," Tilgner said. “So, less schools come and it can make recruiting a lot more difficult.”
However, with teams divided by birth year, players could experience a high level of play, along with competition against players who are a grade above or below them. Additionally, for the younger players in the age group, this allowed for more exposure playing against older girls during the high school season, according to junior Mia Mosher.
“With birth-year teams, I get to make relationships with people who will go to college before me, so you get to know how it works for them,” Mosher said. “But it also sucks because my best friends will be gone.”
Club tryouts for the upcoming 2026-27 competitive season will consist of players being separated by Aug. 1 to the following July 31 birth dates.
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