Beginning with the 2026–27 season, player age groups will be formed using the Academic Year model (generally August 1 – July 31 birthdates) instead of the calendar-year model. This means players will more often be grouped with their school classmates / grade peers.

We are making this change to better align with the youth soccer landscape and support:

• Player development
• Competitive fairness
• Long-term alignment with leagues and governing bodies in our region

As more clubs move to this model, aligning helps ensure our players and teams are not placed at a disadvantage.

Possibly, yes. For some families, there may be little or no change. For others, this may result in a player being placed in a different age group than under the previous system. We understand this can be an adjustment, and we will work to make the transition as smooth as possible.

In many cases, yes - and often more so than before, since academic-year grouping is designed to align players more closely with school peers. That said, team placement also depends on factors such as:

• Roster size
• Team needs
• Competitive level
• Player development

We understand the concern around players born in August, especially in California where school cutoff conversations often center around September 1.

League/platform rules may require the official August 1 – July 31 structure, but our club will be thoughtful about player placement and development decisions where flexibility is allowed.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Our first responsibility is to make decisions that are:

• Developmentally appropriate
• Competitive
• Aligned with league rules

However, we will also consider team continuity and competitive viability where permitted. This is especially relevant for:

• Older established teams building toward strong competitive seasons
• Numbers-challenged teams working to remain viable and competitive

Yes. We understand that roster numbers matter. Where allowed by league rules and appropriate for player development, we may use flexible planning strategies to support teams during the transition, including:

• Thoughtful player placement
• Collaboration across coaches/age groups 
• Development-based play-up opportunities
• Ongoing roster and team balance review

Our goal is to support both players and healthy team environments.

Possibly. Playing up will remain an option for players who clearly demonstrate readiness.

• Factors may include:
• Technical ability
• Game understanding
• Physical readiness
• Emotional maturity

Playing up decisions will be:

•  Coach-driven
•  Reviewed with a panel of coaches
•  Director of Coaching approved
• Re-evaluated regularly

Playing up is a development decision, not a guaranteed long-term placement.

Player placement below an age group is generally much more restricted and is usually governed by league/competition rules. If a family has a unique circumstance, please contact the club so we can review what options (if any) may exist. Normally there is no option for a player to play down.

Teams will be labeled primarily by age group rather than birth year. Examples: U10, U13, U16, etc.

You may still hear birth years discussed informally, but official communication will increasingly use U-age labels.

Note: The “U” stands for “Under.” For example, U10 players are under 10 as of August 1 (9 years old on that date), and many will turn 10 at some point during the seasonal year (including those whose burthday IS August 1).

View the matrix on our Tryouts Page and find the birthdate range that your player falls under to see their corresponding age group.

Yes, team formation and tryouts will reflect the academic-year model beginning with the 2026–27 season. We will communicate:

• Tryout age groups
• Registration labels
• Placement timelines
• Any transition guidance for current teams

The age-group framework impacts the club broadly, but the exact implementation details may vary by program (for example, grassroots vs. competitive) based on how each program is structured. We will communicate program-specific details as needed.

Some competitions, leagues, or special events may follow their own rostering or age-group rules. When that happens, we will follow the applicable competition rules and communicate clearly with affected teams and families.

We understand that not every family will agree, and we sincerely respect those concerns. This decision was made thoughtfully and with the long-term interests of player development and club alignment in mind. We are committed to listening, communicating clearly, and handling individual situations professionally.

Please reach out to the Club / Director of Coaching / Team with questions about your player’s situation, team placement, or development pathway. Every effort will be made to address all questions as soon as humanly possible.