In 2016, US Soccer changed the age groups for youth soccer from a system based on school year cutoffs of August 1 (i.e. matching the grade the participant was in) to a system based on birth year cutoffs of January 1. The intent was to align the age groups with international standards. Surely the US…
There are several great websites that provide youth soccer rankings. These are the best: Value of Youth Soccer Rankings Winning should never be the primary goal in youth soccer. The primary goal should be development (see What’s Wrong With Winning). That said, youth soccer rankings have some value. First, rankings are a fun way for…
You just put your child on a soccer team. Now what? What will he/she need? What will you need, as a parent? While some of the answers to these questions vary based on the level of soccer being played, the age of the player, and the league or club the player is playing in, this…