U15 Single Age Group

Any thoughts on what this means for the Texans, Solar & FCD?

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/01/10/20/15/20170110-news-us-soccer-development-academy-introduces-u15-single-age-group-for-2017-18-season

They can't get their headlines straight. They are not adding U-15, just adjusting their current labels. They are adding in U-12 for next year.

The question is what will happen to the 02s that don't make the U16/17 team. Will US Club soccer still have a TEPAL for the 02s with ENPL being available?

I would think it would be in FCD, Texans and Solar best interest to keep the 02 players together as they would be the core that makes the U16/17 team the following year.

Well, yeah, that is certainly the question for the 02 folks. They seem like they have a chance to be the true forgotten middle child of soccer history. Don't get to take advantage of the early age DA options that the younger kids get, and don't have the PA bridge that the older groups had.

Certainly would not be easy for U16s to play U17DA. This year Texans has zero 01s fulltime U16DA, Solar has one and he was born Jan 1st and has a nice last name. FCD has 7, but they are FCD and a much more development friendly POV. Which is easy to have when you are going to be the best team regardless. Would assume all these clubs would still want some number of non-DA U16s training 4 days a week.

But maybe not. At U18/U19 its play up or go play CL for the U18s. Maybe its the same for the U16s next year. Which would be harsh, but not crazy.

No matter what they do, come the 02s chance to be U17s...they will show up, tryout, and take most of the U16/U17 DA spots same as every other year.

History has shown there is a need. Many DA clubs like to park the kids somewhere for a year and then bring them back as U17 for DA the next year in order to compete with the likes of FCD.

The 01s had PA this year. From what I have heard the PA games are few and far between and some of the PA players played high school as they are not restricted by DA rules.

Who knows what will happen with the 02s. PA may or may not happen for them. There is also the possibility of ECNL but FCD, Texans and Solar have not signed up yet.

Per the concept of U16/17 DA the clubs should all be cutting about half of the 02s. So in theory in June when the 02s are aged 15 (or soon to turn 15) it will be possible to tell who to keep pushing through the system and who to give up on. While it feels harsh it may not be crazy. The players who are behind on soccer IQ and skills are probably never going to suddenly become world beaters. The biggest issue though is that at age 15 there are still some wide differences between those who matured early and those who haven't hit the growth spurt. FCD has been hedging their bets by pushing some 01s up to U16/17 DA and keeping the rest in PA, possibly for this very reason.

I do find it strange the way that USSF is communicating this, but in reality this will not be a change from the current set up.  The fact is that USSDA has not adjusted their Uxx classes yet, while most of the states already have.

This year DA has - U12 (2004), U13 (2003), U14 (2002), U15/16 (2001,2000) and U17/18 (1999,1998)

Next year DA will have - U12 (2006), U13 (2005), U14 (2004), U15 (2003), U16/17 (2002,2001) and U18/19 (2000,1999)

Ultimately, every single age group will be on the young side of the U16/17 age the U18/19 age group for a year.  The question is, will the clubs do what they should by essentially splitting the roster spots amongst the two birth years?  While the younger birth year in each of the combined age groups is at a disadvantage, these clubs should have an eye on the future and should fill at least 30% of their roster with the younger birth year.

It was very badly communicated.

What they have done in adjusting their Uxx classes is to drive DA down to an additional age group.

If they had carried on as before the youngest group in DA next season would be the 2005s. But now it will be the 2006s.

It just seems weird for the 02s because they are U14 this year but will be u16/u17 next year.