FAQ

1. What is changing?

Youth soccer age groups will be formed based on dates that better align with school grades (Aug 1 - July 31), rather than calendar birth years.

Under the previous system, players were grouped strictly by their year of birth (January 1 – December 31).

Under the new system, players will generally be grouped with classmates who are in the same grade.

2. Why is SCSA making this change?

The primary goals include:

• Keeping more players with their classmates and friends.

• Improving the social experience for youth players.

• Simplifying team formation.

• Aligning soccer with the way many other youth activities are organized.

This change is being made nationwide by most leagues under US Youth Soccer. Feedback from families, clubs, and organizations indicated that many players preferred participating alongside classmates.

3. When will the change take effect?

Change will take effect for the Fall 2026 season.

4. How were teams organized before?

Since 2017, most youth soccer organizations in the United States have used birth-year registration.

Examples:

• All players born in 2014 played together.

• All players born in 2015 played together.

This system aligned U.S. Soccer with international standards but often separated classmates born in different calendar years.

5. How will teams be organized under the new system?

Players will generally be grouped according to their school-year. In most cases, players in the same grade will be eligible to play together.

Birth date will ultimately determine which age group players and in and each age group will be from August 1-July 31.  Please see SCSA Age Group Chart for specifics

6. Will my child be separated from current teammates?

Possibly but not necessarily.

Some teams may remain largely intact, while others may experience roster changes depending on the birth dates and school grades of current players.

7. What happens if my child is younger or older than most students in their grade?

Age group will be determined by Aug 1st - July 31st birthdate.

8. Can my player play up or down an age group?

Players are able to play up one age group by request, but players are not allowed to play down.

9. What if my child wants to play with current teammates instead of classmates?

There are scenarios where we allow teams to stay together but they must play in the age division of their oldest players which will require younger players to “play up”, this needs to be requested at time of registration or before teams are finalized.

10. Who can I contact with questions?

For questions about your player's specific situation, please contact:

• president@scsa-soccer.org

• Age Level player placement contact-found on website 

Additional guidance will be provided as implementation details become available.