Our Plan to Protect Your Player’s Experience
If you’re a Sol SC parent, you’ve probably heard something by now about youth soccer changing age groups for the 2026–27 season.
Maybe you saw a comment in a Facebook group. Maybe another parent mentioned it at practice. Maybe you’re wondering if your child is about to end up on a completely different team with different coaches and teammates.
Let’s start with the most important thing to know.
Beginning with the 2026–27 season, youth soccer in the United States is moving from a calendar-year age cutoff (January–December) to a school-year cutoff (August–July).
This means teams will now be formed based on a structure that more closely matches how kids move through school.
The current 2025–26 season stays exactly the same. Nothing changes for players this year. The new age group structure takes effect when teams are formed for the 2026–27 season.
What’s Actually Changing
Under the current system, players are grouped strictly by birth year. For example, every player born in 2015 currently plays together in the same age group.
Under the new structure, teams will include players born across two calendar years, based on the school-year cutoff. That means some players will carry what looks like a “younger” age label than they do today, while others may carry an “older” one.
But the important thing to understand is that this doesn’t mean your child is repeating or skipping an age group. It simply reflects a different way of organizing teams.
A Simple Way to Understand the Change
This visual shows the difference between the current calendar-year structure and the new school-year structure.
Instead of grouping players strictly by January–December birth years, the new system groups players more closely with classmates and peers they are likely progressing through school with. For many players, this shift will feel relatively natural.
What’s Actually Changing
The question most parents are asking is simple:
Is my child going to lose their team?
In most cases, the answer is no.
While the age label may change, our goal is to maintain as much continuity as possible while still placing players in the right development environment.
Many players will remain with a large portion of their current teammates. Some teams may shift slightly as we adjust to the new structure, but our focus remains the same as it always has been: Putting each player in the best environment for their development and enjoyment of the game.
What Matters Most to Us (And Probably to You)
Whenever there is a structural change like this, it can create uncertainty. Our responsibility as a club is to navigate the transition thoughtfully.
As we plan for the 2026–27 season, three priorities guide every decision we make.
First, the right development environment.
Players should be challenged appropriately and placed in training environments that help them continue progressing.
Second, clear development pathways.
Our responsibility is to ensure players continue to see a pathway forward within the club as they grow.
Third, core group continuity whenever possible.
While some adjustments are inevitable, we recognize how important team culture and friendships are to the youth sports experience.
How Sol SC Is Preparing for the Transition
This change didn’t catch us by surprise. Our leadership team has been discussing and preparing for it for months.
Over the coming months, our staff will begin evaluating players within their current training environments while also introducing opportunities for players to train with adjacent age groups.
These sessions allow us to observe players in different combinations and better understand how teams might take shape under the new structure.
We are also mapping out player pools across age groups so we can thoughtfully build rosters that reflect both development needs and team dynamics. This process takes time, but it ensures that placements are made carefully rather than rushed.
Your Timeline: What to Expect
To give families clarity, here’s the timeline for how the transition will unfold.
Now – April: Our coaching staff will continue observing players in their current training environments.
March – April: We will host age-group training nights where players may train alongside adjacent age groups.
April 30: Registration deadline for returning players.
May 1: Open tryouts begin.
Early May: Placement decisions will be communicated to families.
Summer: Roster adjustments may occur as teams finalize.
How Placement Decisions Are Made
Final roster decisions are made collaboratively by our technical leadership team. This includes the Technical Director and Directors of Coaching, who evaluate players based on several factors.
The three most important considerations are:
- Competitive readiness and ability level
- Alignment with the player’s development pathway
- Maintaining core group continuity whenever possible
Our responsibility is not just to build teams for a single season, but to support each player’s long-term development.
If You Disagree With a Placement
We understand that roster decisions can sometimes be difficult for families. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s placement, we encourage open communication.
Our staff is always willing to discuss development goals and provide feedback so families understand the reasoning behind decisions.
A Final Thought
Changes like this can feel disruptive at first, but youth soccer has always evolved as the game grows.
At Sol SC, our mission remains the same: to provide a positive environment where players can develop, compete, and build lasting relationships through the game.
This age group adjustment is simply another step in that journey, and our focus will always remain on protecting the player experience for every family in our club.
If you have questions about how the age group change may affect your child, we encourage you to connect with our staff or explore the resources below.
