BIRTH YEAR TO GRADE YEAR CHANGE – 2026-27 SEASON

Cutters will be transitioning to Seasonal/Grade-Year Age Groups in Fall 2026 for both the travel and community programs. Please reach out to doc@cutterssoccer.org with any questions! ⚽

Changes coming…

US Soccer (US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer) has decided to transition from a birth year-based age group system (January 1st to December 1st) to an academic grade year system (August 1st to July 31st)

This transition aims to better align players with their school-grade peers which will enhance social interactions and development during their youth soccer experience.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Who made this decision?

  The change was made by U.S. Soccer in coordination with US Youth Soccer and US Club Soccer, the governing bodies of youth soccer in the U.S.

• Why was this decided?

  The birth year model created unintended challenges such as “‘trapped players” (players that are in an older soccer age group than their school year – 8th graders on a team with freshman in hs are often left without a full year of soccer because they cannot play HS soccer in the fall which causes disruptions to development), maturity mismatches, and higher dropout rates. The grade year alignment better reflects how kids live, learn, and play, and aligns soccer players with their school friends.

• What is the purpose of the change?

  The goal is to improve the player experience, improve roster stability, support long-term development, and keep players together with their school peers for longer.

• Will this affect the 2025/26 season?

  No. Teams will remain under the birth-year system through the end of the spring 2026 season. The first program, affected by this change will be the travel team formations in June 2026.

• Will registration be based on school grade?

  No. Age groups will still be determined by birth date, but the birth-date window has adjusted to august 1-July 31. Players who attend a grade outside their age group will still play based on their birth date.

• Are teams being split up?

  While some changes are unavoidable, our staff and coaches will work to make transitions thoughtful and ensure players are in the correct environment for their development.

• How does this help my child?

  They are more likely to play with classmates – Teams stay longer together – Players are more likely to enjoy soccer and stay involved – Grade alignment often reduces physical maturity gaps and creates more appropriate competitive environments that support technical and tactical growth over time

• Will any exceptions be made?

  The club recognizes that there are rare cases where a players development may exceed that of the team they are placed on. These players demonstrate significantly advanced technical ability, tactical understanding, physical maturity, and overall game impact compared to peers in their age group. In these cases coaches, age group coordinators, and the DOC will consult. The player may be invited to attend practices with an older group as a trial. In the event that player is in the top 20% of the team they may be asked to participate in games with that team while often still attending their own age group practices and games. It is important to note this policy is an EXCEPTION, not the rule. It will be up to the staff and the staff only to identify players that have what is required to succeed at an older age group. DOC and age group coordinators have already begun identifying these rare players.

New Age Groups: