Eagan Wave Soccer Club U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiative Mandate 2016 Informational Parent Meeting

Agenda 1. Welcome2. U.S Soccer Federation changes 4. Birth year team formation 5. How EWSC will transition6. Questions!

Who is making these decisions?? U.S. Soccer – the National Governing Body for soccer in the USA Every youth soccer player across the country will experience the transition Mandated = every youth soccer organization will comply with changes U.S. Youth Soccer MYSA U.S. Club Soccer Not an MYSA or EWSC decision How we will manage the changes Smooth transition for all families

What is changing? New Birth-Year Team Formation – switch from Aug-July to Jan-Dec New Small Sided Game Standards U9-U12 – Fall vs 7 at U9/U10 – team roster increase 9 vs 9 at U11/U12 – team roster increase Field size and Goal size changes Offside will be enforced at U9/U10 Emphasis on playing out of the back – playing good soccer Premier Soccer starts at U15 U9-U14 will be self-select U15+ will be promotion and relegation rules

What is NOT changing Soccer Calendar: Fall – to – Summer Player tryouts/evaluations late July Fall MYSA league and State Tournament Aug-Oct Summer MYSA league and State Tournament Apr-July Age groups will read 9U or 2008’s Small sided soccer is still the development path in MN for U12 and younger Olympic Development Program (ODP) stays birth-year The game of soccer has not changed!

Why is U.S. Soccer making these changes? 1. U.S. Soccer wants to improve the youth soccer environment More individual and player focus vs a team result culture 2. Implement small-sided games across the USA with consistent standards Currently state-to-state small-sided game guidelines are different 3. Align team formation with international standards Birth-year age groups

When will the changes be implemented? All 55 U.S. Youth Soccer state associations Premier soccer starts at U15 All teams 9U-14U will be self-select Fall 2016 New Birth-Year Team Formation Small sided team increase Smaller fields Bigger goals Offside at 9U/10U Emphasis on playing out of the back Fall 2017 Small-Sided Game Standards 9U-12U

Birth-Year Challenges The soccer year and registration no longer align Players could play in a younger age group in the fall, since that season ends before the calendar flips. Then they would move up an age group after Jan 1 for the spring/summer season. Example: 2007 = U9 in 2016 and U10 in 2017 EWSC will have these players play at the same level in the FALL as they would in the spring/summer season Aug-Dec players become younger within their new age group They “leapfrog” an age group in the transition year ( ) U14/U15 Aug-Dec players (older 8 th graders) may have a shortage of players every fall to form 11 vs 11 teams because of High School season Team formation and league placement will change due to a new pool of players to evaluate

EWSC Transition Year Around Soccer Calendar – Fall-to-Summer Season If your player plays soccer in the fall – they will compete at the same level of play they would in the spring/summer season July 2016 all players will tryout at their birth-year age group for both the Fall and Summer competitive seasons Team formation will have changes due to a new pool of players at each birth-year age group

Parents All 55 states under the United States Youth Soccer Association are complying with the changes Be supportive of club leadership Through the transition Communicate with your player Ask any questions you have Control what you can and accept the changes that are coming in the near future We will make it through this major transition together and remember we are all on the same team and want what is best for the kids!

EWSC We understand this is a very hard transition for the players We will do everything we can to make this a smooth transition for all of the families The kids will all meet new friends and will continue to play soccer Soccer is an amazing game and we want it to be a part of their lives forever Best Training. Best Development. Best Experience. Eagan Wave Strong!

Tryout Schedule Questions???