USYouthSoccerstatementonU.S.Soccer’sbirth-yearregistrationmandate
FRISCO,TEXAS(Jan.26,2016)–AspreviouslyannouncedinAugust2015,USYouthSoccer,alongwithotheryouthsoccer
sanctioningbodies,willbeimplementingtheU.S.SoccerFederation’sbirth-yearregistrationmandatesonAug.1,2016.
ThismeansthatbeginningAug.1,2016allregionalandnationalUSYouthSoccercompetitions,includingalllevelsoftheUS
YouthSoccerNationalChampionshipSeries,USYouthSoccerNationalLeague,USYouthSoccerOlympicDevelopment
Program,USYouthSoccerRegionalLeaguesandUSYouthSoccerPresidentsCup,willbebasedonagegroupcut-offsof
January1foreachagegroup.DuetoadditionalinterpretativechangesbyU.S.Soccersincethisannouncementinhow
competitionagegroupsarelabeled,USYouthSoccerandothersanctioningbodiesarenowclarifyingtheagegroupstructures
forthe2016-2017season.
• BeginningAug.1,2017,allyouthsoccersanctioningorganizationswillformcompetitionsbasedonbirth-yearage
groups.
• BeginningAug.1,2016,USYouthSoccerwillbeusingthefollowingbirth-year“labels”forcompetition,basedupon
theseasoninwhichcompetitionends.Forexample:
o PlayersbornfromAugust1,1997–December31,1998willbelabeledasUnder-19/20s.
o PlayersbornfromJanuary1,1999–December31,1999willbelabeledasUnder-18s.
o PlayersbornfromJanuary1,2000–December31,2000willbelabeledasUnder-17s.
o PlayersbornfromJanuary1,2001–December31,2001willbelabeledasUnder-16s.
o PlayersbornfromJanuary1,2002–December31,2002willbelabeledasUnder-15s.
o PlayersbornfromJanuary1,2003–December31,2003willbelabeledasUnder-14s.
o PlayersbornfromJanuary1,2004–December31,2004willbelabeledasUnder-13s.
o WiththeexceptionoftheUSYouthSoccerUnder-19/20s,theagegroup“label”willbedeterminedby
subtractingtheyearinwhichtheplayersparticipatinginthecompetitionwerebornfromtheyearinwhich
competitionends.
Thechangetobirthyearagegroupsandtothe“labels”fornamingeachagegrouphavebeenmadebyU.S.Soccer.Youmay
viewtheU.S.Soccermatrixhere,pleasenotethedefinitionforUSYouthSoccerUnder-19/20scompetitionsabove.
USYouthSoccer,alongwithothermembersoftheU.S.SoccerFederation,havebeencollaboratingwitheachothertohelp
ensurethatthesechangesforcedbytheU.S.Soccermandatesareimplementedasefficientlyandsmoothlyaspossible.This
collaborationofyouthmembersisongoing,andeachmemberiscontinuingtoprovidefeedbackandrecommendations.
Clubsmaycontinuetoorganizetheirteamsforcompetitionwithplayersofanyageyoungerthantheagegroupcut-off.
TheUSYouthSoccerBoardofDirectorsencouragesUSYouthSoccerStateAssociationstotransitionastheydeemnecessaryto
accommodatetheirsoccerlandscapeatthelocallevel.
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AbouttheUnitedStatesYouthSoccerAssociation(USYouthSoccer)–USYouthSoccer-"TheGameforALLKids!®"isthe
largestyouthsportsorganizationinthecountryandlargestmemberoftheUnitedStatesSoccerFederation,thegoverning
bodyofsoccerintheUnitedStates.USYouthSoccerregistersmorethan3millionplayersannually,ages5to19,andover
900,000administrators,coachesandvolunteersin55memberStateAssociations.USYouthSoccerprogramsprovideafun,
safeandhealthyenvironmentforplayersateverylevelofthegame.Formoreinformation,visitwww.USYouthSoccer.org.
MediaRequest:WhenreferringtotheUnitedStatesYouthSoccerAssociation,thelargestyouthsportsorganizationinthe
UnitedStates,pleaserefertotheassociationonlyasUSYouthSoccer,andneverasUSYSorUSYSA.Weappreciateyour
cooperation.