US Club announces implementation plan for US Soccer mandates
US Club Soccer has announced its implementation plan for U.S. Soccer mandates to calendar-year competition and small-sided games. US Club Soccer’s Board of Directors approved the action late last week in accordance with U.S. Soccer’s recent coaching initiatives.
US Club Soccer members will be required to transition age grouping of teams from school-year based (Aug. 1-July 31) to calendar-year based (Jan. 1-Dec. 31) by Aug. 1, 2016.
US Club Soccer members will be required to follow the U.S. Soccer mandates related to small-sided games, which also includes changes to field and goal sizes, by Aug. 1, 2017.
If able to do so, members are encouraged to implement these initiatives prior to the mandates coming into full effect.
The new calendar-year format is consistent with international standards and U.S. Soccer youth national team programming. Players will still be allowed to play in an older age group. Small-sided and field size standards are for U-6 through U-12 age groups.
In order to ensure the smoothest and most efficient transition, US Youth Soccer and other youth soccer organizations are also implementing these standards at the same time.
Calendar-year age chart, provided by U.S. Soccer
http://usclubsoccer.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/USSF-calendar-year-competition-age-chart-2016-18.png
