Mebane Youth Soccer Association

Age Group Changes For 2026-27

Mebane Youth Soccer Association is committed to providing the best possible development environment for all of our players, and we want to keep you informed about a change coming to youth soccer age group registration starting with the upcoming 2026-2027 season.

After extensive feedback from clubs, coaches, parents, and players across the country, US Youth Soccer (USYS) have decided to shift from the current calendar birth year system (January 1 – December 31) back to a seasonal/school-year system (August 1 – July 31). This change aims to better align soccer teams with school grade levels, allowing more players to compete alongside their classmates and reducing the challenges faced by "trapped players" (those whose birthdays cause them to be separated from grade-level peers at key transition points like 8th grade or high school senior year). In order to be eligible to participate in US Youth Soccer, MYSA must be compliant with this change.

As with any transition, there will be questions and adjustments, and that’s okay. We’ll walk through this process together with care and clarity, making sure each player’s pathway stays centered on what matters most: their long-term growth, development, and enjoyment of the game.

What This Means for Your Player

• Players born August 1 – December 31 will generally "move down" an age group.
• Players born January 1 – July 31 will generally "move up" an age group.
• Teams will now span two calendar birth years (e.g., a U12 team might include players born August 1, 2014 – July 31, 2015, plus any approved play-up/play-down exceptions).



Age Group FAQ’s

Why the change?

The switch back to school-year age groups is designed to:
– Increase participation at younger age levels.
– Keep more players in the game through middle and high school.
– Align with the national youth soccer season (August 1–July 31).
– Allow players to compete with classmates, strengthening friendships and team chemistry.
– Eliminate “trapped-player” issues that forced some 8th graders, whose peers had already moved to 9th grade, to split their soccer season together, as well as the senior-year disruption when trapped players finally return to play with their classmates.

Aligning teams with school calendars helps players grow socially and developmentally alongside their peers, creating a more positive and consistent experience on and off the field.

Will my child have to repeat or skip an age group?

Most players will simply shift into the new grouping without repeating or skipping a full year of soccer. For example, a player born in September who is currently on a "younger" birth year team will likely join classmates they already know from school.

Can my child play up an age group?

If our coaching staff and directors believe a player shall play up, the Classic Director will communicate with the player/parent on this. 

Will this affect high school soccer eligibility?

No. High school eligibility is determined by your state's athletic association and school grade/age rules, not club soccer age groups.

My child has a late birthday and has struggled with being the youngest – will this help?

Yes! The school-year alignment is designed to reduce the "relative age effect" and "trapped player" issues that have impacted many families under the birth year system.

If we move to a new team and there are duplicate jersey numbers, will I have to purchase a new jersey?

Duplicate jersey number conflicts may happen as players transition to new age groups. Luckily the 2026-27 year is a brand-new uniform kit for MYSA, so all players will be getting new uniforms. We will take care of all duplicates so there is no issues with this!

MYSA is already planning tryout details, processes, and info for 2026-2027. We will share all tryout details in the coming weeks.

We are excited about this return to a system that prioritizes player development, friendships, and long-term enjoyment of the game. MYSA directors and coaches are here to answer any questions – please reach out to your program director age group or email info@mebaneyouthsoccer.com.  

Thank you for being part of the MYSA family!