OSA will be converting to the new standards and age formats in the Fall of 2016 for the 2016-2017 year.
Click this link to go to the US Soccer website for a video with information and specifics about these new initiatives
Here is what US Soccer has recently sent out to help update its members: “In order to provide clarification for comparing the “Birth Year Chart” released in our initial video and the “Birth Year and Season Matrix,” here is a quick explanation.”
The “Birth Year Chart” in the presentation shows how to calculate age group and birth year. Year minus age group equals birth year. Ex: 2018 – U7 = 2011 This same information is found on the “Birth Year and Season Matrix” chart.
Example: If you go to the chart, the 2017-18 season for U7 is the 2011 birth year. For the purposes of calculation, it is the second year of a split-year competitive season which determines what number should be used to calculate age group.
To help avoid this confusion moving forward, US Soccer has updated the “Birth Year Chart” found in the video and presentation to more clearly align with the “Birth Year Matrix” found in the FAQ. here is a list that shows the birth year for that season. Please note that when determining the age group for a season, the year the competition ends should be used.
In addition to the video and FAQ, US Soccer has also created a chart that tracks the pathway of a player from the 2016-17 season to 2024-25. This info is for clubs, coaches, players and parents to illustrate clear examples and shows how players will progress when registering by birth year. It displays the exact same information as the “Birth Year and Season Matrix” found above. Again, please note that when determining the age group for a season, the year the competition ends should be used. Ex: 2017-18 = 2018 – U7 = 2011
