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BSC Frequently Asked Questions
BSC Frequently Asked Questions....
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About the Changes
How will this affect my child?
Your child will play in a team made up of players born in the same year. (e.g. if your child was born in 2002, all players on the team will have a 2002 birthdate).
Will my child be able to play with their school friends?
Only those born in the same calendar year.
Can my child play up to an older team?
Players can play up only if they qualify to play up. To qualify, a player must be ranked in the Top 11 players of the age group above based on tryout and coach rankings.
What has the Blaine Soccer Club planned for my child?
BSC is committed to the development of the individual player in a team setting. BSC has built a player pathway for each age group based on the new mandates up to 2020. Please see the year group pathways.
Where does my child fall in the next year?
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Will my child stay on the same team?
No. Teams are currently made up of players born between 8/1 and 7/31 of the next year, similar to school grades levels.
Those players born August to December will play in the older age group e.g. 8/15/2002 will play on the 2002 group.
A player born on 1/1/2003 will now be the oldest player in the 2003 group).
What if my child is born between Jan 1 and July 31?
Your child will not be affected by the change in birth year registration. This means if you are currently a U13 for the summer of 2016, you will move to U14 for the fall and summer of 2017.
Why do some teams play at a different age bracket than their year age suggests?
For example, a 2004 player could play U12 in Fall 2016 but are playing U13 Fall 2016.
Our plan shows a 2004 team playing in U13 in Fall 2016 and U13 in Summer 2017. The team is eligible to play U12 in Fall 2016, but for development purposes and roster building, BSC feels it is best to build an 11v11 roster with 18 players and allow an extra season of preparation at 11v11.
There are numerous examples of this and the plan is to have teams in years where the team size changes to play UP for the fall season to prepare.
Why make the change to birth year team groups?
BSC, MYSA and all soccer teams in the USA have been mandated these changes by USSF to be in line with FIFA worldwide soccer standards. Please see official USSF FAQ links for more information.
Why make the change to roster, field and goal sizes?
To standardize soccer across the country. Minnesota has been progressive in the past and moved to small sided games for younger players. Other states and soccer organizations have persisted with 11v11 at the younger levels. The changes are to get everyone doing the same thing. The field sizes are related to facility usage and the goal sizes related to cost effectiveness. Again this has been mandated to BSC, MYSA and all soccer in the USA. More information is available on the USSF FAQ page.
My child has been playing with their school friends for years, and has only a couple of years of youth soccer left? Can we keep our team together?
BSC is currently looking at all age groups and teams and will make decisions for older teams (current U15 and older) based on an individual basis. BSC in some instances will keep teams together or form based on year birthdate, depending on best development practices.
Our team just got promoted to C1, what happens now?
The competitive level designated stays with the team at that age level. All players regardless of age group will still go through the tryout process. Players who move up according to the change in the birth year mandate will be placed on the level according to the competitive status for which they qualify for based on their tryout.
BSC intends to petition MYSA at some age groups above U15 to gain a level of play most desired and applicable to that team group.
Note there is a new rule delaying the start of promotion and relegation in which U9-U14 age groups will be self-select. “Self-select” determined by the club, previously ended at U13.
My child is U14 in Fall 2016, but many players also born in 2002 will play HS Soccer, what will happen?
This will be an ongoing problem for Minnesota Soccer. In general, we are looking at options that will include a training program for the 2002 players in 8th grade and scheduling travel tournaments for those teams in their entirety later in the fall.
Does the soccer calendar change?
No. Fall will still be considered the start of the soccer year; summer will be the 2nd season in a calendar year. Tryouts will still be scheduled during the same time of year.
My player misses out on some smaller sided games and seasons?
Yes. This is an unfortunate consequence of these changes. Some players will get more years at the small-sided games, others will miss out on the full allotment of years at each size of play.
Who should I contact for more information?
BSC is working hard to foresee all the implications of this mandate and new change, but there may be items we miss. There are many pieces we are currently working on, but if you require more information. Please contact:
BSC Executive Director Noel Quinn
