Managing the 2006 Birth Year Issue
The birth year registration change adversely impacts the 2006 Birth Year group.
The issue:
There are boys who are trying out for the 2006 Birth Year team/s who will be in 8th grade and will not be playing soccer for their high school in the fall of 2020.
There are girls who are trying out for the 2006 Birth Year teams who will not be in 8th grade and will not be playing soccer for their high school in the spring of 2021.
This poses a problem since there will be players on their 2006 Birth Year team that are 9th graders and will be attending high school and will likely play soccer.
In the Fall season, the 9th grade boys play in High School, this potentially leaves the 8th grade 2006 boys without a team in the Fall season.
In the Spring season, the 9th grade girls play in high school, this potentially leaves the 8th grade 2007 girls without a team in the Spring season.
The question, therefore, for 2006 players who are placed on a 2007 birth year club team is, What are my options for the Fall 2020 season if I am a boy and what are my options for the Spring 2021 season if I am a girl?
It is important to note that when players are not in their High School season of competition, the players will return to the club team and our 2006 birth year teams will be at full strength.
While a best fit solution will be based on the number of players that accept a position on a Rush Wisconsin 2006 birth year team and the exact composition of those numbers (percentage of 8th graders versus 9th graders on the team), Rush Wisconsin is prepared to offer 2006 8th grade birth year players a few options to manage through the season when some of their teammates will be playing in high school
Options for 2006 8th grade players in the Fall season could include:
- 2006 9th graders can elect to participate in club soccer for the year and not participate in Freshman High School soccer. If this were to occur there will be a league for the team to play into since all leagues will have a 2006-07 league.
- 2006 8th graders can be combined with 2007 birth year teams since all leagues will be 2006/2007 birth year in the Fall only for boys and in the Spring only for girls. Upon completion of their respective seasons, the 2006 8th graders will be reunited with their 2006 birth year team and will compete as a 2006 team in 2006 birth year leagues.
- If there are enough 2006 8th graders who accept a position in our club, we will merge the pool of players onto a 2006 8th grade team (Fall only for the Boys and Girls Only in the Spring) so they can secure games as a group in a 2006/2007 league when their 9th grade teammates are in their high school season. If we are short a few 8th grade players, league schedules for the 2007 birth year team will be reconciled in such a way so we always have a pool of 2007 players available to help the 2006 8th grader roster in the Fall and Spring season for boys and girls respectively.
- Area clubs are working collaboratively to form 2006 8th grade teams to participate in the 2006 Fall only league for boys and Spring only league for girls. This will still mean 2006 8th graders will train with Rush Wisconsin but could play with players from other clubs in league games only. At the conclusion of the Fall season for the Boys and Spring season for the Girls, players will be rostered to their respective 2006 club team to train and play in league games and tournaments.
- Tournament options will be created to offer 2006 8th graders the opportunity to compete in games in the Fall season for the boys and in the Spring season for the girls, Tournament and league schedules for the 2007 age group will be reconciled to ensure a pool of 2007 players are available to combine with the 2006 8th graders, so they can participate in a couple of tournaments in the Fall and Spring season.