Changes Coming to US Youth Soccer

U.S. Soccer, our national governing body, announced today that the following formats of play are to be adopted as a best practice by August 2016 and will be mandated of all youth Member Organizations affiliated with U.S. Soccer by August 2017:U6-U8 is 4v4 (with no GK)

U9-10 is 7v7 (with GK)

U11-12 is 9v9 (with GK)

U13 and above is 11v11 (with GK)

U.S. Soccer has also announced a change in the classification of age groups from the School Year (August 1-July 31) to Calendar Birth Year (January 1-December 31). This change is to be adopted as a best practice by August 2016 and will be mandatory in August 2017 of all youth Member Organizations affiliated with U.S. Soccer.

Calendar Year Age Matrix 2016-2023 – Download PDF

Birth Year Chart – Download PDF

Registration Ages – Download PDF

Ohio North, as well as the other US Youth Soccer State Associations, is proceeding with implementation in the Fall of 2016. Following Spring 2016 and before club try-outs, affiliated clubs and leagues will need to transition to the small-sided games format listed above and to the Calendar Birth Year in preparation for the 2016-2017 seasonal year.

You will find the respective releases below:

US Youth Soccer – http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/changes_coming_to_youth_soccer_in_2016/

US Soccer – http://tinyurl.com/pgqkxyp

In the coming months, the Ohio North Board of Directors will make appropriate changes to our rules, programs, tournaments, etc. When finalized, they will be communicated to you as timely as possible. At this point, we simply wishes to relay the changes to you as quickly as possible for your planning purposes