A.  Starting with the 2026-27 season, youth soccer nationwide will move from the current birth year (January-December) model to a seasonal-year (August-July) model for age group formulation.

This aligns age groups closer to the school year, lessening the frequency of “trapped” players.

A. U.S. Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO agreed to this change based on extensive research and feedback. The key reasons include:

• Inclusive with increased participation opportunities
• Unified alignment across major youth soccer organizations
• Expert recommendations supporting the seasonal year model
• Most effectively reduces the number of “trapped” players and reduces negative impacts on these players at multiple stages of their career. “Trapped” players are those who, due to soccer age group cut-offs, are in an older soccer age group than their school year. Trapped players have significantly reduced competition opportunities and disrupted training experiences in 8th grade (when most of their team is in high school) and are similarly negatively impacted four years later when players from the older soccer age group, but who are still in high school, are moved down into the same soccer age group. (US Club Soccer)

A.  All programs will be affected:

• Recreation
• All Academy & Competitive Teams

Our Recreation program in TSC Nashville will not change in structure and will remain based on grade year.

A.  The shift to seasonal year from birth year grouping reduces the number of “trapped” players.

What are “Trapped” players?  These are players who are in the U15 age group, but due to birth year cut-offs, are in 8th grade whereas the rest of their teammates were in high school.  Any trapped players will have training opportunities.

A.  In 2026-27 TSC enters a new two-year uniform cycle and every player will be purchasing a new uniform kit.  All players will be assigned uniform numbers by the Director of Coaching or Location Director upon registration.

Recreational players will be given uniforms from their coach at the start of the recreational season.

A.  The change will take effect for the 2026-27 seasonal year.

• The 2025-26 season will continue to use the current birth year model
• Starting August 2026, all competitive programs will use the new seasonal year model.
• Preparation has been ongoing since the start of the season by club leadership, Directors of Coaching, Location Directors, and coaches to ensure a smooth transition.

A.  Our club leadership, Directors of Coaching, Location Directors, and coaching staff are actively preparing for the transition:

• Evaluating Players and Rosters: Analyzing all current rosters and birth dates to project team impacts
• Planning age group training sessions, guest training/playing opportunities, tryouts: DOCs and Location Directors are planning and implementing age group training sessions, play dates, evaluations, and tryout dates
• Communication: Providing clear and transparent updates as we continue throughout the process
• Supporting resources: Creation of Age Group Lookup Tool and information on this Age Group Change webpage
• Staying informed: Continuing to monitor for updates from governing bodies to ensure all new information is accounted for and communicated

We are committed to providing the best possible experience for our players and families throughout this process.

A.  The change applies to all age groups.

A.  No.  School grade in Tennessee is determined by age on August 15th. For children who are ‘up’ or ‘down’ a school year at school, their soccer age group is determined by date of birth.

A.  TSC will be committed to transitioning all players to their proper age group based on the August 1 – July 31 model.  All players must register and tryout in their age group.  Generally playing up will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.

A.  No, all teams will be formed based on the new seasonal year model.

A.  We will continue to share updates, timelines, and detailed information as it becomes available.

In the meantime:

• Contact your director: Reach out to your Director of Coaching / Location Director with specific questions
• Check official announcements: Read the full USYS and US Club Soccer articles for comprehensive details
• Watch for updates: We will continue to provide more information as we move through the process in each program