Annandale United FC REALIGN AGE GROUPS
Travel Soccer Moves to Birth-Year Registration to Comply with US Soccer Mandate

US Soccer has mandated a change to the age groups for youth travel soccer that impacts the Annandale United and almost every other youth travel soccer program in the United States. To comply with the US Soccer Birth-Year Registration Mandate, the Annandale United will follow this mandatory age group realignment beginning in the 2016-2017 season

This means that all travel soccer age groups and their competitions will be set up in a January 1 through December 31 birth-year format. The Annandale United FC Travel Soccer Birth-Year Chart is available here, which will assist in identifying in which age group our players will compete next season:              
 

Annandale United FC will hold tryouts this April and May to form birth-year teams for the 2008 to 1999/1998 age groups (U9 through U19 travel). These Annandale United FC travel teams will continue to compete at the highest level in the Virginia NPL / Virginia Premier League (VPL), Eastern Development League (EDP), Youth Development League (YDL), National Capital Soccer League (NCSL), Old Dominion Soccer League (ODSL), Washington Area Soccer League (WAGS)
Players may be allowed to play in a higher age division “play up” if it is clearly in the best interest of the player involved and if the following conditions are met:
 
1. Upon approval of the Technical Director or the Age Appropriate Director of Coaching.
 
2. The player in question will likely a) be able to earn significant amount of playing time on the older age group team b) be able to maintain this level of play throughout the entire season without an adverse effect on the player’s development and growth.
 
3. The only option for the player is to play on an older age group team since there is no team in his/her own age group in the geographical location where the player would like to play.
 
Of special note, the U15 age group (2002 birth-year) will play both a fall and spring season. During the Spring season, the Club’s Boys and Girls Technical Directors in conjunction with the U15 coaches will ensure appropriate practice schedules dependent upon the compilation of the teams as the U15 age-groups will consist of 8th and 9th grade players.

Annandale United FC Soccer will continue under the current age group format. Birth-year mandates will not affect programming for Annandale United FC’s 2016-2017 recreation seasons.

Annandale United Coaching Directors will be having a Q and A session with parents and players on March 30 at Annandale HS Track field during APSA.  (weather permitting)

Q and A session’s
U8-U14 – 6:50 PM
U15 and above – 8:00 pm

In addition, you are invited to reach out to your age-appropriate program technical staff member: