Effective with the 2026-2027 soccer season, US Club Soccer is switching to a school-year-based age group system. This change will affect the method by which Dakota Soccer Club forms competitive/traveling teams for next summer (currently, we use a "birth year" method).
US Club Soccer and other youth soccer organizations have cited several reasons for this change, such as:
- Playing with Schoolmates | Better alignment for players with their school-age peers.
- Development | To better support age-appropriate physical, social, and emotional development.
- Experience | To help create a more positive and developmentally appropriate soccer experience.
