NEW US YOUTH SOCCER AGE MATRIX
Indiana Youth Soccer implemented the new age matrix starting in the 2016-2017 seasonal year.
Calendar Year
Effective January 2017, the grouping of players will change nationwide, with encouraged adoption of best practices in August of 2016. U.S. Soccer has mandated that all United States youth soccer programs go back to calendar birth years to align with international standards and Youth National Team programs.
US Youth Soccer and Indiana Youth Soccer will implement the best practice of calendar year age grouping for player registration beginning with the 2016-2017 soccer year for US Youth Soccer programs and competitions. The new matrix will come into effect beginning August 1, 2016.
Determining Birth Year
US Soccer explains that birth year registration should be calculated based on the year in which the season ENDS. For example, if a season begins in the fall of 2016 and ends in the summer of 2017 (ex: 2016-2017 season), the players would be registered based on their age in the year 2017. Competitions that take place in a single year (ex: fall of 2017 only) should use that year to determine birth year. To simplify determining the age group, just subtract the birth year from the year the season ends.
Year Season Ends - Birth Year = Age Group:
2018-2019 - 2003 = U16
2018-2019 - 2008 = U11
- US Youth Soccer will be using the following birth-year “labels” for competition, based upon the season in which competition ends. For example with the 2018-2019 season
- Players born from January 1, 2003 – December 31, 2003 will be labeled as Under-16s.
- Players born from January 1, 2004 – December 31, 2004 will be labeled as Under-15s.
- Players born from January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2005 will be labeled as Under-14s.
- Players born from January 1, 2006 – December 31, 2006 will be labeled as Under-13s.
- Players born from January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2008 will be labeled as Under-12s.
- Players born from January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008 will be labeled as Under-11s.
With the exception of the US Youth Soccer Under-19/20s, the age group “label” will be determined by subtracting the year in which the players participating in the competition were born from the year in which competition ends.