New FYSA Heading Guidelines

[Unregistered]

It's the age of 11 that is legal to head.
The whole U thing is over.

The whole U thing is not over, and it is not clear that the age of 11 is legal to head.

"FYSA has eliminated heading in matches for player’s age 10-years-old and younger (11u-2006 and younger), per the new calendar year registration guidelines. Heading will not be permitted in 11u and younger age groups."

A player born in the fall of 2005 is a U12 (or 12u) this year, but will be 10 for at least part of the season. Changing to calendar year age groups didn't magically make all players born in the same calendar year the same age. So can a 10 year old who is a U12 head the ball? The second sentence of the paragraph I quoted seems to say they can, but the first sentence is very poorly written. They shouldn't have mentioned the age. If they don't want 10 year olds heading the ball, they need to change the rule to say that no heading is allowed until the spring season of U12.

Do you understand why the whole U thing isn't over? Although some clubs may stop referring to teams as U-whatever, the rules are written by age group. If they try to write rules for specific ages, it creates confusion because all of the players in an age group aren't the same age. And if they write the rules by calendar year (2005s can head the ball, 2006s can't, etc.), then they have to revise the rules every year to change all of the calendar year references.

[Unregistered]

The whole U thing is not over, and it is not clear that the age of 11 is legal to head.

"FYSA has eliminated heading in matches for player’s age 10-years-old and younger (11u-2006 and younger), per the new calendar year registration guidelines. Heading will not be permitted in 11u and younger age groups."

A player born in the fall of 2005 is a U12 (or 12u) this year, but will be 10 for at least part of the season. Changing to calendar year age groups didn't magically make all players born in the same calendar year the same age. So can a 10 year old who is a U12 head the ball? The second sentence of the paragraph I quoted seems to say they can, but the first sentence is very poorly written. They shouldn't have mentioned the age. If they don't want 10 year olds heading the ball, they need to change the rule to say that no heading is allowed until the spring season of U12.

Do you understand why the whole U thing isn't over? Although some clubs may stop referring to teams as U-whatever, the rules are written by age group. If they try to write rules for specific ages, it creates confusion because all of the players in an age group aren't the same age. And if they write the rules by calendar year (2005s can head the ball, 2006s can't, etc.), then they have to revise the rules every year to change all of the calendar year references.

Not just that. Quick...what age group are the 2009 kids? You can either take 2016 and then mentally subtract 2009 and hope you get it right, or I can just tell you "U8" and you know exactly what I mean. When people ask me how old I am, I don't give them the year of my birth...that would be confusing.

[Unregistered]

Meaning that players that are 2006 can't play up to 2005. Why would FYSA wait so long to send this out?! Many teams are going to be screwed

I don't know what you mean? The 10 and under guidelines were released by USSF long ago. Before tryouts my club had heard from FYSA and other leagues that those of heading age would not be mixed with non-heading age. The "official details" were not announced but anyone who could do the math knew what age groups would be effected and should have based their team makeups on that. Maybe a lot of clubs were just hoping they could get a "waiver" in the first year of implementation or that the Leagues would take care of it by banning heading in U11 so that kids could still play up. I don't know the reason but the rumors were around long before the official announcement.

[Unregistered]

I don't know what you mean? The 10 and under guidelines were released by USSF long ago. Before tryouts my club had heard from FYSA and other leagues that those of heading age would not be mixed with non-heading age. The "official details" were not announced but anyone who could do the math knew what age groups would be effected and should have based their team makeups on that. Maybe a lot of clubs were just hoping they could get a "waiver" in the first year of implementation or that the Leagues would take care of it by banning heading in U11 so that kids could still play up. I don't know the reason but the rumors were around long before the official announcement.

Well if those of heading age would not be mixed with non-heading age is true what about the 2005 kids whose birthdays aren't till the end of the year. These kids will still be 10 after the season started. Are they exempted from the no player 10 and under rule. We are following the birth year rule & some of our kids will be 11 years old when the season starts but most of the kids are late 2005 birthdates.

[Unregistered]

Well if those of heading age would not be mixed with non-heading age is true what about the 2005 kids whose birthdays aren't till the end of the year. These kids will still be 10 after the season started. Are they exempted from the no player 10 and under rule. We are following the birth year rule & some of our kids will be 11 years old when the season starts but most of the kids are late 2005 birthdates.

Exactly!! The whole rule is ridiculous just like the year change is nonsense. Both should have been phased in at the youngest age group and allowed the teams that were already together to stick together.

[Unregistered]

If the overarching heading rule is for safety purposes, why would you say "well it shouldn't apply to this kid bexcuse he's from a smaller club and they need to fill an 05 team"? You can't implement a rule claiming child safety and then not care when it's inconvenient. I am sure the loophole here (playing up) is simply too large for FYSA to ignore if us soccer has come out publicly and said heading is a safety risk for 10 year olds.

If anything, this protects the interests of the small club child and is a logical step and consequence of us soccer's heading mandate. Its also one that us soccer likely did not foresee as us soccer has little experience in club soccer governance.

All that said, it doesn't mean that the initial rule by us soccer is good or appropriate. It's driven by liability protection and will end up with unintended consequences in player development, game management and team management, though it's unknown how much will eventually be sacrificed to make it happen. This is one of those situations, and I'm sure there will be more as time passes.

BB

[Unregistered]

Well if those of heading age would not be mixed with non-heading age is true what about the 2005 kids whose birthdays aren't till the end of the year. These kids will still be 10 after the season started. Are they exempted from the no player 10 and under rule. We are following the birth year rule & some of our kids will be 11 years old when the season starts but most of the kids are late 2005 birthdates.

If anyone on your team is under 11 then they can't head the ball. Think of it like this, if just ONE of your team is a boy, you are coed . . . even if the other 10 players are all girls. That's just how it works.

If any age group has 10 year olds in it that whole age group will be banned from heading. Organizers aren't going to go through the trouble of checking the birthdates of every player on every team before a league game or tournament.

I don't see the confusion.

[Unregistered]

It is more simple than that, if a team is u11, which this year are the 2006s, or younger, they cannot head the ball for the 2016-2017 year.

If a player is a u11 players (a 2006 birth year), and they want to play up on a u12 (2005) team, they can only do if they have turned the age of 11.

It is that simple.

[Unregistered]

If anyone on your team is under 11 then they can't head the ball. Think of it like this, if just ONE of your team is a boy, you are coed . . . even if the other 10 players are all girls. That's just how it works.

If any age group has 10 year olds in it that whole age group will be banned from heading. Organizers aren't going to go through the trouble of checking the birthdates of every player on every team before a league game or tournament.

I don't see the confusion.

So, then the rule should be, based on your reply, that all born in 2005 which will be the U12 teams can not head the ball because of the kids who are born later in the year & wont be 11 until the end of the year. Once 2017 starts they can all head the ball. It is stupid to base what team you are on by birth year but then say anyone 10 & under can't head the ball. It should be anyone born 2006 & later can not head the ball.

[Unregistered]

It is more simple than that, if a team is u11, which this year are the 2006s, or younger, they cannot head the ball for the 2016-2017 year.

If a player is a u11 players (a 2006 birth year), and they want to play up on a u12 (2005) team, they can only do if they have turned the age of 11.

It is that simple.

that makes sense...but my question is about those 2005 players who wont be 11 until the end of the year. The season will have started but some of our 2005 players wont be 11 till November - December. Just want to make sure we understand the rules.

[Unregistered]

Apparently teams will have to track birthdays on a week-by-week basis to figure out which kids are allowed to head the ball and which aren't, and inform the refereee so he knows when they have violated the rule?

[Unregistered]

Apparently teams will have to track birthdays on a week-by-week basis to figure out which kids are allowed to head the ball and which aren't, and inform the refereee so he knows when they have violated the rule?

Got soccer wont allow you to roster players until their 12th birthday

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;1862429][QUOTE=Unregistered;1862396]

Its to protect player safety you moron nothing to do with the size of a club[/QUOT


The rule is okay but how they will enforce it by age is confusing. What about the 2005 kids who dont turn 11 until the end of the year but will be playing U12 because they were born in 2005. They can't head the ball until their 11th birthday? How is that going to work?

It doesn't go by their actual birth day. That would be impossible to enforce. It just goes by their birth year. If they are an 06, they cannot head the ball in this upcoming season.

[Unregistered]

Apparently teams will have to track birthdays on a week-by-week basis to figure out which kids are allowed to head the ball and which aren't, and inform the refereee so he knows when they have violated the rule?

That would be ridiculous. Everyone on this thread is over complicating it.

The rule applies to ALL 2006's for this upcoming season. It doesn't matter where in the year their actual birthday lands. That would be idiotic if you can just wait it out for a few months and then change which team your kid plays on.

Its a blanket rule for all 06's; regardless of whether your birthday is in Jan or Dec of 06.

BTW, I'm not stating whether I agree with the rule or not. I'm just clarifying the year/day confusion.

[Unregistered]

That would be ridiculous. Everyone on this thread is over complicating it.

The rule applies to ALL 2006's for this upcoming season. It doesn't matter where in the year their actual birthday lands. That would be idiotic if you can just wait it out for a few months and then change which team your kid plays on.

Its a blanket rule for all 06's; regardless of whether your birthday is in Jan or Dec of 06.

BTW, I'm not stating whether I agree with the rule or not. I'm just clarifying the year/day confusion.

The rule states "In conjunction with the US Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer, the Florida Youth Soccer Association (FYSA) will be instituting a heading ban for players age 10 and younger". My son is a 2005 & is still 10. He will be until the end of the year. They aren't mentioning these kids. If this rule only applies to the 2006 & younger then great. I just want to make sure we are following the rules.