New USA age cut off for next season?

[MountainCoach]

so let me ask this, let’s say ur DD has a December birthdate and she is super smart so the school moves her up a grade. Do you think she needs to play with her grad year or her age?

I get it with the change but until it’s set that way by showcase directors I’m not changing my way of building a team. Others can do what they choose. It’s America. Lol.

We’re also probably going to make our fall teams using the Jan 1 birthdays and not play USA Softball tournaments. Maybe that will change come summer’04, not sure yet but it will be a shame either way; not playing in tournaments we’ve played in for well over a decade, or going with the change and not be able to take any but the best couple of new 8Us which to me is the saddest part (my dd is moving to 10U either way but I really care about the sport and do everything I can to give as many girls as possible the opportunity to play ball)

 

[flygirlsdad]

I see your point of view and congrats on your success getting girls to college. But things change. Stingrays used to have a rule college athletes couldn't play in their 18u, but now they can if they are age eligible. I hope TDs aren't jumping the gun saying they will deny USA rosters although they use USA umps and rules. I dont see it playing out that way. The Alliance site says they go by USA ages for 2023 so I assume they would accept the change. Scenic City looks to have an alignment with Alliance. Sheer Madness lists itself as a USA qualifier so I assume they follow for summer and fall. Lasers, Stingrsys, and Emeralds showcases all listed on same site with Sheer Madness. Lasers shows an alignment with Alliance. I just don't see how any of these don't follow USA age guidelines. I would be interested to know which showcases will continue to be strict Jan 1 cutoffs. Outlaws and D1 maybe? Do they change if registration drops. Please let me know what TDs you are referring to.

 

[Captain_Thunder]

I agree with you but also I don’t agree with you. Maybe it’s because it’s new and a change and people don’t like changes. Who knows, maybe in the future it will be the norm and we all adjust. Until then I am using Jan 1. most showcases will still be using Jan. 1 per Several directors I have talked to. They may use USA rule set but strictly Jan. 1 birthdate per their rules. Multiple Directors have confirmed this. Some of the biggest showcases in Ohio and surrounding states. This is what I based my selections on for my team.

I will say this regarding our team. Our focus is recruiting. I understand they are recruiting grad years. We have had a team of 22s ALL 04s, team of 23s all 05s. ALL received multiple offers. ALL signed and playing or heading to college to play while earning their degrees.
We are Now doing a team of 25s all 07s.
Not taking 06s that should be playing 18u. I understand some 06s can still be 25s but I try to stick grad year and age all the same. Do we miss on some solid players? Yes, but that’s ok. We did damn well this summer.

I believe we do a solid job with the recruiting. Track record speaks for itself. We play the right events and we get into the right pools for maximum exposure. We have built very solid relationships with the help of our Org.


This is just My opinion it shouldn’t change. Coaches recruit solid players playing solid competition. 16u or 18u. Whichever. Doesn’t matter.

All I’m saying is why change it now? If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Jeff, just trying to make sure I understand what you just stated.
So you will not be taking any last quarter 07 DOB's on your team???
Because the vast majority of those girls will be graduating in 2026, not 2025!

 

[flygirlsdad]

We’re also probably going to make our fall teams using the Jan 1 birthdays and not play USA Softball tournaments.

You can still play USA. One of my daughters is a December. So she was turning 9 and less than a month later girls were turning 11. She was playing 10u against others basically 2 full years older. Its never going to be perfect for everyone. Regardless, if there are USA tournaments you like, I would hope you keep playing them.

 

[flygirlsdad]

Jeff, just trying to make sure I understand what you just stated.
So you will not be taking any last quarter 07 DOB's on your team???
Because the vast majority of those girls will be graduating in 2026, not 2025!

I took his statement that way also. 07 birth year and 25 grad year.

 

[MountainCoach]

You can still play USA. One of my daughters is a December. So she was turning 9 and less than a month later girls were turning 11. She was playing 10u against others basically 2 full years older. Its never going to be perfect for everyone. Regardless, if there are USA tournaments you like, I would hope you keep playing them.

Yes; my dd (the third who’s still playing) turned 9 in January and played up to 10U which I coached last fall but back down to 8U for summer. We usually don’t have the numbers for a fall 8s team.
We, as a league, will go with USA guidelines for next summer but most likely stay with the Jan 1 for fall and play what they call AST tournaments out here in California

 

[Passion4theGame]

Captain,
All I am saying, the way my team has lined up the past 3-4yrs it has worked out 04-22s, 05-23s. So this team will be 07- 25s.
I get it there may be some 26s. I understand that.
I am picking up all 07s and shooting for All 25s. If there’s a 26 or 3 in there so be it.

 

[Passion4theGame]

Just because a Showcase is using a certain rule set ( USA) does not mean they will use the new birth date portion.

 

[flygirlsdad]

Just because a Showcase is using a certain rule set ( USA) does not mean they will use the new birth date portion.

Do you know for certain which ones will not?

 

[Passion4theGame]

Do you know for certain which ones will not?

I was told Lasers showcase will stay Jan 1st birthdate & Stingrays showcase will stay Jan 1. They will still use the USA rule set.

Now that could change? Who knows. I’m sure if enough people complain.

But Jan. 1 is what I was told.

 

[Passion4theGame]

Sheer Madness is a sanctioned event so it would make sense for that one to change but I’m not entirely sure it has to change. I can make some calls and find out.

 

[Captain_Thunder]

Sheer Madness is a sanctioned event so it would make sense for that one to change but I’m not entirely sure it has to change. I can make some calls and find out.

Shear Madness offers berths to USA Nationals & Regionals. I don't see how they will not be following USA guidelines.
Not sure how any sanctioned event will not follow that sanctions rules.

For this Showcase events - why would a team worry if they are playing against another team who has girls with last quarter birthdays anyway???
The easiest for those following USA rules is to follow them and allow teams to play in whichever division they chose!

For all teams staying straight Birth Years - they enter a tournament at that age and just play! If you need a Sub, you can add the late quarter DOB's too. It really isn't going to make much of a difference at all when playing in USA events!
Where it does make a difference and several are so worried is in other sanctions that are not changing, as they will not be able to take teams in the division that are following USA!

 

[Passion4theGame]

Simple. Just don’t play those sanctions.

Most I have talked to will stick with the way it is now. PGF is staying that way as of now and confirmed (Double checked) today Lasers & Stingrays will stay Jan. 1st birthdates.

 

[flygirlsdad]

confirmed (Double checked) today Lasers & Stingrays will stay Jan. 1st birthdates.

Lasers says they are an alliance event. If Alliance uses USA then do they change. I can still see these showcases adjusting even though they may say Jan 1 now.

 

[Passion4theGame]

Lasers says they are an alliance event. If Alliance uses USA then do they change. I can still see these showcases adjusting even though they may say Jan 1 now.

They just use the game/ tournament rule set. Just verified (confirmed) with 2 people that run lasers event, & 1 that runs Stingrays it will most likely stay Jan. 1st.

 

[Passion4theGame]

Either way, it doesn’t matter. Teams will pick whatever players they decide. Like u said some may pick those 06s that can still play 16u next year. I know I will not. I have said no to a number of quality 06 players. I want ALL 07s & 2025 grad year. Same as previous teams. It works out. Then they all graduate together and going for the same goals together.

But yes I see what ur saying, if some teams only focus on grad year only then yes they could take some of those 06s. I just feel it’s holding those kids back but that’s my opinion.

The recruiting process has worked this long the way it is with the age date so why change now?

It’s just a big change and nobody likes changes. Lol. Eventually I’m sure it will all be that way in time.

 

[Stedman00]

how does a tourney that is choosing to be USA/ASA sanction, not accept their age cut offs??

 

[Passion4theGame]

how does a tourney that is choosing to be USA/ASA sanction, not accept their age cut offs??

No idea. All I know is what I was told. They will use USA rule set but not their Age cutoff.

 

[Mike_Craig_-_Ohio USSSA]

Now since the 2023 season has about all but ended (we "officially" end on August 15, but more for any TD running Rec/All-Stars the next two weekends or All State Games), I am getting bombarded with questions and other requests. Here are a few:

1. Can we get a waiver because we want to keep kids who have fall birthdays on our team?
2. Are you going to change your mind and follow 8/31 birthdays?
3. Can you just let the older kids follow the USA rule and leave the younger kids to follow your current rule?

Ok. I also got cussed out by one woman because her daughter has a August 30 birthday and our "new" rules won't let her stay in her current age group and her daughter will be 13 playing against 15 year old women (as she put it)? After I explained to her that we didn't change anything, she hung up on me (a typical Karen). This just an ordinary call I get weekly.......

So the answers to these pressing questions:

1 & 3 - No waivers. We also can't trick our system to show one age cutoff date for different age groups. We do have a 4/30 cutoff in Baseball but can not selectively make different cutoffs in one sport. It has to be one date only or our web team would probably kill us if we did something like that to them.

2. We will discuss the age cutoff change by ONE organization first at our regional meeting in later August and then our National meeting in November. We will gather all points/counterpoints at that Regional to present to the National meeting when we have our open FP meeting on opening day at the convention. This is the main reason I left NSA after summer of 2015. They dictated to us that all teams would have to purchase their (NSA) team insurance to play in their events. They did not consult a single director at any level, they just dictated it to the people who have to explain it every day to teams. With USSSA, we do still have some say in how things are done since we have to answer to the teams at the state and local levels. Since some of the directors with the group who made the change seem to have only found out when the public did, it appears how this was handled at a National level.

USSSA can be the trend setter in this whole thing whether the group that made the change likes it or not. If we decided to also make the change, then you can wager that anyone of the smaller players (USFA/NSA/FASA/SBN/NAFA) in areas where we have a large market share, will jump right in line and follow suit so they can mirror what we do to keep getting their market share. What will happen then? Will the other group immediately change back so they can appear to be doing something exciting for the game?

Do not get me wrong, I think it is a very good idea. We just do not ram things down peoples throats who work for us without a discussion. If we meet in August then November and think this is a bad idea, then we move on and go about our everyday business. But at least those in leadership roles will have had a say in the matter.

 

[Passion4theGame]

Ok. I also got cussed out by one woman because her daughter has a August 30 birthday and our "new" rules won't let her stay in her current age group and her daughter will be 13 playing against 15 year old women (as she put it)? After I explained to her that we didn't change anything, she hung up on me (a typical Karen). This just an ordinary call I get weekly.......

SIMPLE ANSWER TO KAREN... Her daughter will play against kids 4yrs older than her when shes in High School.