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Girls Academy Aligns with Seasonal-Year Age Groups

At Ohio Soccer Moms and Dads, we’re committed to keeping families updated on the ever-changing youth soccer landscape. Earlier this year, we shared news that major organizations such as US Club Soccer, AYSO, and US Youth Soccer would begin transitioning to seasonal-year age groupings (August to July) starting in the 2026–2027 registration year.

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One of the biggest questions that followed was: What will Girls Academy, MLS NEXT, and USL do?

Today, we got one of those answers. The Girls Academy (GA) and Girls Academy Aspire have announced that they too will adopt the seasonal-year age format, grouping players by the academic calendar (Aug–July) instead of the current birth year (Jan–Dec) model.


Why This Matters

  • Consistency across the sport – By aligning with other youth organizations, the GA ensures less confusion and smoother transitions for players and families.

  • Reduced “trapped player” issues – Players won’t be caught between grade levels and age brackets as often, making team placement more logical.

  • Alignment with school and college pathways – The change makes development and recruitment more consistent with academic timelines.


Local Impact

Several Ohio and Midwest clubs will be directly affected by this change, including:


Families with players in these programs should expect to see communication from their clubs in the coming months about what the shift means for tryouts, rosters, and player development plans.


What’s Next

The new format will take effect in the 2026–2027 soccer year, giving clubs, coaches, and families time to prepare. For now, current rosters and programming will remain under the existing birth year system.


We’ll continue to follow this closely and provide resources for parents as these changes roll out.

For the full announcement from Girls Academy, you can read it here.

 
 
 

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