The US Lacrosse 9/1 cutoff date isn't realistic for large parts of the US. Where I live, as a practical matter all of the private schools will insist that boys with summer birthdays start school later so the true school cutoff is probably May. One tournament uses 8/1. The Warrior Worlds Series of Lacrosse is using 5/1. People will always argue any date you choose, but 9/1 isn't representative of where we are as a society. I has an October birthday and went to college when I was 17. Times change and if I had a son with an October birthday I would have him start school later than I did.
Hockey does not seem to have an issue. They set the cut off date at 12/31. You play according to the cut off date- no waivers, no holdbacks nothing. It is the way it is and it works for youth hockey.
