Originally Posted by Crabbiedad
I can't speak for all Crabs teams but I can tell you the majority of 2019
and 2020 teams are not hold backs. The 2020 team has 23 kids and 5 are hold backs. 3 are impact players. The majority of MD families don't believe in holding back but it's a decision that the parents and kids make. Crabs doesn't encourage or push this. It's been going on through the MD private schools in all sports for years. All high level AA club teams in Maryland have hold backs..FCA, Loonies, Breakers, Hawks, etc. Is it an advantage for some..sure, but good athletes rise too the type despite age. It all equals out in high school. If your not fast at 13..your not going to be much faster by 16. My son has played for Crabs for 2 years as a non hold back and it's been a great experience. They are an extremely organized and professional club that provides excellent coaching to increase lax IQ and teach the boys to master the fundamentals through a proven system. Their are many wonderful and dedicated people associated with Crabs as I'm sure there are with Team 91, Rising Sons, Edge, LI Express, NH Tomahawks, etc. We love playing LI teams and others because they are incredible young lax players that are battle tested. And remember Crabs players compete in football, soccer, basketball, and wrestling as well. We are not a year round, no other sport kind of club and we like it that way. We don't believe that 12 and 13 year olds should specialize. Not a knock on Team 91 but it's a different philosophy. So maybe a couple hold backs actually levels the playing field considering some LI teams have considerably more practice and competitive time. At the end of the day you should visit the Crabs website and scroll to college commits. Those are real top d1 schools, giving real lax scholarships to many Crabs athletes. Do you really think college coaches care if you are 18 or 19 when you graduate. The proof is in the pudding. If your son is a strong laxer he would enjoy playing for Crabs...hold back or not. They are a great Club.



Nice reasonable comment but way off base. If you think Ryan doesn't encourage holding your child back, you have never met him or heard him speak on subject. At last years youth tryouts he talked directly about it along with the disadvantage of having a younger child. That was from the horse's mouth!

If what you say is true and 2020 has three impact players on team that is one third of starting players excluding goalie. Got it ONE THIRD. Still leaves two more (according to you) to have a minor impact when subbed out there. Did you even think this reasoning out?

Crabs are gaming the youth system due to knowing that private school kids love to play for them. They get the majority of these holdback/pre-first children along with the public kids with private school aspirations. Very simple concept.

Crabs along with a couple other clubs have soiled YOUTH lacrosse for the majority of teams that play it. This talk about holdbacks will not go away as long as Crabs keep encouraging it at youth level. High School teams have always been grade base as they should be, get your advantage there. YOUTH should be age base. Not that hard to follow except for the select people that want an advantage over others.