In my experience, by 4th-5th grade you can tell which kids are most athletic regardless of the sport they are playing. We all know who those kids are. They are faster and more coordinated, they can catch and throw and kick better and the biggest differentiator is their competitive fire! They are alsways around the ball.. My point is that those same kids who stand out in 7th/8th grade (holdback or not) usually do not fall back in the middle of the pack by their junior yr. So many of you say "just wait until the other boys hit their growth spirt"... On a very rare occasion have I seen a late bloomer come out of nowhere and become the "star athlete".
