Club lacrosse for rising 3rd graders? Is this to soon? Why the push so early? Are people in MD seeing a lot of rising 3rd graders coming out for 2026 teams? I find it hard to believe that parents are ready to commit to almost a year of club lax and thousands of dollars to a kid that has not even played Tyker A ball yet.....
Never to soon to get your child ready. 3rd grade is actually a year or two too late in my opinion. First grade would be more appropriate to start. Coincide with his first full year in school. I wouldnt recommend more than two practices a week at this age. More touches at this age they get the better they will be in future.
The reason that people are putting their kids into travel lax early are so they can get them on a top team. Only the top teams really offer options in 1st and 2nd grade. Then as long as you can catch and throw you will keep your spot. Once everyone catches up by 4th grade, you've got your sons spot secured because someone needs to be substantially better to bump him from the spot he's held for 2+ years. That's the only reason and anyone who tells you differently is full of crap.
You're kidding yourself if you think a kid has to be substantially better to take your kid's spot. They only have to be marginally better.
This my 4th time through it. I'm telling you the absolute truth. A kid has to be substantially better to take someone's spot, not marginally. My older son was a beneficiary of the process. There were definitely better kids at tryouts, but coach knew what he had in my guy. Knew his strengths and weaknesses, knew my wife and I aren't crazy lunatics, and knew that my son already had his offense down. He told me flat out that he stayed on the team for that reason. I didn't start him in 1st grade though. He's a junior in HS now. When he started travel is wasn't nearly as competitive as it is now. I started my next 3 in 3rd, 3rd and 2nd grade.
