Serious question to all of the MD holdback parents: Why do you have your kids play down a year? Do they have a confidence problem, where they feel inferior to kids their own age? Or, without their size advantage, they really just compete with kids their own age? Maybe it's both? Very sad.
I would say one of the more difficult things for some kids , especially undersized kids, is making a AA team when most coaches are taking size over skill in 7th or 8th grade . a smaller boy may have superior speed, superior stick skills but lack size. its very unfortunate. so a boy that plays down, may be just positioning himself for the future as he has been pushed out of his own grade
That is most unfortunate and ill guided, as many of the very best players at this age, are the some of the smallest players. Size obviously is a major factor at this age, since differences during the puberty years can be an enormous advantage. But guess what else is extremely important? Skill, IQ, quickness and speed. A successful team needs all of them. So a mixture of all the above is the recipe for success. Going with only size or only skill will not result in championship level teams. Look at all of the top teams in youth lacrosse, during these years. It's always a mixture of larger players and smaller ones.
