[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]


First, Holding back works for most players. Especially in youth. And Frankly, sorry to tell you this, but it works in High School too. Does it work for everyone, of course not. But lacrosse is land of a huge amount 5-8 to 5-11 similar skilled athletes. Give them one extra year and he is better than others. If you are the rare highly skilled athlete, you are playing football, BB or ever rarer playing lacrosse which means you could care less about the holdbacks . And if heldback, you are a man among children.

My advice is, if your son is serious about playing at a High Level , Hold him back. Look at all the top clubs , Full of holdbacks. These are the boys getting offers. This baloney about everyone getting bigger and passing holdbacks is true only sometimes, but for the most part, holdbacks keep their starting position.

Look at Dukes Roster ( Birthdays for most players) if you think holding back doesn't filter up to college. I just looked at two starting D poles. One is a single holdback and the other is a double holdback ( maybe redshirted ??) . Then i looked at their top middie and he is a holdback. I looked at top attackman and he is a double holdback ( maybe redshirted) .. These are based on age, I have no idea why they are older, maybe redshirt, held back HS, prefirst, etc but bottom line is they are older.

Saying all this , I do think it is sad . At HS and above it is what it is by grade. But Youth should be by age, Youth Lacrosse is the poster child for all that is wrong in youth sports.
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THIS COMMENT IS SPOT-ON.

Holding back works in lacrosse if your goal is to be on the best club teams and increase chances for a scholarship. It is a sport dominated by mediocre sized priviledged kids who are not elite athletes and, therefore, age and opportunity are the biggest factors in success.

But the major effect holding back has on a child is detrimental-- which is why Am Assoc of Pediatrics officially recommends against it. Kids who are held back regress in life-- they dense themselves down. They acquire bad coping skills.

But try telling that to dads who feel their kid isn't mature enough yet for KG.