Yes, I'm not sure what made sports like soccer so much stricter on age. US lacrosse doesn't seem to really tackle this issue. Older kids help teams win and that helps teams attract kids. Most parents want their kids at least playing with their own grade. Clubs also seem to want to meet the letter of the law in having kids in their grade groups so it's not called out too bad.
I have never seen proof of grade even addressed at this level. My son is always one of the 2 or 3 biggest players on the field and admittedly looks older than a 2027, but he turned 11 in May and has always been 97th-99th percentile in height and is just developing early. Opposing parents cry non-stop that he "must be 13" claim he is playing down etc. but I have never been asked for proof of him having just finished 5th grade, nor has our coach been asked (outside of the casual...is he really a 2027 question from the other team). We have always carried his birth certificate in case restaurants try and keep him off the kids menu, but not an issue in lax.
You are the rarity, most larger than life players are prefirst or holdbacks. It really has gotten out of hand now as the pie is only so big for the many skilled High School players now. Years ago, it was MD up Mass prep schools and Long Island public/caholic schools feeding the college Lacrosse world...No more..way to many players from everywhere, prefirst/reclass/holdback are epidemic now without age gudelines. USL is in Baltimore surrounded by Private schools..They are useless.
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