Lacrosse is so far behind in policing this issue it's ridiculous. Other sports like ice hockey and soccer have a very good system. It's birth year plain and simple, for this 2025 age group it would be 2007 birth year only. They don't care if you were born on December 31, 2006. You have to submit birth certificates, the kids are issued photo ID cards each year and you have to submit an official roster prior to the season. The referee lines everyone up before each game and checks the cards, protective equipment and the roster. If you break the rules they actually have punishments, they've taken away wins and championships. This whole process starts when they are little playing on a mini field and can't even tie their own shoes yet. Granted it is a bit tedious for little kids but it sets the tone for order and fairness going forward, by the time they get older it's just part of the game. I know once you get to high school they mix grades together, you can have an 8th or 9th grader playing varsity. That's not the point, you have to create a safe and fair environment starting from the beginning.
I agree with you the “holdback” thing gets a bit crazy with a select few programs, but i don’t think you’re grasping the concept. It’s all about recruiting year. College coaches don’t care about your birth year in lax just what class you’re in, that’s what drives it. Hockey is a bad example. Most college coaches don’t recruit from high school and most high level prep players are all hold backs. Your youth hockey example and “safety” are notIntelligent. You said it yourself, you have a December 31, 2006 skating with a January 1, 2006. Full year difference, just like playing against a holdback. FYI my kid isn’t a holdback and I like him playing against older kids… cause I might hold him back in a year or two and laugh when everyone complains!
