.... Did Garden City have any holdbacks last Year? How about Ward Melville? I would bet that there are some boys at WM and GC who are holdbacks. ...
Only a fool would bet against you on that point.
Hold-backs in every grade, in almost every sport, here in the garden. There are always going to be kids who start late or are held back for developmental issues or concerns, in every school district. But then there are plenty of "gamers" who were held back (admittedly by their parents) to give them an advantage athletically and even academically. It's all a matter of degree. A kid born in mid-November ... not unreasonable to start school one grade back. But how about a kid with an August birthday? Less reasonable. It definitely happens all the time.
Doesn't mean these kids are dominant on the field or in the classroom, but at least some of them are. Also, it is undeniable that all of the hold-backs are performing better relative to the "grade" they are in than their age-based peers. Which is why the parents did what they did.
Not unlawful, but clearly the rest of our children are disadvantaged by this.
And there is certainly a stigma for some of the hold-backs, where it is known they are much older than the other kids in the grade. Every goal, every hit, every jump shot ... people say "he's good, but you know, he is a year older than everyone else out there". I have heard that at least 500 times over the years, and admittedly, have also said it myself.
