"Maryland and its reason for grade based teams should be on the HALL OF SHAME of youth athletics."

where are you from? when my kid 1st started playing just 3 years ago all balt area club teams including Crabs were age. Looney's, Green Turtle, Breakers, Rough Riders - all went by age. Just about all MD tournaments were too and still are - LaxSplash, beach Lax, Summer sizzle, summer exposure, green turtle, capital classic. When we ventured north to PA and NJ the tournaments mostly went by grade and the NY, PA, NJ teams mostly had graduation year in their names. Not saying MD prep schools don't have their fair share of holdbacks and reclassing in 8th for lax is crazy -- but it seems as the clubs down here followed the lead of our friends to the north