How about football, which does have kids "playing in helmets" where many leagues have more than a 2 year spread allowed? For example, the MMYF has 9-11 age bracket but you can be 12 if under a certain weight. So there could be a 3 year age gap in a sport with more contact than lacrosse. Nobody is pitching a fit there, but in lacrosse you can't have kids all in the same grade playing against each other? Doesn't make sense.

And what makes that a cogent argument against age based teams? Basketball is not a sport where kids are playing in helmets and other protective gear. Girls lacrosse is 90%+ school based, girls clubs only started in last 1-3 years. Many sports? You named two and one isn't even a club sport. Clown. [/quote]