US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Age and Reclassification. The good the bad the ugly!

If Shannon were 2 or 3 months older than age limit, how about Mary who is 2 or 3 months older than Shannon, how about Debbie who is 2 or 3 months older than Mary. It can go on and on. That’s how kids become 18 months older than other kids. That’s why it’s called honoring a cut off date. This keeps all age groups within a year. Very easy to understand.

My son will be reclassing for academic reasons this fall as he was born LD and ADHD. He will stay with his current club team as he has been with them for years and didnt want to "play down" He figured if he can start and play vs kids his own age he wants to in his mind now "play up". No one at school who he's told thinks its a bad idea. Hope this answers your question.

Okay. I guess in a few years you'll be looking to get him recruited to play D1 ivy.

That’s exactly what I would have my kids do in that situation. That’s doing it the right way. Good luck to your son.

If he has started 9th grade, he only has 3 years of eligibility regardless of grade. It’s not whether you play or not. You get 4 consecutive years of Hs sports once you enter 9th grade. Meaning if has started Hs he can’t play his senior year. I believe that is the way it works, but could be wrong.

at the end of the day, the youth sport is based on physicality not mental maturity. If Johnnie needs to be held back in school, he should not be held back in sports as well. And... i thought there was social promotion in school anyway. this is manipulating the system.

Depends on his birth date, the school system and whether or not he's staying in a public or moving to a private. If it's private, so long as the kid is 19 after 9/1 he can play his senior year.

U.S. Lacrosse encourages holdbacks . Just look at the age exemption policy they put in place for Nationals. You can field up to 7 players who do not comply with birthdate guidelines.

U.S lacrosse may encourage it, normal parents don’t. Teaching my kids correctly is my responsibility. My kids aren’t going to take advantage of younger kids.

US Lacrosse is a joke. It is smack dab in the middle of the biggest schools that practice holdbacks, the MIAA.

The people that run it are buddies with all the holdback coaches and parents, Why wouldnt they encourage holdbacks.

i am curious - i would love to hear a response from a parent that has a holdback kid or 2 holdbacks. Does their playing down outweigh all the classmates in school looking at the kid like he has a learning problem?

I have a son who has learning differences. He was held back at the direction of our school system. That you suggest that he or my wife and I should be worried a put him being looked at as a kid that has a learning problem is the most egotistic and non-empathetic thing you could say. How dare you? I only pray that your son does not hit a snag where his physical or mental health creates a long term disability for him. If bad fortune ever bestows him you will not worry about how he looks to others. Instead you will love him and do what you need to do to support him. Most of you who promote this anti hold back non-sense have little humanity for others.

Grow up! It’s youth sports.

Nobody is talking about disabled kids. Your missing the point. Good luck to you and your child.

Nobody is talking about disabled kids. Your missing the point. Good luck to you and your child.

The other poster, I believe, was not missing the point. ADHD, dyslexia, speech delay, hearing impairment, etc are all legitimate pediatric health challenges (ie disabilities) which often lead to delaying kindergarten for a year. These disabilities, while not visible on the surface, are as real as a child that has a physical disability. In reading this thread for the past month the “hold back is an embarrassment” drum beaters want to whistle past legitimate reasons kids are held back. Believe me most folks are not thinking about their son/daughter being a lacrosse prodigy at age 5 of they are trying to manage a child with ADHD. As the guy wrote, grow up- it’s youth sports.

You are veering off the topic. It’s youth sports. Kids should play their age 99.9 percent of the time. If you are talking about the point .001 percent, then you are right. I’m talking about the 99.9 percent.

Don't know what LD or ADHD has to do with this subject but you opened the door. ADHD is like The Common Cold these days. Look at the parents and you see why.

The MIAA has the highest ranked H S teams , best lax players , & the most recruited players in the country. Why should they push to change anything ? It is not just Maryland , many states are following the same format. Right or wrong the system seems to be working for many people.

Ok, highest ranked HS teams is great. That’s a different conversation. YOUTH is little kids. Do you understand man? YOUTH. Again I’ll say it for the 57th time. YOUTH. 9 year olds playing 7 and 8 year olds. 8 year olds playing 6 and 7 year olds. This is the most absurd conversation I’ve ever heard. Parents who promote this should be embarrassed. My 8 year old, who is really good compared to other 8 year olds, would be unfairly good against 6 and 7 year olds. I never would do that. Now to answer that other guy. If my kids had dyslexia, ADHD, color blind, or any other thing and the teacher recommended they be held back, I’d listen to the teacher. They still would play their age though. One of my sons plays 3 sports. So I wouldn’t have a choice in the other 2 sports, right. I’m not talking about HS, I’m not talking about US lacrosse, I’m not talking about college, I’m not talking about prep schools, I’m not talking about professional lacrosse leagues. I’m talking about little kids playing youth. Holding kids back in youth sports is weak. It’s embarrassing. There is no valid response to dispute this. Now some guy is going to come on here and say a friend of a friend of a friend, had a blind son. He was held back 14 years ago. Please stop already. I can’t make the point any clearer.

Until they change the rules , the best way to avoid playing holdback teams , don't play out of state teams & don't enter any AA tournaments. There are plenty of B and C tourneys & tourneys for every skill level.

Actually, i would bet that the majority of parents who hold their kids back for sports have some lacrosse background. Each surprisingly large or physically-ahead child i've encountered seems to have a parent that is fluent in the rules. Granted there are plenty of legitimate scenarios where a child needs another year at a grade level - but does that mean he or she should not get their drivers license at 17 as well? Then why should they play a year down in lacrosse? Would football allow it - i am not sure.

To answer your question. No. Football wouldn’t allow it. Neither would soccer, basketball, hockey, baseball. No other team sport boys or girls would allow it.

Another consideration for all please; if the opposing team has a really big kid that is also very skilled please do not assume he was held back. I am living this. My son is currently a head taller and more skilled and athletic than most he competes against. I'm well aware things may change in the future. Most opposing coaches walk right up to him and ask him his age and what grade he is in. That however is far better than some of the parents yelling to him "how many times have you been left back", "what grade are you supposed to be in". He is of age and sensitive and hears it all. US Lacrosse. Please fix the sport to age based at youth.

You are a fool if you don't think basketball allows it. Outside of county sponsored where it is tightly controlled, basketball is a mess. You literally have men against kids. I watch it 12 months a year.

Also in hockey the best of the best play in many year increments. A friends son (he is 16) plays junior hockey in Canada where the ages are from 16-21 and they are all on the ice together. The age differential is a wee bit different than the 6-15 months we are talking about here. So there is no confusion - I am not coming from a place of having a reclassified son, in fact my son will turn 17 in December of his senior year and he goes to prep school so he plays against older kids. I have told him just to work harder. He will be a better player for it.

On a smaller scale it is also done in CYO basketball which is grade based.

Ages 16 to 21, is high school, prep school, college. I’m talking youth. My daughter played youth basketball for 5 years, never experienced holdbacks.

How do you know who all the holdbacks are ? Do you check all the rosters? Holdbacks are not always the tallest & most talented kids.

You cut them in half and count the rings.

PAL lacrosse is grade based... however, it is VALIDATED

This made me laugh out loud. Thank you for your comment and humor

PAL lacrosse is grade based... however, it is VALIDATED


16yrs old to 21 is pretty tough, unless you're Connor McDavid. That said, did their age shennanigans start at 8 yrs old?

Big difference in knowingly registering your child for a legitimate 16-19 year division bracket vs an stunad parent holding his kid back to beat up on kids. For this type of parent I hope the do take away college scholarships then and only do I think you will get it. Its lacrosse keep telling yourself that! Geeesh

Junior hockey is not kids playing down. Its good players playing up.

"Gretzky began skating at age two and a half and was first taught hockey by his father. By age 6 he was playing as an all-star in novice hockey with boys 10 and 11 years old. He progressed through organized age-group hockey, and in 1977 at the Junior World Cup competition, he was the youngest player and the leading scorer. "

Not everyone is Gretzky. I get your point. If you choose to play up, that’s your choice. It’s admirable. If your child can handle it God bless. Most lacrosse players in the YOUTH age bracket on really good teams would be overmatched. Most I said, not all. But like I said if your kid can do it and he enjoys it, it’s admirable. On the other end of the spectrum, playing your kid down in youth, is the exact opposite of admirable. It’s weak. It’s cowardly.

Bullseye

MIAA lacrosse is exactly what is wrong with lacrosse. Holdbacks are everywhere and encouraged at an early age. All MIAA parents know the drill. Prefirst immediately and if you come into MIAA schools 6th thru 8th grade, reclasss your child. MIAA College Freshman teams passing off as High School teams are a joke. Total misleading teams. It just bleeds down to the youth in Baltimore.

And you are right, other areas are doing the holdback/reclass route . MIAA along with Northeastern Prep schools were the bastion of holdback scene years ago. At that time It let privilege white players get more athletic by giving them a year on other players. No one cared as they usually only played against each other and YOUTH was age based. Not now. everyone wants to do it as they see how it works. Playing down gets you more playing time and better looks in youth, and lets not kid ourselves, It does give an advantage in High School to many, not all, but boys are growing even slightly up to 17-20.

Playing down is what is wrong with youth sports and frankly what is wrong with school High School sports at this time.
At one time, the older players were the minority, no one cared, Not now, it is an epidemic brought on by parents trying to get an advantage.

And people defending the MIAA like you are part of problem, But who cares, You got yours, Right?

This thread is much weaker then one or two off age kids on a team.

The vast majority of holdbacks are one year older. There are rarely more than one or two per travel team. This holdback argument is pointless. Unless one of you are willing to take a stand, it’s a waste. So other than anonymously carrying on, either put up or shut up. Not one single representative from any organization is reading this. It’s just a place to look at the sky and scream like some disjointed victimized college activist, angry at some imagines affront. Kind of sad actually.

It’s doesn’t seem like an argument. Arguments have good points from both sides. Holding youth kids back seems pretty one sided if you ask me. Who can argue watching 8 year olds playing 6 and 7 year olds. Dominating completion because they are older. Taking playing time from an honest young kid, with honest parents. There is no argument. One side makes sense. One side sounds ridiculous. By the way nothing written on here will ever make a difference. My 3 kids will play their age. Whatever happens, happens. Play well without getting an age handicap. My kids play, I cheer, knowing that I’m not screwing the other parent standing next to me. It’s called teaching your kids the right way.

Signed... parent of a holdback

No what is sad is your argument for doing nothing and upset that others have some character to know what is right and what is wrong. Kind of actually sad.