US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Girls 2025 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

Depends when someone is held back. Was it in K or 1st grade... then there is really no Lax IQ advantage. But I know a few girls that got held back in 8th grade - i.e. repeated 8th grade. Now that is a different animal.

Sometimes , if a kid is held back in K or 1st it has social advantages as well. Being the oldest in a group can build confidence and leadership skills. Becomes more confident on field.

I have no problem with someone being held back and families need to do what is best for their children but it is an advantage. In my daughters age group girls are turning 13 in sept and October when some girls in their age group have just turned 11 in July and august. So they are almost 2 years older then three of their teammates. I have nothing against them and I don’t really complain but it annoys me that their parents say it’s no big deal. And while yes when they finally get to high school they will play against older girls at CLUB games/tournaments/camps is where the bulk of their recruiting will be done they will be one year up to 22-23 months older than some of their opponents.

Some of these holdbacks would be good anyway others they stagnate but it is definitely an advantage

Anyone on here arguing that is not either has a holdback child or a holdback player on their child’s team that is dominant

Age based is the only way to rectify it - like soccer, basketball, hockey etc

Agree with all you stated.

You describe your daughter being a 2028 (turning 11 in July August), that's an extreme end though. Youngest 2028s vs oldest holdbacks.
No doubt it does play a difference.

some holdbacks are also caused by Girls going from public to private schools. Some of the Private schools recommend repeating a grade for what I believe is academic reasons. JUst a thought

Does not have to be January 1st obviously. In fact I think that would be dense. Should pick August 1st or Sept 1st as the cutoff. So most kids playing would be the same grade. Real benefit to the holdback is access to the limited best coaching for being the best player while younger. They take a space of someone on age for the best coaching/ training that year. Hurts more in niche sport like lacrosse as good training/ coaching is in limited supply. Same with Hockey etc. If USA lacrosse was serious this would be a top point of concern. Also expanding better training and coaching, which they are trying to do. Under current rules/ norms if lacrosse is super important then holdback is smart.

October birthday but again keep telling yourself whatever you need to.

Someone is salty. Bet your a treat to be around. Always crying about something

Dumas$. They aren’t being held back during their lax career. They were likely held back when they were 5 and just starting. I doubt they gained much then except an extra year of snowballs after a game !

Your funny. Check the summer aau rules. All basketball has grade exceptions.

ok - How about "like soccer and field hockey do". Is that better for you? I believe their point was if you have a calendar year - whether it be Sept 1st or Jan 1st you won't have any holdback issues.

It's you're funny not your funny.

Maybe you should be an English teacher instead of a youth sports critic.

and miss all this insightful commentary?

its "insulting", not "insightful"

Does anyone know anything about a new summer tournament -- Maryland Cup scheduled oppositie mid-atlantic summer.

Looks like most of the top NE teams (YJ, Grizzlies, Monster, Steps) will be attending instead of Mid-Atlantic.

Great ! This pissing contest among all the directors that also run tourneys is irritating. Charlie , Carol and Chris wanna cut each other out of the money.

Of course they are being held back when they are 5. The savvy LAX families know to do this! Especially with boys! Gives some growth and extra year advantage. Don’t say it’s not for LAX! I know people who have done it for LAX! It’s a known thing in that circle. Then, they can do the same thing later and repeat 9th grade in private. Then you got 2 years on the other kids!! Def. an advantage and that angle is being played by many!!

And they’re calling it the Maryland Cup, hilarious. Can’t find any info on it, want to provide a link?

You can look for them on their website. Of course no link for MD Cup though...

I posted a link to the YJ tournaments which listed the Maryland Cup for the 24s through 27s... The younger teams are playing at the Mid Atlantic.

STEPS parent here. not a lot of details, but here is what i know

1) will be run by LI Elite events
2) will be similar to Nike G8 format
3) 5-game guarantee, full-length championship games
4) only 16-24 teams per division
5) Almost all top NY/NJ/MA/PA teams attending (YJ, Steps, CT Grizz, Salt City, Monster, TG)

Sounds like you have some inside info? Will this be a recruiting event? Will college coaches be in attendance?

And why in Maryland down the road from Mid Atlantic? Why not keep it up in NE where all those teams are from?

Wow …. These club organizers must really be trying to ice out CR!!! Why would they host a tournament in MD if it’s all teams playing in it from north of Philly? Just save yourselves the trip and play up there. Have it in NJ - oh wait there’s already two huge tournaments I. NJ. I read the New York comments on this website and there’s alot of complaining about “traveling to MD”. Don’t. Just play up there. Or is it petty club directors taking a swipe at someone ? It stinks for Midatlantic though

They likely had to book fields (Calvert) before team committed.

CR pulled out of G8 last year thinking other clubs would follow. This is the Steps/YJ response. CR's greed is catching up with him.

But why ? Why is this necessary to make a competing tournament? Just keep M&D out of G8 and not involved all these other clubs. If steps and YJ don’t want to contribute to Robinson sports o get it. But why go after other clubs

A ton of backlash for this too. I was about to say I guarantee they'll be at G8 this summer, but I'm wrong. Wow. A lot of M&D families are NOT going to be happy. Looks like they'll be at Top Threat Championship.

It will be interesting to see what happens in summer 2023 assuming that MD Cup has a better field that Mid atlantic for end of summer event.

Does anyone have any input on the Elite 12 camp for November? Curious if it is worth the money.

My daughter never did it, but have heard great things about it.

Because it's all about making money. Why would Steps/YJ pay CR to play in his mid-atlantic tournament when he isn't paying them to play in their G8? Instead of paying him they started their own tournament where clubs will pay them to play in their tournament. It's not like they're just going to not have their clubs playing that weekend. Not sure how hard they're "going after" other clubs but it's become obvious which group most clubs are inclined to follow. If M&D is not going summers without playing the top clubs at G8 and if those same top clubs are no longer attending mid-atlantic it really waters down the M&D summer schedule.

Ok so someone answer the question why in Maryland? If these clubs are always complaining about having to come to Maryland, why on Earth hold it here? Whine about the drive/flight/hotels all weekend every year, yet here you come again to play in your own tourney? You look ridiculous.

It’s the only way CS and CR YJ can make the money they want to make. They partner with KP to get the fields in Maryland that they can’t get in NJ/NY and that teams won’t come to. You do realize they run every main tournament in the summer except midatlantic. Makes me wonder what will happen when they want to start charging $4000 a team and cut more corners. Monopolies mean no choices for consumers and that includes in youth sports.

They can get the stay to play kickbacks in MD.

Schedules our for Chesapeake Invitational. Finally some lacrosse! Should be interesting to see how the debut of Capital Blue goes. I assume Hero's and SW Blue will give them a rough introduction to the top tier.

Also, they wanted it to be in MD due to Gait Cup a couple days before which many of the out of state teams attend as well.

Its supply and demand. Top clubs want smaller tourneys. We will see how this all plays out this year. However, if succesfull, I expect all the top MD teams except M&D to play in it.

Tourney website is up. Without a doubt, a better field than MId-atlantic -- at least at the A+ level. No way a top college recruiter chooses mid-atlantic over MD Cup.

All the top NE teams (YJ, CT Grizzlies, Steps, TG, Monster, HHH) playing with the best west coast (Steps CA), Rocky Mountain (Team 180) and Midwest (Team 1) clubs also attending.

More MD teams that i expected with MD United, TLC, Coppermine and Heros (27s only).


Only real weak programs are Coast and some of the anciliary YJ teams.