You are a holdback apologise who must have some dealing with holdbacks..coaching, son, etc.. Youth sports is not about satisfying clubs and parents like you...It is about youth sports..School teams are where you get your advantage...not screwing up youth sports for you and your type of thinking.
I don't have any dealings with holdbacks. I have four sons who have run the gamut of athletic ability and when they matured.
One of my sons didn't play sports. One matured late and has had fun playing at a B level in the summer. Another played at more of an A level and the last one matured early and is age qualifying but has fun playing with his classmates (no holdbacks but a few summer birthdays) at the AA 2020 level. He does play one age based tournament where they play u-15.
I like the current system because if you are realistic about your son's abilities and maturity level you can find a team that plays tournaments where the level of play is appropriate. Most of the athletic holdbacks play in the AA divisions. You probably shouldn't play your son in a 2020 AA tournament if you aren't comfortable with him playing in a u-15B tournament. You probably shouldn't play 2019 AA if you aren't comfortable playing in a u-15 tournament that allows high schoolers.
I also think the safety concerns are overblown. All of the kids on my son's AA 2020 team are there because they were successful playing with older boys on their middle school teams. If some eighth grader decides to reclass and play down it is no different than what they played against all spring. It is just not a big deal.
I coached for years in Pop Warner football. Dealing with all of the birth certificates, pictures for the rosters and the weigh-ins was a huge hassle. I really enjoy going out in the summer and just watching the kids play.
What level your son plays at doesn't make you a better or worse parent. Look at the system as it is rather than what you think it should be and make your decisions and you can find competition that is appropriate for your child. [/quote]
You are full of it.. One breath " I dont have any dealing with holdbacks " Yet your son is on on a grade based team. You are a apologist for grade based youth sports. Pretty simple.
Age makes a huge difference at these youth levels of play. And when you have a few years of training along with being older .. 6-8 grade the difference really comes out. After 9th many boys are growing so the difference is starting to be less. But by that time, the kids that played the most get the upper hand and that is the holdbacks and kids that are true athletics. If you are average to good...you would be better off holding you kid back... You wont be better than the true athletics ..but you will be better than most average ones......There is only so many true athletes playing lacrosse. Most go to money sports...
Somehow people like you think certain kids (holdbacks) should get an advantage at youth sports. I dont along with all other team sports that go by age.
And the BS about pop warner and hassle of cards. Soccer has many more players than Lacrosse yet they have no problem keeping youth soccer at proper age with cards. Really easy system. But once again the Bizarro world of lacrosse ..lets give special privileges to certain kids...CraZY
