Its interesting at this age if college coaches consider a kids actual age when evaluating players . Every parent knows that at the 8th grade age 1 year makes such a difference . I don't think college coaches even consider it as when my daughter went thru it I don't recall any coach asking her how old she was or her birthday. Now that 8th and 9th graders are being recruited its makes a bigger difference . Take a descent 9th grade player move them to 8th and that kid will look like a superstar etc. but in reality as they get older that year becomes less of an advantage .
That is the thing that baffles me about the hold back thing. I recently saw this first hand on the boy's side. A friend of mine's son had zero D1 interest and could not make an A team in 2018. Same kid this fall drops to 2019 and makes the All-Star team at Philly Freshman Showcase and gets a write up about how great he is. That same kid come freshman year of College, he will have to play against the older kids again... What then? The Coaches don't understand this? I guess that's why the biggest offenders of holdback recruitment, UNC, Hop, MD,UVA and few others have but one championship between them in last number of years...
