everyone on both sides of this debate paints with too broad a brush...some athletes will be late bloomers, some athletes will always be the best-not because they are bigger than the other 7th graders (that is the holdback trap) because they have natural physical abilities that other people don't have.
if a college coach recruits a young kid, why do the others who weren't recruited care? If a college coach doesn't recruit any young kids, why does anyone care?
early recruiting has been going on for years in many sports, lax just seeing it now because the sport has more visibility than ever before.
for the record, both hofstra and loyola recruited and verbally committed 9th graders last year.
the clear advantage will be with the early recruited kid that continues to be the stud. he or she will have more leverage entering 11th grade and be able to get more $ from some other great school...
the rest of the argument or debate is pointless and silly. parents and kids that want to be recruited early-for whatever reason, will chase the dream. parents and kids that don't think it is a wise move, will simply wait. why anyone seems to think it is the downfall of lax is beyond me.
the game is expanding, not shrinking. more d-1 teams...but no professional game so why comment on decisions of others? unless of course you wanted your kid to be recruited and he or she wasn't...
I think you make some very valid points. Athletes are athletes yes but at a very young age athletic ability is truly not reached until puberty. Yes yhere are the kids who just have it, and will always have it. That it factor can not be taught. The athlete who is playing with other players his age that has hit puberty or matured more quickly will of course stand out. I don't think people have an issue with the early recruiting aspects I think that people have an issue with the so-called old guard not doing as well as they normally do because of early recruiting failures. Look at the teams that have been early recruiters Virginia, Hopkins, and Syracuse, they have not done that well for them. These schools will always get interest from the best players but they are taking a risk on taking players in 8th 9th and maybe even 10th grade. When their roster slots are full this leaves room for other teams like High Point and other colleges to get great players that might have not fully matured until 11 or 12 grade and were passed over. Not all great players play for great teams either so they don't go to the best showcases or tournaments. As a result they are not seen maybe until later on in high school. The expansion of the game is great. Makes for really exciting Saturday lacrosse.
