The constant whining about kids being older is really getting stale already. The fact is when they get to high school they are all playing against older and younger kids, and they either sink or swim, its that simple.
So then why hold your kids back??
The system can be fixed very easily by making club teams and tournaments age based instead of grade based. Its no secret that there are certain teams that play their teams down a grade to appear dominant. Going age based would eliminate all that and all the crying by Long Island parents. Again, on a versity team, there are kids ranging from 14-18 depending on the program, and the younger kids learn to compete at that level which makes them better.
As far as the holdbacks, people hold their kids back for many reasons. Some hold their kids back in kindergarten because they dont feel their child is ready. Some folks reclass their kids because they are late birthdays and have fallen behind academically and athletically. I would agree with anyone that holding back your kid for strictly athletic purposes is asinine, but Im sure it goes on all the time.
Concentrate on your kid and what is best for him or her and youll be fine. All the crying and whining about other kids isnt going to change anything and it detracts from what your doing and instills a sense of being a victim in your kid. If a kid is good in the classroom, is a good player, works hard and keeps his nose clean, he/she will be just fine and find a spot that fits him/her.
