Originally Posted by Anonymous
In lacrosse, if you are not playing down, you are playing up. Get used to it. It is the norm. My experience has been that it is most prevalent in the Balt-DC area and in CT/Westchester area but no region is innocent. Not by a long shot.

I hate it and frankly laugh at those pathetic snowflakes that just need to be good at something, even if that means playing younger kids in order to show well.

It will stop when the college coaches stop encouraging it (never happen) or the insurance company that provides coverage for basically all players and teams (via US Lacrosse membership) demands that it stop.

I'd bet on the lawyers before the coaches though I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet. Thank goodness some poor kid hasn't been severely injured yet, but sadly that is what it might take.


Playing down is big in MA and PA also. Also keep in mind that even if a kid is "on grade" from MA, PA, MA, ect, they are still older than NYers playing "on grade" because of the older calendar year these other states use for their kids. For instance, and "on grade" 2023 team in NY has 11 and 12 year olds. In these other states, it is more like 12-13. You can put NJ in this category as well. "on grade" kids are older.

Westchester is not big on holdbacks. CT much more so. Issue is that certain teams have a mix of CT and Westchester kids so it becomes like a holdback team. A team that has only NY kids is much more likely to be "on grade".