I don't know that most school districts pull up from the middle school teams. I know it happens, but I think that it is more the exception than the rule. I have seen an exceptional 8th grader start, and do well, but it is rarely on a really competitive team (ie: Farmingdale or Garden City... just to name a few). I have also seen that same girl play age appropriate club and not score a goal. My daughters school dist does not allow 8th grader to play up in the High School unless that sport is not offered in the middle school.
I think 8th graders who get pulled up to varsity are truly few and far between, and having coached h.s. for quite a few years I can tell you in my experience they should be. They are the elite athletes, often in many sports.
It completely depends on your district. My kids are in a small district and MS kids are regularly pulled up to play JV, and even Varsity, sports. Our district is not big enough to have select teams and "other" teams in MS, nor would our budget have room for this. What we get is 40+ MS kids on a team, some of whom have worlds of experience and some of whom are on the team because it's a chance for them to try it for free or because that's what their set of friends is doing or even because their parents are making them. The coaches are left trying to teach the beginners the sport, the experienced are not learning anything but they are getting the school sport experience of playing and most kids value that. It is what it is. Not optimal but it's two years out of your life (or less if you get pulled up), not the end of the world.
Now, as for bypassing MS sports for club, all I know is in my district that might eventually be forced on us because our school board is always always always talking about cutting MS sports altogether.
