Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous


So basically, you and you son(s) will whine about Holdbacks for the next 3 years? Remember there are hold backs in 2025 that may be a year older than your son, so sonny will also loose his advantage too and continue to ride the pine ... now that stinks....


The reality is what it is, it is within the current rules. No amount of "whining" will change it. But it's human nature to rage (e.g. whine) against sense of injustice, lacking of fair play and even playing field, irregardless of being warranted or not. It's completely based on that emotion and nothing more, and it is impossible to repress (at least for another 3 years).


I'm curious... a question for all you holdback parents out there... let's jump ahead a couple of years and it's now the Junior year in HS for your holdback kid, and you are faced with the stark reality that he is no longer one of the largest players on the field. In fact, maybe he is one of the smallest kids out there. As a result, your youth stud is now an inconsequential player, struggling just to make the HS team. What then? What is your Plan B? Hold him back again?? FYI. Too late for that, right? That ship has sailed. Now what??


This year and next year are the two big years for reclass. Prefirsts are already in the holdback book.

First, Holding back works for most players. Especially in youth. And Frankly, sorry to tell you this, but it works in High School too. Does it work for everyone, of course not. But lacrosse is land of a huge amount 5-8 to 5-11 similar skilled athletes. Give them one extra year and he is better than others. If you are the rare highly skilled athlete, you are playing football, BB or ever rarer playing lacrosse which means you could care less about the holdbacks . And if heldback, you are a man among children.

My advice is, if your son is serious about playing at a High Level , Hold him back. Look at all the top clubs , Full of holdbacks. These are the boys getting offers. This baloney about everyone getting bigger and passing holdbacks is true only sometimes, but for the most part, holdbacks keep their starting position.

Look at Dukes Roster ( Birthdays for most players) if you think holding back doesn't filter up to college. I just looked at two starting D poles. One is a single holdback and the other is a double holdback ( maybe redshirted ??) . Then i looked at their top middie and he is a holdback. I looked at top attackman and he is a double holdback ( maybe redshirted) .. These are based on age, I have no idea why they are older, maybe redshirt, held back HS, prefirst, etc but bottom line is they are older.

Saying all this , I do think it is sad . At HS and above it is what it is by grade. But Youth should be by age, Youth Lacrosse is the poster child for all that is wrong in youth sports.