US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums Like Post

Your observation that the 2028 division is "2027 1/2" is spot on, and the same can be said for the 2027, 2026, and practically every class at the elite level. But it is not a "problem" so much as it is just a fact of lacrosse life that is not going to change. Re-classing players in 7th and 8th grade is part of the lacrosse landscape in the mid atlantic area, and it always will be, no matter what people say in surveys or on this BOTC. (or in the car after losing a game). The holdback model works way too well for all constituencies for anybody to change it - college coaches like it because get freshmen who are emotionally and physically more mature; travel programs like it because they get an extra year of revenue, and they can build great teams without having to work as hard at developing players; private secondary schools like it because they collect an extra year of tuition, and get stronger teams; and families who can afford it financially, and whose sons are already good players, like it because they are setting their sons up for success in HS and college. So if your son plays elite level lacrosse in Baltimore or DC, for your own sanity, just accept it, the same way that you accept temporarily playing with one fewer player when your son's team gets a penalty. If you can't bring yourself to do that, then move to Long Island or Syracuse there the best players are at public schools with no re-classing, or have your son play at the non-elite level, which is still good lacrosse but has few or no holdbacks, or choose another sport that goes by birth year. If it is any consolation, holdbacks are only an issue in 7th and 8th grade - by 9th grade everybody competing at this level has hit adolescence, and the good 9th graders are playing with older kids in HS anyway, and the extra year makes little or no difference. Hope this helps.