[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thats correct every team had a few big athletic kids as would be expected at this age as they all mature at different times. Whst i dont understand is the parents and the trash talk within earshot of the kids. Some of tge LI parents take being a FLID to a whole new level.
I just don't understand the LI parent obsession with the notion of holdbacks. All of the teams had big, athletic kids. The Hawks weren't the biggest team there this weekend. Not even close - that was clearly Laxachusetts who lost a few games. I was particularly appalled by the focus on two of our kids - calling them out by number, telling your kids to target them, etc. Like it, believe it, or not, they are 13 years old. I don't have a problem believing that your 6'5 240 pound goalie is 13. He was lights out in the game and I enjoyed watching him play. PT and LIE had phenomenal players with excellent coaching. The parents, however, were embarrassing. I wish that our parents had ignored them but it was pretty much impossible with what was coming out of the LI parents' mouths. Best of luck to your kids. You never know - some of them could be dorm mates in 5 years.
13 years old now ... but if they turn 14 before December 1, 2018, than they are a holdback as per NY's school calendar year. Yes, I understand that MD and other states use different school calendar years that make their kids "older" per grade, and yes I understand that there are many kids who started kindergarten late due to issues having nothing to do with lacrosse, and yes I understand countless other points relevant to this issue .....
However, all of this nonsense and vitriol can be eliminated if the following were to occur: 1) youth lacrosse separates kids based on date of birth and not grade in school (use Jan 1 - Dec 31, or Sept 1 - Aug 31 - it doesn't matter, just pick one); 2) have birth certificates and official rosters be submitted by the clubs to US Lacrosse each season (certificates need only be submitted once for each player if they are in year 2+ for the club); 3) have an official score sheet for each game, in triplicate, with a roster sticker for each team placed on each copy. The ref and each team's coach signs the sheet after each game, with a copy to each of the teams, one to the tournament, which sends a copy to US lacrosse (each team will have a manager to do this stuff independent of the coaches).
This is exactly what happens in USA hockey, and as a result, ALL parents and coaches trust that everyone is of age and legitimately rostered. Parents can still be jerks to each other concerning penalties and dirty play, but no one moans about holdbacks, overaged kids, kids driving to 7th grade games, passive aggressive comments meant to be overheard by the other team's parents, etc.
And yes, the next Paul Rabil that is sleeping at each of your houses can play "up" if that is what the parents and the coaches think is best for the kid and the club.
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Thats correct every team had a few big athletic kids as would be expected at this age as they all mature at different times. Whst i dont understand is the parents and the trash talk within earshot of the kids. Some of tge LI parents take being a FLID to a whole new level.
I just don't understand the LI parent obsession with the notion of holdbacks. All of the teams had big, athletic kids. The Hawks weren't the biggest team there this weekend. Not even close - that was clearly Laxachusetts who lost a few games. I was particularly appalled by the focus on two of our kids - calling them out by number, telling your kids to target them, etc. Like it, believe it, or not, they are 13 years old. I don't have a problem believing that your 6'5 240 pound goalie is 13. He was lights out in the game and I enjoyed watching him play. PT and LIE had phenomenal players with excellent coaching. The parents, however, were embarrassing. I wish that our parents had ignored them but it was pretty much impossible with what was coming out of the LI parents' mouths. Best of luck to your kids. You never know - some of them could be dorm mates in 5 years.
13 years old now ... but if they turn 14 before December 1, 2018, than they are a holdback as per NY's school calendar year. Yes, I understand that MD and other states use different school calendar years that make their kids "older" per grade, and yes I understand that there are many kids who started kindergarten late due to issues having nothing to do with lacrosse, and yes I understand countless other points relevant to this issue .....
However, all of this nonsense and vitriol can be eliminated if the following were to occur: 1) youth lacrosse separates kids based on date of birth and not grade in school (use Jan 1 - Dec 31, or Sept 1 - Aug 31 - it doesn't matter, just pick one); 2) have birth certificates and official rosters be submitted by the clubs to US Lacrosse each season (certificates need only be submitted once for each player if they are in year 2+ for the club); 3) have an official score sheet for each game, in triplicate, with a roster sticker for each team placed on each copy. The ref and each team's coach signs the sheet after each game, with a copy to each of the teams, one to the tournament, which sends a copy to US lacrosse (each team will have a manager to do this stuff independent of the coaches).
This is exactly what happens in USA hockey, and as a result, ALL parents and coaches trust that everyone is of age and legitimately rostered. Parents can still be jerks to each other concerning penalties and dirty play, but no one bitches and moans about holdbacks, overaged kids, kids driving to 7th grade games, passive aggressive comments meant to be overheard by the other team's parents, etc.
And yes, the next Paul Rabil that is sleeping at each of your houses can play "up" if that is what the parents and the coaches think is best for the kid and the club.
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Thats correct every team had a few big athletic kids as would be expected at this age as they all mature at different times. Whst i dont understand is the parents and the trash talk within earshot of the kids. Some of tge LI parents take being a FLID to a whole new level.
I just don't understand the LI parent obsession with the notion of holdbacks. All of the teams had big, athletic kids. The Hawks weren't the biggest team there this weekend. Not even close - that was clearly Laxachusetts who lost a few games. I was particularly appalled by the focus on two of our kids - calling them out by number, telling your kids to target them, etc. Like it, believe it, or not, they are 13 years old. I don't have a problem believing that your 6'5 240 pound goalie is 13. He was lights out in the game and I enjoyed watching him play. PT and LIE had phenomenal players with excellent coaching. The parents, however, were embarrassing. I wish that our parents had ignored them but it was pretty much impossible with what was coming out of the LI parents' mouths. Best of luck to your kids. You never know - some of them could be dorm mates in 5 years
———- Or we can acknowledge that this is lacrosse and not hockey. I agree - more stringent guidelines could level the playing field - but that doesn’t mean that all states will change their school ages... which means the argument then comes with playing with your age appropriate teammates or your peers that you will be in Highschool and college with. My 14 year old 9th grader played against 19 year old seniors in Highschool. This argument becomes a mute point in a year. Unless you make the rules or host a tournament in which you decide the rules - it is what it is. Just go with it. You won’t have any control over it in Highschool and college...
It was good lacrosse this weekend, regardless of age differences or crazy parents.
People that continually bring this up are diminishing their child’s or their child’s team’s efforts. You are essentially saying you can’t win against them, because they are cheaters - which they aren’t. Or if you win .,, you are so great- because you beat the cheaters. How about we send the message that hard work pays off and eventually things even out. It’s a life lesson and one that will prove fruitful in the future when they are playing with teammates within a 5 year spread, not just a few months.
There was great lacrosse this past weekend. All teams had big, strong, fast kids! Enjoy it. It won’t be around forever.
The post I believe you are responding to speaks to youth lacrosse, not HS lacrosse. What are you are doing is raising a straw man argument - arguing against a point that no one is making, thus creating the illusion that you have "won" the argument. No one, and I mean no one, has ever stated that HS lacrosse should be age based. There is not on single sport that organizes kids by age and not grade at HS. The discussion is, and always has been, about youth travel lacrosse, which everyone understands is defined as 8th grade (or age equivalent) and below.
Your argument about cheating and life lessons is lame. Again, you use a straw man technique. No one is arguing that a team with older kids who are nonetheless in 7th grade (or "plan" on graduating in 2023) is cheating. People are arguing for a change in the system rendering such age differences non-existant, unless you want that for your son, in which case, you choose to have him play up. The argument about life lessons is just simply wrong. There are no life lessons to be learned in soccer, hockey and every other youth sport that groups kids by age??
And no one needs to prepare at the youth level for the wider age spread at the HS level. The HS level is about ability - nothing more. Further, at HS, the age gaps mean less. Your Freshman son who played varsity is a prime example. He played there because he was good enough. If he wasn't, he would have been on JV or the freshman team (if applicable). Again, ALL other sports which use age based youth systems see their kids play in HS. If the kid is good enough, he gets to varsity at a young age. If not, he doesn't. The kid doesn't need to play against 14 year olds in 6th grade in order for this to occur. You are creating a cause and effect when none exists.
If you watched the NHL draft, nearly every kid drafted (you are eligible when you turn 18 prior to Sept 15 following the draft) was coming from a junior team (or sometimes with a European, a professional league). Junior teams start at age 16 and go to age 20. Professional leagues are obviously leagues for men. ALL of these players played age based up to, and through, age 15. When they got to age 16, the best of the best jumped into the big pool of junior hockey where age means nothing and played against kids up through age 20. Club lacrosse can do the same - play per birth year through 15 (or make it stop at 14), and then thereafter, play on a "junior" team vs the best kids age 16 (or 15) and above - through 20. The bottom line in hockey and other sports is no one is worse off because they played on age up through their early teen years. And these sports are much more popular and have higher participation rates than lacrosse.
I’m on your side bud. I wish I could afford to have my kid in hockey and lacrosse. Unfortunately I’m just a working class shlep. You know, the one you look down on when you have to sit next to him on the train. I’ve never had anything handed to me in life and I’ll teach my son the same. He’s an on age Faceoff kid who’s worked his butt off to complete at the level he does. I’ve taught him there are no excuses in life regardless of inequality. You probably think any adversity can be overcome with money. Unfortunately money can’t buy you athleticism.
