Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
It is obvious that each person posting has strong opinions on the hold back issue. These discussions will not change anyone's opinions and show one side is wrong and the other correct and talking about it here is not meant to change anyone's opinions. I think we all know that. I think the people who post here on this issue can be split into a few categories. There are some who criticize hold backs because those hold backs in those parent's minds took their kid's spot on a d1 college roster, they got less money from a college, did not make a club team, they are making excuses for their own kid's short comings etc. There are also people who dislike hold backs, even though the hold backs have no impact on their own kid, because they feel that it is a cowards way to get better and instead of working hard to be the best they decided to take the easy way and improve by holding back. This a disgrace to some people especially those parents who were athletes themselves, their kid is a great athlete playing the proper age or both. On the other side there are parents who hold a kid back to get a competitive advantage because the kid is not doing as well lacrosse wise as those parents would like playing with kids the same age. There are also parents who hold a kid back for academic, social or other legitimate reason not associated with lacrosse. All those people posting here on this issue know which category they fall under that makes them feel so strong on this issue. Be honest with yourself on which category you fall in. If you are honest with yourself you will be able to understand the other sides position much better than you do now. If you are not honest with yourself you will never understand the other sides position and you will continue being delusional like most parents out there.

Problem is, parents think their kids are way better than they actually are. Therefore when Junior doesn’t get All County and a spot on the Duke roster they blame holdbacks, but it’s just the kids lacrosse ability holding him back.

You are correct there are some who criticize holdbacks because they think their kid got cheated by an older kid. But there are also many who dislike holdbacks because the parents believe that holdbacks took the easy way out and got better by holding back by making themselves older rather than working hard to succeed. I don’t think you can say all parents who criticize holdbacks do it for the same reasons. I think probably more do it because they believe the hold back is taking a short cut to get better. Also many believe it is a form of cheating even though under the current rules it is not cheating.There certainly is no one size fits all universal answer to explain everyone’s motive for criticizing holdbacks.

In my opinion, as someone who coached youth sports for many years, the holdbacks are not a problem for the talented kids but are the problem for a kid who isn't that talented yet but loves the sport. That kid who maybe this is his first year playing lacrosse and he goes out and plays a team with several holdbacks. Forgot about getting blown out because of the holdbacks but maybe gets knocked around by a kid who has 6 inches and 30 pounds on him because he is a year or 2 older. Those kids unfortunately say forget this, i'll go back to soccer, basketball etc where at least I'm playing kids my own age instead of the kids driving to the games. Most towns starting at the PAL level can maybe field one team per age group. Some towns are bigger and can field multiple teams. For some towns losing those 1,2,3,4 players can be the difference between having a PAL team for an age group and not having one. Can ruin the lacrosse experience for many kids. All because some lost parents want their 15 year old to beat up on 13 year olds. My kid is in high school now and is pretty good and loves lacrosse. Every time I come home from a club lacrosse event I feel the need to take a shower to get the filth of the whole US lacrosse landscape off me. Maybe I'm just old fashioned and remember the pride of being asked to play up with the older kids when I was young. With youth lacrosse in America instead of reach for the top its swim to the bottom to be successful.