Why are schools risking playoff eligibility by having middle school kids play on varsity who are clearly not at the same skill level? Why are parents so caught up on playing varsity that they will risk the entire team's eligibility? I'm not talking about the kids who have passed the selection classification. I'm talking about the kids who can't pass classification but somehow end up eligible. The kid who tells the other kids on the team that they couldn't pass the tests. The reputation of the school, AD, and coach are all at stake just to appease the local dad coach or overbearing Lax mom.
I've heard firsthand, from a now "retired" AD that they would have tryouts and "if the coach wants your daughter, we'll talk about the tests later. We'll make it work"
These parents are worse than the soccer moms out there.
This sounds like a problem with coaches and ADs and not parents. What am I missing?
Parents make it about them and lack the self-awareness to realize what they are doing to their kids. It sounds "cool" to have a 7th or 8th grader playing varsity but it rarely works out.
I always take hearing so and so is a 7th or 8th grader on varsity with a grain of salt. Yes they might be talented and warrant such an accolade but more often than not its also a “need” base decision due to player personnel…school district X only has a senior goalie, no junior, sophomore or freshman in the district…BUT there is a decent enuff 8th grader…pull em up to varsity as insurance for the senior. 8th grade goalie Player parents now can say look my 8th grader is on varsity 🙄
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