BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Westchester NY/Fairfield CT Youth Lacrosse

Like a lot of affluent hyper competitive towns there is a huge contingent that hold their kids back a year before entering kindergarten. Some will repeat the process in 7th or 8th grade when they move their kid to private school.

Super lame practice. When enough people hold their kids back a grade it will have no appreciable impact. Edge Lacrosse plays all of their teams down a grade/age bracket, really taking the hold back practice beyond the pale.

How is that ultra competitive? If you were competitive you would play your kid up, NOT down. Playing against better/older kids is more competitive not playing against younger kids. I know some of these people from these towns and they are controlling US Lacrosse not to implement an age (fair) based system like soccer, hockey and other sports.

In wrestling, there are weight classes for fair competition, in youth sports the best method of fair play is age.

Most of the parents in Connecticut also want age based teams. Grade based teams leads to hold backs and parents trying to game the system.

HA sounds like you're kids on the team, not all people who played for preds feel this way.

I was at the Express North tryouts. You had the real 2021's clocking in at about 5'. And then you had the holdbacks, already turning 13 clocking in at 5'4'' ore more. I saw a giant kid there, had to be 5'10". Wasn't that talented but he was running over kids and you could see the coaches scribbling notes. I am sure that despite the weak lax skills they were thinking, "I can work with that"....

Pure speculation. If it IS done it certainly is not done with the knowing cooperation of the Predators staff

End the speculation. Age verification. I have spoken with several coaches and parents that have verified the left back status of their kids but nothing is done about it. Go to the Yale Fall Bulldog tournament and you will see it on display. Unfortunately it may take a kid getting hurt to change.

I agree but don't make baseless claims in an attempt to tarnish a program's reputation. Also not all (if any) families from bronxville or rye believe as you suggest.

It is real simple. Age verification. And play your age.

How do you know that

That? what left back kids playing younger kids is that your question?

Simple solution, age verification and play kids their own age.

Meant how does the predator poster know kids are being held back without Predator coaches knowing.

Any, I know at least 2 families in bronxville who strongly believe holding back is the way. As far as Rye, they never needed it, but I go back to the flood days.

Everyone stop with the back and forth, just age verify. It is done in hockey, soccer, baseball and it's time has come to age verify in lacrosse. It will end all arguments. Everyone should lobby US Lacrosse to enforce age appropriate playing rule.

Shouldn't this be moved to the Age Verification thread so the focus can return to Westchester Lacrosse?

Agreed. Move this convo to the age Verification thread. Any other thoughts on quality of tryouts or talent/numbers at them?

This argument has been going on for years in the Long Island and Maryland threads. Bottom line, in high school you play against older kids and in college you play against men. Might as well get used to it now. Makes your son a better player.

The HS kids can still play against older/younger kids- but why not attach a birth year to every player? A coach seeing a small 15 yr old, man handle a big18 yr old fully developed kid gives one food for thought. That smaller 15 yr old sure seems like a good bet if he can handle the older, stronger, bigger player and has yet to go through puberty. Tables turned as well- knowing an older, bigger player repeatedly gets best by kids 1-3 yrs younger gives one something to think about. As long as kids are fighting for a roster spot, and are allowed to play down, age should be connected to their name. Let them play- but also let it be known that they are playing younger opponents. The only people fighting a birthdate being attached or published is those players and their families that have been left back. If you are do proud- might as well flaunt it publicly for all to see!!!

Absurd logic. Comparing a 12 year old to an 18 year old. Just stupid.

Go to another thread please

In high school good freshman play against Seniors. So your looking at 14-15 versus 18-19. And those good freshman were playing against older kids when they were 12 and 13. If you want to play at a high level that is what happens. I agree embrace playing up and you will be a better player.

One would think this but the holdback philosophy has them only playing up in name only. Many of These kids are older.

I agree with playing up to make your son better, I have done that. The problem is the left back kids playing down are now two years older than my son. It is a problem and therefor it should be age based and if your kid wants to play up a year, GREAT. But when you have deception the age thing gets out of control and I have seen it first hand at a few tournaments.

The holdback issue only comes into play when kids being held back are taking roster spots from kids playing age or grad year appropriate.

If there are 100 roster spots/ tuition assistance and 20 are taken by kids whop are heldback, that reduces an age appropriate players chances of getting into certain schools and receiving some $$$. Its really that simple.

Curious...if you balance those 20 holdback kids in that age group (ie, 2020) with 20 other kids that are absent from tryouts are held back for a younger age group (2021) making tryouts easier for the 80 non-holdback 2020 kids, is it a wash?

This holdback issue is whack yo! There's a kid in my sons grade who will be 20 in his senior year of high school

I know it's so crazy! There's a kid in my sons grade who somehow will be driving in 8th grade and 21 in his senior year of high school

does it make sense for a 4th grader(2024) to play with his friends on a B caliber team or up a grade 2023 if he or she is talented enough to make it?

he or she would have more fun playing with friends in 4th grade right? Plenty of time to join the crazy train of elite travel teams and if the kid is elite they'll be a spot on those teams in 7 or 8th grade

Play with friends. Make it fun. The summer elite programs can suck the fun out of it pretty fast.

Folks,

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Anyone have any feedback on the express north tryouts?

you mean results or how were they run and attended?

Well attended at all levels with quality kids.

It will be tough to make the 2018 or 2019 given those teams are very talented and have been playing together for a while However both teams have needs and can improve at all positions.

The younger teams will be wide open and Express North will have some tough choices to make given all the kids that showed up.

Not sure when they announce who made the Teams?

i was at the 2022. 23, and 24 tryouts and was pleasantly surprised at the overall talent level given what I have seen at other tryouts

My 2022 received a phone call from the express north coach yesterday letting him know he had made the team. Their last tryout was Saturday. I don't know about the other teams but 2022 had about 55-60 kids tryout out, many talented players.

I heard a great story today, one that is very sad - talk about conflict of interest- john jay youth lacrosse president is calling up 9 year olds and trying to persuade them to play for Primetime. If this isnt wrong in so many ways, I dont know what is. whats the difference where they play at 9. If JJYL really cared about their kids, they would be doing more internally to keep them together and not worrying about making money . Shame on you !!!!!!!

oh wow- i would have thought they would push for the greatest lax family in that area, the guy who runs the program out of purchase- all three brothers, sister are jj lax grads and father coaches - but regardless, definitely innapropriate to be flat out pushing for one program over another

My son attended the 2021 tryout yesterday and I can attest to the talent level. They could easily create two very talented teams. My son's friend was on the team last year and he and his parents have only had great things to say about the coaches and other parents. He will be very disappointed if he doesn't make the team.

Is it true most kids tryout for many different programs?