BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Boys 2021 - 9th Grade Fall 2017/Summer 2018

What is everyone doing as far as Prospect days and Showcases? The coaches can't tell you if they are interested, and no coaches are on the sidelines for 2021 games since the rule changes for recruiting. Is it worth spending the money?

Does your son play lacrosse to get recruited or does he play lacrosse because he loves to play lacrosse?

What a stupid reply, he can love the game in the back yard without paying $150.00, plus tolls, gas, hotel maybe. I would wait until next year.

I think you're arguing against yourself - I read the the reply as being that boys should first and foremost be playing because they love the game. How does that make the reply stupid and/or in conflict with response?!

Soooooo boring. Same conversation every day, every thread, every day.

The question was is it worth paying, $100, $200, $650 to have your kid who wants to play college ball do these showcases if the college coaches weren't paying attention to 2021's over the summer? Will they start looking this year? We did a few last year, before the rule changed and the coaches said to start this summer. The rules changed, and not a coach was watching this age group.

My son was invited to showcase STX rising. Anyone give me insight on this? Is it worth to do?

Where is it? If in driving distance it may be worth it depending what other tourneys/showcases he will be attending.

Who won Crabs or LI Express?
DC Express is the class of 2021
No one has their talent or depth

Saw DC Express beat up Crabs at 2021today

DCE 8
Crabs 2

Six very good 2021 teams at the Crabs tournament. Every team, including DCE, lost at least one game.

DCE did tie their last game against West Coast Stars - did not lose - WCS tied it with 5 seconds left.

DCE also played WCS - immediately following the Crabs game - [lacrosse] happens with schedules - is what is - just high hurdle to clear when opponent had 2-3 hours off. WCS did tie it up - wild finish.

Many people think it is an advantage to play back to back games against a team with 3 hours off.
is what is

sure - many people who have no experience - makes no sense. No one wants to play back to back games - idiotic statement.

a 3 hour layover can seriously effect a team. It is not always a benefit especially with 14 year olds

Not at all. When a team sits for 3 hours they can get really stale and stiff. I have seen many teams come off a win with a huge amount of confidence and momentum to beat a better team. Happens all the time. A one game rest is perfect, 3 hours is almost as difficult as a back to back game.

I have seen a lot of re-classing even at the public schools. It's just easier to do at the private schools because the public schools require an academic reason. Anyone saying these high-end travel teams ( DC Express, Crabs, Blackwolf, 91, igloo) don't have several re-classes is lying. But it is what it is! The age thing will even out in a year or two. Also, all of these teams are actually fairly evenly matched and can come down to a face-off here and ground ball there, the way it should be. What you should be doing is enjoying watching the amazing level of skill these kids are displaying and watching great competition. Parents please note that it is the kids playing and winning not you and it is just a game being played by 14,15 and 16? year old kids. It has no bearing on anyone's future.

BS, 14 year old kid should be playing against 14 year old kids. Period stop.

So your 14 year old freshmen shouldn't be forced to play with the sophomores on the JV squad? Please create a freshmen team comprised of just 14 year old's for Johnny! It just isn't fair!! Seems like an excuse for your son being a marginal player. The really good 14 year old's can play against older kids and succeed, I have seen many age appropriate kids look bigger and better, fact is they are just bigger and better. If your son can't compete play him on B travel teams in B travel tournaments where he can compete and stop complaining about the kids that are just better.

To be clear you want your freshmen son to play against just 14 year old's. So when HS play rolls around (in 4 months) they should create a special team just for Johnny! It just won't be fair! Fact is there are plenty of age appropriate players that are just bigger and better and parents with less skilled or athletic kids are just looking for an excuse as to why there son isn't as good. They wrongly conclude the kid is older and they are cheating. Maybe it should be a clue that your son isn't a top player. Perhaps he should be playing on B level squads in B level tournaments where he can compete and work on the skills he needs to get better, or until he goes through puberty. Otherwise be happy he is on a top team and gets a chance to work on his play against better players and stop complaining.

False equivalence.

Club is organized by single grade levels. And while we know this is not perfect it is not unreasonable expect less than a 15 month variance of age (for the most part). Yes, there are legitimate reasons to repeat grades and some kids start late so some 'holdback' is to be expected.

HS is a group of four grades.

See the difference?

If you believe playing your kid against older kids is beneficial for him then by all means, play up. It is that simple.

Let's assume all of the kids playing 2021 are truly 9th graders. If some kids are old for the class and some are young they are still playing within the rules.

I fail to see why it matters. Are you truly concerned about the W-L record of your sons travel team? Comparing yourself to other parents who kids are on a better team? It just doesn't matter. What is the point of the complaint? No one is cheating.

I strongly support age-based play for pre-HS levels. I am less concerned about it pot-MS. That said, in a perfect scenario, it really isn't a bad idea to go age-based for everyone - otherwise, why even separate out the four different HS levels. Just make it one or maybe two.

I dont think the hold back thing is big deal but I really dont understand it.
In school ball all the better kids want to play up. The 8th grader want to play JV. The 9th grader wants to play Varsity. I get it.
When you go to travel parents will take a top kid off of a 2020 team reclass him and now play him as a 2021. Even if you do change grades why are you bringing him down to a lower level? Let him challenge himself and drop him later when it matters.
My son is on a good team as a 2003 playing in 2021. If I were to reclass him I would expect him to dominate. If I double dropped him and played against 2023 I would expect him to crush other kids. I wouldnt pound my chest saying he was all that because he scored 5 against younger kids. I certainly wouldnt expect him to celebrate.

You would seem to be a person of integrity - trying to figure out why others who don't hold that same characteristic is always going to be perplexing! ;-)

I'm not a fan of the hold-backs, but people talk about double hold-backs but I would love someone to confirm one. Seems like a myth perpetuated by parents making excuses. And candidly I don't know of any hold-backs that were born before March, so 6 months is what we are talking about. Is it truly that prevalent? I know I have seen kids on the field that look much older but when they take off their helmet they look much younger. Some kids just grow early.

Someone showed me a website that had kids date of births for recruiting. (anyone know what one it is? One of the kids my son played against was 2 years older than him. It happens. Usually a holdback for kindergarden and then heldback in 8th grade or younger. It happens.

Double holdbacks many times refer to boys who intentionally started 1st grade a year 'late' at ~6 (the first 'holdback') and then repeat a grade later on (the second holdback).

[quote=Anonymous]I'm not a fan of the hold-backs, but people talk about double hold-backs but I would love someone to confirm one. Seems like a myth perpetuated by parents making excuses. And candidly I don't know of any hold-backs that were born before March, so 6 months is what we are talking about. Is it truly that prevalent? I know I have seen kids on the field that look much older but when they take off their helmet they look much younger. Some kids just grow early


What are you talking about? My kid was born in June of 2003 and is 2021 as he should be. So "your" holdback was born in March of 2002 and is also a 2021; so 16 months is what you are talking about not 6. Do your understand the difference? Now tell me my kid sucks and he should be playing B.......go ahead. The truth is he dominates 15 and 16 year olds and your holdback's time is running out.

My kids isn't a hold-back. So my defense of hold-backs is purely rational The official date for 2021 is Sept 1st 2002 to be of age. 6 months! Do the math! If your son is dominating 16 year olds he is playing really bad 16 year olds.

Guy, six months older than the oldest non-NY 2021. 9 months older than then oldest NY 2021 and 20 months older than a young NY 2021. That is the math.

Holdback parents keep telling yourself it does not give your kid an advantage. Your kid could not compete at the level you wanted him to playing kids his age so you held him back. For most there is no reason to hold back except to find a way to make your kid better at lacrosse without working hard. Your kid could not do it the old fashion way of hard work, training and playing top competition so he took the easy way out. Got better by holding back. Problem is the life long lesson that goes with that. Instead of teaching your kid to work harder to get what he wants you have tought him to find a way to cheat the system to avoid working harder to get better. A few holdbacks work for me. Trust me. Holding them back did not prepare them for the real world. Always finding ways to cut corners and avoid hard work. These kids went to top ten colleges. Not nearly as successful as the men who graduated the proper year. If your kid wants to get better don't tell him to hold back. Tell him to work harder.

And yeah, he is playing really bad 16 year olds because their parents held them back because they couldn't compete on age.

BINGO!!

Anyone have a recap of how the 2021s did at the Big 4 HHH Fall Champions league yesterday?

My kid is a Oct 2003 birthday, and is running with the Varsity for the fall and winter and he is doing well. If he was a 2022, he would be playing at the JV level, and not picking up as much experience as he is now. It is always better to play up than play down. When he faces a Sept 2002 kid, it will be easy for him.

It's always a better system when the younger player decides to play up versus older players imposing that situation by playing down!

Anyone know why Outlaws Select and Gold (?) are shown as each playing combined with 91 Tri State in their respective brackets?

Not sure what you mean?? But outlaws Sullivan is second team, Black is third team.