BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums NORTHEAST LACROSSE BOTC MAIN FORUM (LI, CT, WC) Age and Reclassification. The good the bad the ugly!

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This is the part of the conversation I find funny. Maybe I am in the minority but for the most part we are probably talking about the elite or excellent player who reclassifies (I know those who will say if they are elite why will they reclassify) but putting that aside I cant imagine people reclassifying bc they want their kid to go play in the PLL for a few bucks or saving 12 grand in college. If reclassifying gets a boy into the Ivies or Duke or Va etc or certain schools in the NESCAC versus a second rate school then the parent did well by the child. Its not about a few month advantage in high school or even a year its about getting your child he best education possible which will potentially lead to greater chances and choices in life. Note I said potentially bc you can be successful going to lower end state school. Now before anyone says I am a parent of a hold back, my son will enter his senior year as a 16 year old and turn 17 in January of his senior year thus clearly younger than holdbacks. I do not begrudge the parents who seek to have their kids go to Deerfield or Brunswick or any other school if they are able to provide the best for their kid then good for them. My son will have to step up.

I agree. Forget US lacrosse for one minute. I’m saying this as a parent. How does another parent of a youth player, actually allow their son to play against younger kids. Not high school, youth is what I’m saying. I’d be embarrassed as a dad, allowing my son to play against kids a year or 2 younger. If your kid has a good game, what do you say to him. Good game son, you scored 4 goals. Doesn’t it enter your head as you say that. Well my son is 10, he dominated 8 and 9 year olds.

I agree, but some parents only care about their children and are selfish. I have two sons playing for last 7 years. I have seen multiple parents have sons repeat a grade and play their kid against kids two and half younger against combo teams and one year and half younger on grade. As long as their kid does well its great, god forbid though if their kid has to play against older kids. Guess the ends justify the means. Back when I was a kid it was cheating and pathetic. Now its a viable strategy. Parents need to be called out by the other parents if you ask me. Sure it will make conflict but hey they don't care about your kid why should we care if they get embarrassed that little Johnie is exposed. Clubs just want the money thats a business.

He started kindergarten late. He had delays, social issues, the doctor says this, the doctor says that, all this is legitimate reasons to hold a kid back. 100 percent. I’m sure there are soccer kids, baseball kids, hockey kids with similar situations. Nobody is saying holding your kid back for real life issues is wrong. However late August, mid July, early April, means nothing. A cutoff date is a cutoff date. Pick a date and go with it, period. Those real life issues, shouldn’t pertain to sports. If he academically is a 3rd grader, but his age makes him a 4th grader, he should play with the 4th graders. That’s what I would do. That’s what other sports do. That’s the right thing to do.

Just wondering. My son was born in early August. At around 3 years old he exhibited learning differences. His start of kindergarten was delayed by a year after consultation with his dr. He started playing organized sports at around six or so and in the past few years took to lacrosse. 1) Is it fair that he, using your “holdback” logic, be negated from playing sports with his classmates and instead be pushed up a year and play with kids not in his class? Remember the only reason for him being “held back” was his having a learning difference. 2) Do you really think he has some kind of super advantage in sports over kids born in Oct or Dec in the same year? A 3 to 4 month time frame. 3) How do you reconcile the trade off of him being behind his peers in learning vs some perceived advantage in sports? 4) Would you be willing to have your son switch places with him and give up academic advantage for perceived sports “holdback” advantage? Not trying to pick a fight, just trying to better understand perspective on this topic.

An age ceiling percentage. Really man. It’s youth sports. This isn’t physics. Stop already. Stop making this difficult. It’s black and white. There is a date cutoff. Kids should play the same year. I have 3 kids, one is a summer baby. Too bad on him, he will be 10 or 11 months younger than others. That’s life, sorry. He will he youngest on team. Oh well. Life goes on. Kids aren’t 2 or 3 years older, maybe 11 months. That’s the way it goes.

An age ceiling percentage. Really man. It’s youth sports. This isn’t physics. Stop already. Stop making this difficult. It’s black and white. There is a date cutoff. Kids should play the same year. I have 3 kids, one is a summer baby. Too bad on him, he will be 10 or 11 months younger than others. That’s life, sorry. He will he youngest on team. Oh well. Life goes on. Kids aren’t 2 or 3 years older, maybe 11 months. That’s the way it goes.

I agree. Forget US lacrosse for one minute. I’m saying this as a parent. How does another parent of a youth player, actually allow their son to play against younger kids. Not high school, youth is what I’m saying. I’d be embarrassed as a dad, allowing my son to play against kids a year or 2 younger. If your kid has a good game, what do you say to him. Good game son, you scored 4 goals. Doesn’t it enter your head as you say that. Well my son is 10, he dominated 8 and 9 year olds.

I agree. Forget US lacrosse for one minute. I’m saying this as a parent. How does another parent of a youth player, actually allow their son to play against younger kids. Not high school, youth is what I’m saying. I’d be embarrassed as a dad, allowing my son to play against kids a year or 2 younger. If your kid has a good game, what do you say to him. Good game son, you scored 4 goals. Doesn’t it enter your head as you say that. Well my son is 10, he dominated 8 and 9 year olds.

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Whomever wrote this must be new to lacrosse...i remember when my son first started playing, thinking wow how are these other few kids so physically advanced over my son. My kid was a very good athlete, and not a small kid, but in a totally different class at the beginning stage. Little did i know, all of their dads played lacrosse in various college settings, and each of their dads held them back and had them play down. It was not that they were better players, they were older and had been playing for years. When my son started travel lacrosse at 7/8, there were kids 20 months older than him on the team (disgraceful).

4 years later, i am still grappling with this concept. My kid caught up, their kids still look like they should be playing in a different age group, and my wife and I cannot fathom a family holding back kids in school for a youth sport that has ZERO chance of having a lifetime of earnings (unless you are Paul Rabil or want to be a gym teacher/lax coach).

We have come to grips that the age and "how can i get Johnnie to be physically superior" discussions will not end until a new player either takes a ball to the neck/chest from a kid playing down 2 years, or a "true on age" player basically gets run over by a 20 month older player. It's pretty disappointing. It forces the on-age players to play more aggressive because they are 10 inches smaller, lol.

Regardless of the good, the bad or the ugly, reclassification is here to stay about to get a whole lot worse. Due to recent events there is going to be alot of reclassifying and PG years.

Been reading this argument for 10 years, know what changed, nothing. Know what will change 10 years from now? Nothing

Yeah, but hush schoolers, juniors and lower, can’t reclass now that have entered 9th grade, unless they sit out of year. I think that’s the way it works.

That is not true for some areas as these Freshman have not played an official varsity season or even a game. Enforcement will be lax and kids can move between public and private with no impact. There will be an increase in re-class for the 2023 grade to the 2024 grade.

Just how many additional parents are going to take on the expense of a public to private so their kid can play lacrosse?

Just how many additional parents are going to take on the expense of a public to private so their kid can play lacrosse?

That is not true for some areas as these Freshman have not played an official varsity season or even a game. Enforcement will be lax and kids can move between public and private with no impact. There will be an increase in re-class for the 2023 grade to the 2024 grade.

Actually, something has changed. With the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility, there will be some 25-26 year olds playing COLLEGE lacrosse at my sons school next year! They peaked at 18 in HS and haven't played too much since, so not concerned. Can't make this stuff up!

It can go the other way, a parent now needs to send son to public, have not played any official games, they could re-class. I do know of some that are considering going public to private that were on the fence. The real advantage to the re-class kid will be next season's showcases, club events, UA team ect. Also this puts more distance between a player and the current recruiting logjam caused by the extra NCAA year.

Why not? If it gives an advantage.