BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2026 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

The Tigers brought their 2021 team to play the 26 Hawks. All kids on the field were between 17 and 24 years old. You people who worry about holdbacks are crybabies who make excuses for your kids' lack of ability (current ability - they can and will get better). Not every kid is a stand out. That doesnt mean that they can't benefit from an outstanding TEAM experience. Stop crying and living vicariously through your kids. Leave your kids alone. Stop screaming at the officials. Stop emailing your coaches.
Let the attacks begin! Cheers![/quote]

Can you please enlighten the rest of us to your virtuous ways?We are not worthy to receive your enlightenment.[/quote]

Attack #1 from Crybaby mom/dad #1.... Next crybaby up.

The Tigers brought their 2021 team to play the 26 Hawks. All kids on the field were between 17 and 24 years old. You people who worry about holdbacks are crybabies who make excuses for your kids' lack of ability (current ability - they can and will get better). Not every kid is a stand out. That doesnt mean that they can't benefit from an outstanding TEAM experience. Stop crying and living vicariously through your kids. Leave your kids alone. Stop screaming at the officials. Stop emailing your coaches.
Let the attacks begin! Cheers![/quote]

Can you please enlighten the rest of us to your virtuous ways?We are not worthy to receive your enlightenment.[/quote]

+1 - Now that is funny, a Hawks parent lecturing about not living vicariously through your kids. LOL

Hawks blow.
Take out one middie and they are an average team.
But they do have the loudest dad in all of 2026.
Toolbox, but even when they beat us we can laugh about him.
Enjoy Spaulding.

That’s such a weak argument. Do kids a year older have an advantage? Yes, but my son being young for his grade (in lax terms) and doing well against holdbacks only makes him better when he gets to high school. Am I gonna cry when he’s a 14 ur old freshman playing against 19 yr old seniors? Nope, because that’s real life. Either step up or step out...your call, Dad.

No, the weak argument is yours, especially since you begin by admitting that an extra year is an advantage. HS sports is designed for four class grades to compete against each other, and if a 14 year old freshman makes the varsity, then good for him. But youth lacrosse, even Elite, is designed for players in one grade to compete against each other. I saw the Hawks play this summer for the first time, and was amazed at how dependent they are on the size advantage of a few players. Take those players away and they are still a good team, but they would be on par with BLC, MadLax, FCA etc., the teams that they routinely beat by 6-7 goals. The games would be close and competitive, rather than a victory lap for Hawks dads each weekend as they taunt the kids on opposing teams. What losers. If your son is on that team and you are under the illusion that he (and you) are hot stuff because the Hawks always win, you are the one who will be crying when he gets to high school.

Here's a question. Why don't other teams just take him out of the game then? Seems to be the obvious answer to stopping them if they are weak everywhere else except him.

Following your logic why aren't you playing in the 2025 bracket? Is it because you would lose and it wouldn't be fair? It seems like playing older kids would help you prepare your freshman to be crushed by seniors in HS.

Exactly...your son can’t handle the holdbacks at this age and it hurts you as a dad. I love that my son gets to play against my older kids, it’ll only make him that much better of a player and person when he hits HS. Sure he’s disappointed when he loses to Hawks, but he knows it’ll only make him a better player when it matters. 7th grade lax championships are fun for a minute, getting better at this point to dominate in high school and get into a better college are fun for a lifetime. #micdrop

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Not weak at all....You just have your head in sand and have not gone thru it.......The advantage starts young with prefirst/reclass/holdbacks getting on the field more.. Many of these players would not start unless held back at a young age,,,after awhile everyone catches up size wise sooner or later, but not playing time, what coaches think better players are due to always starting, etc,, average players held back are better than average playing down.. Thats why there are so many holdbacks now

Thanks. We had some good takeaways from this tournament. We went 3-0 on the first day and knocked off two of the top 20 teams. Not bad for a team that’s really only been together for a year and has true 11 and 12 year olds. Actually, when we played the Hawks, we held our own when that one middie had to leave the game to go move his illegally parked car. We’re looking forward to fixing our mistakes and playing the toughest teams.

Wow, quite the participation trophy parent! You should want your son to face better comp, that’s how you improve. Ok love that my boy has faced older kids for the past 4 years and will for the next 2 before high school. That’s how you improve. He does not care and I don’t care if they win 7th grade tourneys. He has fun with his boys and I have fun watching him improve and enjoy lax. I’d never hold him back, but if other parents do that’s fine as they are only making my son better. Step up or step out

legit question and trying to be high level...if your kid is 14 & 7th grade,,,isnt there a bigger problem (aka a stunard or dense)

Nice try Hawks Dad!

Ha ha ha. So fun to watch these Dads try to justify holding Johhny back because he couldn't hang, or that based on their subpar genes they knew their seed would need an early unfair advantage! Pure Gold

Club Lacrosse should be birth year. Would dramatically change the landscape.

Tell us more

If your kids put half as much effort and heart in to their lax game as their parents didn't coming here crying, maybe they would be successful. Can we get the dad's back out here please and let the moms rest

Not sure what you are talking about...You have your head in sand.. This has nothing to do with 7th grade. Being on age playing against holdbacks doesnt transform you into some better player? . Those holdbacks are your grade and will be until end of High School. Might as well consider them " on age now " . They are getting the playing time, confidence and have the bigger size at a early age. By the time most on age catch up, to late, the holdbacks have started most of youth games and are about to start JV/V.

Obviously you dont play or have any want to play in the MIAA or IAC. That is holdback central and best players in MD /DC. The best players minus a few on age are all holdbacks.

Do you think the Stanwicks played on age ?? How many TOP players coming out of BL are on age ? lol...or McD, ST P, CH, etc.. very few.

Youth lacrosse and holdbacks are out of control now and nothing will change as long as Clubs run it and the useless USL is the governing body of youth lacrosse . USL is more concerned with PC correct woman issues and minorities than cleaning up this holdback youth issue.

Yes I agree MIAA is tough due to the large number of private school kids reclassing in 9th grade since they are coming from crappy MD public schools. The Stanwicks of the world are reclassing in high school not elementary or middle school. The kids held back before HS struggle with basic reading and comprehension. I have a suggestion, the Hawks should take one of their weekly practices and everyone bring a book to learn how to read - maybe you can keep your kids at grade level. By the way, top D1 programs require lacrosse skill AND academics. Clearly the Hawks are failing.

Sounds like Baltimore has a cheating Dad problem. When does this whole holdback thing start? Do they know Johhny is a crappy athlete before he starts pre k and hold him back? Or is the kid so dense in school and sports that Dad figures it out in elementary school and makes him repeat a grade? Just curious about when these Dads begin to feel their inadequacies...

The Hawks have very good players and coaches like a lot of teams in this age.Can we keep it positive on here?

Should be birth year but is not and it is just silly to think 14 yr olds are playing 2026 for any team. Hawks were not biggest team out there (True IL and BLC had enormous kids). The sour grapes is laughable, the hawks get their pick of Anne Arundel county and some of the eastern shore and the talent is centralized. They have a few big kids but most of the team and a lot of the scoring comes from kids that are undersized and skilled. The gap is narrowing as shown with a well coached and talented VLC team leapfrogging other elite teams so this group will be fun to watch. Save the conspiracy theories for the LI board.

You clowns should go read the high school thread. Holdbacks have been part of the game for decades. heck, colleges Red Shirt players all the time. This is nothing new and the whining and crying is funny. Its not fair. Life isnt fair. You want fair go play rec ball where everyone gets to play equal time and everyone gets a trophy

I have a suggestion. Perhaps you should go to one of the Hawks practices and have an open dialogue with their parents instead of taking cheap shots at kids behind a keyboard.

This is not nice if you do not have something nice to say maybe dont say it?

It’s actually almost all California kids. 19 of the 22 players are from California.

I know, I know. I personally have an on age kid who is kicking butt and doing so though a couple of hours of work every day. Its just fun to rile the cheaters up, which is far too easy. No slight on the kids, its not their fault their parents did not trust them to make it on sheer hard work and talent alone and sought another advantage. Its a dog eat dog world, I thank you for playing your kids down so my kid can get better.

I know, I know. I personally have an on age kid who is kicking butt and doing so though a couple of hours of work every day. Its just fun to rile the cheaters up, which is far too easy. No slight on the kids, its not their fault their parents did not trust them to make it on sheer hard work and talent alone and sought another advantage. Its a dog eat dog world, t and I thank you for playing your kids down so my kid can get better.

The shots are at the parents, not the kids. The Hawks parents have an unjustified arrogance on the sidelines and on this board. No team would win 100% of the time if the playing field was fair.

They are almost as bad as a cry baby keyboard warrior who won't say a thing to these dads on the sidelines so you tuck your little wang between your legs, sulk back to your SUV and head on home to fire up the computer to really get back at them!!

Do you really think that there's any elite Level MD/DC team without holdbacks? I assume that the Hawks have a few, i know my son has a few, odds are your kids team does too. Stop whining

Haha, so funny. No holdbacks on The VA Crabs?? Please. 3 of yours D poles were all as tall as anyone on the field. Just not as skilled

Ha ha, triggered again. So easy. Nice to see someone else helping with this game...

They were skilled at getting penalties and mouthing off to the ref.

What is the rational to hold your kid back versus play him up at this age group; 6th grade?

You wrote:

Yes I agree MIAA is tough due to the large number of private school kids reclassing in 9th grade since they are coming from crappy MD public schools. The Stanwicks of the world are reclassing in high school not elementary or middle school. The kids held back before HS struggle with basic reading and comprehension. I have a suggestion, the Hawks should take one of their weekly practices and everyone bring a book to learn how to read - maybe you can keep your kids at grade level. By the way, top D1 programs require lacrosse skill AND academics. Clearly the Hawks are failing.

My reply:

Are you kidding me?? A team of 7th grade boys who work hard at a sport they love gel as a team and consistently win games. As a result of your adult insecurity you criticize these young men and claim they can’t read? What kind of human being are you? You have nothing else better to do then pick on kids? Instead of ridiculing kids you know nothing about maybe you should go to your place of worship and hit your knees and ask for forgiveness for directing your insecure and detest filled soul’s shortcomings at a bunch of innocent young men who simply have a greater skill at a game then most other kids. This is something to congratulate them on, not beat them up over.

Ah, a break through. Hawks dads get mad and refer to opposing team's SUV's. Why would somebody's choice of vehicle be relevant? I think we all know.

To any FCA parents or others who know their 2026s, why does the big physical attackman sit out some games completely (while there and dressed) and other games plays only 5-10 minutes and dominate. I saw it myself one game and have heard others question it from multiple other teams (and spread rumors of daddy ball, racism, and not really being on the team which no one seemed to have any info to back those up). I asked a Dad when we faced them and he said he thought the kid "doesn't have the stick skills" which may be true but he is a monster and has scoring skills and would love to see him come to our tryouts if he wants to start and get more PT.

Yeah man. Got em good

VLC 2026 has exactly one re-classed 7th grader. Will a Hawks 2026 parent give an estimate how many are on their roster?