BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2029 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

If everything was equal (and I understand that they aren't) HOCO should work like a relegation system. Outside of the Elite division, HOCO generally works like that. I also understand Elite programs try to sway the system to their favor. But, why should Preds stay because they did exactly what last year? Winning HOCO AAA playoff champions two years ago (when they weren't even the regular season champs)?. The only reason the Preds moved up last year was the implosion of the VLC team. Team 91 should be in the same boat too - 2 wins in 3 years? I also understand that MM (like CM and others) have a great deal of input on this.

At a minimum some of these bottom teams should have play in games - should be something like NOVA, 91, DCE (remember they are around this year), and Preds.

There is surely lots of back room negotiating going on.

What's going on with HOCO in the 2029 elite division this upcoming year?

I feel for parents who's kids are on the bubble and not quite able to compete with the more skilled, bigger and faster kids. This is your last year to play the victim, make sure to get it all out while you can.

Couldn’t the same be said for a parent holding his kid back because their child can’t compete on age?

I can't help but feel for the holdback dads in the DMV once high school ends and their sons don't end up at a better Ivy or top D1 program. All that work, only for what? How does little J feel knowing he was held back and still didn't make the cut? Instead, he's riding the bench at Lehigh or Butler. Only a few holdbacks get recruited into those top programs each year—probably less than 100 from a lot of holdbacks—while competing against thousands who weren’t held back. Best case scenario, Holdback Dad got to enjoy the glory days of watching Johnny dominate younger players in youth leagues. Oh and that last year of HS when Johnny the college freshman holdback got to compete against HS players. Man I bet that feels good ! Good Luck .

Somebody hit a nerve. LMAO

their were two that went one rode bench one played the whole game

I don't think it's the kids that can't compete on age that should worry you. It's the ones who can, but still hold-back that should keep you up at night. Imagine losing a middle school lacrosse game. Oh the horror!

While what you are saying makes a lot of sense, history shows that for whatever reason some teams get a pass. What exactly has DCE accomplished over established AAA teams to deserve a play in spot? Essentially BLC from AAA with maybe a few additional players. They have done play ins in the past and it is possible NOVA gets that chance, but the whole thing seems more political than based on anything else. Teams change so much from year to year with additions/subtractions that basing it on last year alone can be a challenge. Fall can be used to some extent but that isn’t always a good barometer either with kids playing multiple sports and missing fall events-results are not always indicative of what you will see in the Spring.

I heard he lacks stick skills and is a slow player.

This website is a joke, all the people who comment are butthurt holdback parents who cry about their children! Get a life bozo!

As the Dad of a reclassified kid, I am not afraid to say that my kid is better than everyone else. I am proud of my boy, and I am for reclasses playing. I reclassified my son so he could get a big scholarship at McDonough. My boy is going to tear it up this season! If you are mad, just admit that my son is better. Go crabs! All these people on this website are mad that Crabs is better than the other teams.

I agree!! My son is a reclass and let me say this has benefited him significantly. My son is 6'3 195 and already has received Division 1 offers from the likes of LIU, and various other schools. I love my son, and I think these rules regarding a kid only 1 month older than the cutoff date. These butthurt parents are scared that their precious children will get dominated by the likes of superior children like mine.

Best 2028 team playing as a 2029 for sure.

If he was “superior” he wouldn’t need to reclass….

Fixed that for you.

In addition to the rampant reclassing going on with Crabs and Preds, True Chesapeake appears to be trying to restock with even more out of state kids. A year after adding the top 6 VLC players, TC is now bringing in more Virginia and even a North Carolina kid (#22 is from True NC LKN) this year. I saw at least 5 helmets that didn't belong to MD area clubs on that squad this weekend. Amazing what people will do to try to win hoco. Sadly, the True Mid Atlantic squad went 0-3 on the day.

If you look closely you probably see a few HS helmets.

These mouth breathers don't seem to understand that very simple concept.

Holding back should work, being older has advantages while you are growing up to adulthood. The book Outlier was all about this.

Just because it is within rules doesnt make it right. Having your son compete against younger players is wrong, no way around that.

I still think anyone should be able to play down a year. That would make everyone on age if they wanted to be , and stop anyone from complaining about holdbacks. Of course holdbacks may not like it.

Imagine the mental gymnastics it takes to think that your kid playing down is superior as opposed to a little b that can't hack it against kids his own age.

They definitely were not MIAA high school helmets. And True ChesaVaNC doesn't take public school kids.

Let’s memorialize this here before the rumor mill takes over. How many reclasses are on the crabs? 4 out of 24 or so?

In 8-9 months after tryouts, every elite team will have just as many or more, the best players want to play on the best teams and the best teams want the best players. Rosters will have multiple fly in players as well. This will be the final year of widespread differences in size in the elite division they all grow up and even out. Smaller players who may be great will need to do more to compete or may have to play in different divisions.

There is no moral high ground to be had, D1 college coaches want more developed and mature players. They’ve said it to my face. They’d much rather have a 20 yr old freshman. Period, it’s on them, Until that changes, this will be the way it is. With the new rule 9th grade reclassing will become the norm as long as D1 coaches want the biggest, strongest, and fastest. and continue to recruit based on what they see.

I agree entirely that there should be age based cutoffs especially in the younger classes. 8th grade was an exception last year and should probably be an exception this year and next at a minimum so that players aren’t missing their 8th grade spring due to decisions their parents made or true learning differences or maturity.

i think they new rule is great and will go a long way to cut down the doubles and early reclasses at a young age.

Don't forget the 2030s that are playing up on that team.

Crabs has 5 reclasses out of a roster of 21 (roughly 25% of the team). The reclasses are 4 poles and a lefty attackman.

Don't muddy the water on age verification. When installed, US Lacrosse and NLF didn't offer an 8th grade exception. The verification rules applied to the 29 class and younger THROUGH 8th grade.

The fact that Crabs, a founding member of NLF, can't even participate in NLF events this year shows you how twisted their roster construction was. The reality is Crabs was a mediocre team last year and they were unable to add outside talent. Their only hope for improvement was to bring the reclasses down a year early.

This was done ENTIRELY to try to game the change in HOCO age restrictions.

Now that HOCO has reverted to their original age requirements, holdback parents are tripping over each other in trying to justify the fact that their kids got screwed by their clubs decision. Now they will be left to play scrimmages and dominate some Aloha tournaments.

Kudos to the 2030's for playing UP. That will make them better players in the long run.

But lets face it. Crabs has them playing on the 29 team because they couldn't get any difference makers to come over from other clubs. Last year was a debacle so they knew if they didn't improve dramatically, King Crab was going to drop the hammer. They added as many reclasses as they could get but only one of those was on offense. So, out of desperation, they also kept a couple of 2030's on offense.

Imagine the level of delusion to think that your kid who can't make an on-age A team is going to be a Division 1 prospect if he holds back a year. Hysterical.

Worse yet.... these families are dropping an extra $40K for the extra year at an MIAA school only to find out their kid not only won't get the promised D1 scholarship but instead will be offered a chance to walk on at Frostburg State.

But hey... if they win HOCO in 8th grade, it all with be worth it. You'll need to mount that hoco champion hat in a shadow box and put it on the mantle next to grandma's ashes.

HOCO website took down chart of age requirements

True Mid Atlantic going 0-3 with high schoolers and kids landing at BWI pregame does not support the "re-classes are ruining everything" narrative. Bigger faster stronger is only of value of they can catch and throw. They are re-classes for a reason.

"But lets face it. Crabs has them playing on the 29 team because they couldn't get any difference makers to come over from other clubs. Last year was a debacle so they knew if they didn't improve dramatically, King Crab was going to drop the hammer. They added as many reclasses as they could get but only one of those was on offense. So, out of desperation, they also kept a couple of 2030's on offense."

So crabs does have 4 holdbacks. All the boys are in 8th or seventh grade. So the 4 boys that are holdbacks, Where do they go play lacrosse in the spring? Maryland does not allow for 8th graders to play in High School nor does it have a league for this group. This is the reality of the rule that was set in place. I am sure that the holdbacks on the team were not held back for athletic purposes. If they were shame on the parents. I wish D.O.B's would be placed on rosters, because the reality is that there are bigger gaps in ages between on age kids than on-age and Hold backs.

We can debate this all you want however as long as there is no universal age clarification in all sports, this will keep happening. I blame, parents, coaches, club directors, and even U.S.A Lacrosse for the fiasco this has created. There "major players" in youth lacrosse that like to be the squeaky wheel so to manipulate things to their advantage. Back room conversations.

Ask any of the kids playing on the field what they think. They don't care. My kids is an on age player on a team with holdbacks and he could care less about how old they are. All he knows is that they go to his school or others schools in the area. Never has he questioned other teams for having hold backs. They only thing him and his friends have said is not good of a shot they have or they can run forever or they are good defensman.

I recommend it. Ask your kid if they care that one player is older than the other. The answer is they don't.

Side note. -I am against holdbacks. Just looking at it realistically.

So what does Crabs and their reclasses going 3-0 support?

Noone said True Chesapeake has reclasses. I haven't heard that they are pulling out of HOCO. I have heard that Crabs is because they wouldn't have enough on-age players to field a competitive team.

I would actually say that Crabs beating True Chesapeake's multi-state team is a stronger indicator that holdbacks are negatively impacting on age talent.

Does the same go for a kid who can't make a middle school team and needs his mommy to get the rules changed for him? How's that going to go in high school and college?

Wish it was true, but MIAA is loaded with top talent reclass/prefirst/holdbacks that will go on to play at college level Of course the majority wont, but plenty will.

BL during the Shack era, his senior year, BL was basically a college Freshman team . Entire starting team was holdbacks except a one player .

I would be crying as well if I had to pay for my sons tuition!! Keep crying Bozos

Parity?

One game was against a team that couldn't pass and catch. The other two were decided in OT.

Well if holdbacks are such a big deals to people and crabs have 4 then why make a big deal about them if crabs had had such close games. Do they really make a difference?

Does it really matter? All those players started the school year as 18 year olds. Some turning 19 during the school year.

We were discussing holdbacks/prefirsts/reclass, try to keep up.

FYI all students technically should start their senior year at 17 years old. If not, you failed some grade along the way or started school late at beginning. Pretty simple concept here in MD.

Who cares lets play ball. The only way to shut down the holdback talk is go and win against them. There are plenty of clubs who can as seen with the overtime.