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

Again, keep researching. Does he have a full "athletic" scholarship, of course not. If you are not heavily recruited by major schools, you aren't getting one them. He gets $10,000 a year as a lacrosse scholarship. However, most programs will also offer academic scholarships which are reasonably attainable. He keeps a 3.2 GPA, and that is where the other $20,000 a year comes in.

At the end of four years his lax career will be over but he will be debt free and have a college degree to start his life.

Does anyone have any experience with combining financial aid with athletic scholarship. Does the scholarship money get deducted from the aid money zip?

Financial Aid (need based) or Academic awards (earned through outstanding academics)?

Most from LI get the second, not the first

First of all I didn't advocate the playing up posture for everyone. In fact I am the first to admit I probably made a mistake doing this, and unnecessarily put my kid at risk.

All I am saying is 1) my son did play up at an early age,2) it helped him get recruited and 3) it helped him play significantly on varsity as a freshman on a quality team. It is the counter point to all the people who claim holding back gives an unfair advantage as he was small for his age and continues to be undersized.


Yes as you point out he has inherent speed, is athletic, has quickness and strength. However, without the years of wall ball he would not be able to make use of those skills. Wall ball combined with IQ really is what makes the difference. One of the reasons I think I made a mistake with the playing up was my kid became overly reliant on athleticism . As time has gone by, I realize more and more the stick skills are what set kids apart and I think those are better developed in an age appropriate setting which I am doing with my son now.

I am not the only parent that believes playing can be beneficial in certain circumstances.

A great example are the Turtles, they always played up and look where that got them.

I think the held back kids are at a disadvantage. They learn to beat up on less mature kids.

I agree with your analysis

I also agree. This is the first season (2019) that my son is not playing up and I truly believe it helped prepare and push his development.

Confused, not playing up helped him prepare and develop?

Not the poster, but he meant his kid has always played up and has gotten better through the years in doing so, but this year as he is older is playing on age.

Playing up and on age is for the talented kids, in ALL states. It's the way to go. Coaches will notice a talented kid and be more impressed when seen against older kids not younger ones.

My son has always played with older kids (played up) and this year he is playing for the first time with kids his age. Playing up over the years (IMO), really helped push his development and he enjoyed the challenge.

US Lacrosse Adopts New Player Segmentation Policy


US Lacrosse today announced a new player segmentation policy to ensure player safety, competitive fairness and a consistent experience for youth lacrosse. The US Lacrosse Board of Directors approved the policy in January, and it takes effect Sept. 1, 2017 (earlier adoption is encouraged).
Policy highlights include grouping players by single-age years, using Sept. 1 as the determining date for a player's age and as the first day of a 12-month playing calendar, and standardizing nomenclature that lists the age first, i.e., 12U.

About time. So if your birthday is August 31, you would be the oldest on your team correct?

correct.

US Lacrosse Adopts New Player Segmentation Policy

from press release | Twitter

BALTIMORE — US Lacrosse, the national governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse, has adopted a new player segmentation policy to help ensure player safety, competitive fairness and a consistent experience for youth lacrosse. The policy was approved by the US Lacrosse Board of Directors in January.

In order to allow leagues, programs and events to adjust, the policy will go into effect on September 1, 2017, but groups are encouraged to begin following the policy sooner if logistics permit.

“We want this to happen as soon as possible, but we know it will take some time for people to adapt to these changes,” said Kristen Murray, vice chair of the US Lacrosse Board of Directors and chair of the task force that recommended the policy. “We need to keep driving it forward, because this is what’s best for the kids.”

Among the notable items in the player segmentation policy:
•An emphasis on grouping players by single-age years (12-month span).
•Age is based on player’s age as of September 1 in an attempt to align with the majority of school systems nationwide to allow players to play with people in their own grade level.
•Firmly defined playing season that begins its 12-month cycle on September 1.
•Standardized nomenclature that lists age first, i.e., 12U.

In order to help leagues and events monitor the age of participants, US Lacrosse has developed an online age verification system, which includes a review of a birth certificate or other legal document to confirm a player’s birth date.

“All of these things — player segmentation, age verification, athlete development — improve the quality of competition, play and overall experience,” said George Leveille, a task force member who also serves as organizer of the popular Summit Lacrosse Tournament in Lake Placid, N.Y. “The new player segmentation policy was designed to increase participation by making it a more enjoyable and safer playing experience.”

Rules for each age group will be determined by the US Lacrosse rules subcommittees. The rules subcommittees meet each spring and summer to propose rules, which are voted on by the US Lacrosse Board of Directors in September. The rules for each age group will be in sync with the Lacrosse Athlete Development Model, a new initiative for US Lacrosse launched this year.

Members of the lacrosse community wishing to provide input to the rules change process can do so by visiting the following links:

Boys: http://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/boys-rules/boys-rule-change-proposal-form.aspx

Girls: http://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/girls-rules/girls-rule-change-proposal-form.aspx

US Lacrosse recognizes that many leagues and programs are currently grouped in age spans beyond 12 months. For local league and community-based play, organizations may form teams with up to a 24-month age variance if necessary to ensure participation. If two age groups are combined, the even year age should be the maximum age for the paired segment (i.e., 7U/8U) and teams with a greater than 12-month variance must play by the rules for the youngest age group of the team. Local organizations that choose to form teams with a 24-month variance should have appropriate risk management policies and planning in place to ensure that player safety is not compromised.

A chart with the player segmentations for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons is available here.

A task force that included US Lacrosse staff, volunteers, and lacrosse leaders from around the country developed the player segmentation policy. A complete copy of the policy is available on the US Lacrosse web site. Helping to guide the decision making process was a research-based position paper on recommendations for youth lacrosse participation published in 2011.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the US Lacrosse Board of Directors adopt this policy?

The US Lacrosse Board of Directors adopted the player segmentation policy for three primary reasons: Player safety, competitive fairness and consistent experience for participants.

Why was age chosen to segment players?

Age is the best indicator for determining how to group children due to physical and cognitive development. It is also the most easily verified method to segment players. The new US Lacrosse age verification system will assist leagues and events in ensuring that players are segmented properly. However, the age groupings were designed to align as closely as possible with students’ grade level in school so that they can participate with their classmates.

What happens if there are not enough players to field a team using the new segmentations?

The task force recognized that some programs will not have enough players to segment by single-aged years. Provisions are included to allow 24-month age segmentations for local league and community-based play, if necessary, to ensure participation. The aim of the policy is to improve the experience for everyone in order increase participation, not discourage it.

Why was September 1 chosen as the start date of the season?

The playing season was firmly defined as September 1 through August 31 of each year to help ensure consistency. The fall date was chosen as the start date for the new season, as the majority of teams use the fall to begin their preparation for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.

Why is the age listed first on the groupings?

The nomenclature for age groupings was changed to have the age listed first for clarity and to allow for a clear break between youth (14U and younger) and scholastic (15U to 18U) lacrosse. Previously, the U15 level was considered youth, but often included age-eligible high school players. Those situations will be limited in the new structure.

No, August 31 will make you the YOUNGEST on the team.September 1 birthday will be the oldest kid on the team.

That's a drag for the boys who have Fall birthdays. They will be playing down with kids in a lower grade versus playing with their friends

Youngest.
The oldest is 9/1

I don't think so. Guidelines on USL website show 9/1 through 8/31 as one tranche. An August birthday would be the youngest on the team. Correct me if I got that wrong.

are you joking? those people don't give a damn about fair and square.

Youngest. A Sept 1st birthday would be the oldest.

I just read the release. So my son who is Nov 2002 birthday is presently in 8th grade and plays 2020 will be reclassified next year/summer (2017) to U14 (8th grade equivalent) and be the equivalent of reclassified to 2021 for tournaments with travel and play 8th graders even though he will have finished his first year of high school?

Am I understanding this correctly?

You can always play up but you cannot play down. your son can keep playing 'up' with his grade. You have a choice now.

I think the idea is to do away with grade based play completely

Yes but you can always play up.

But US Lacrosse guidelines are not used by anyone today in competitive lacrosse which is where the issue really lies. Why would this be expected to change?

Don't over complicate it. He will be playing with and against only kids who were born on or between September 1, 2002 and August 31, 2003. Who cares what grade the kids are in.

You are correct. He will not be forced to play down a grade he can still play up with his classmates if you choose to. He can not play down a grade if he chooses to reclassify

Ha and isn't that the way it should be? I'd love to know the number of kids who decide against repeating 8/9th grade this Fall.

my son has a late nov 2002 birthday and will not repeat 8th grade . has too many close friends to hold back

rule is for sandbagging parents. Play up as high as you like just no more cheating hold backs and playing down

Hopefully these age guidelines will become the norm but club teams, tournaments have a lot invested in grade system. USL makes guidelines but doesn’t have power to force on tournaments or leagues they don’t directly run. They’ve always advocated age guidelines but with 2 year gaps u11,u13 etc. So this is only a start and it will be interesting to see if clubs and tournaments follow.

also i think this is for youth lacrosse not HS. So in the case of a fall bday in NY, he'd be among the older kids (at least locally) and play with and against kids in the grade below during his youth days. Then in 9th grade become one of the youngest. Could be good or bad for that kid depending on your viewpoint

I am very curious about several aspects:
1. How will most of the clubs implement this rule in the "suggested" season (2016-17). (I know the current season is just starting.)

2. How will the tournaments respond?

3. How will U.S Lacrosse implement verification? Anyone who has been a member for X number of years is grandfathered. all new players submit proof to a "certifying official" at a US Lacrosse sanctioned tournament. Or leave it to the coaches. Who would have to provide proof

As a former certifying official for Basketball, I had a 6-ft kid who used his 8th grade brothers birth certificate to try to play 15U. (He was a older sophomore). (Hint: do not drive yourself to the verification)

Why are people getting so worked up over this? If your kid is in the right age based group you are fine. If not, sounds like you will have some choices to make. As others have posted, soccer and hockey has already been doing this. If people are going to try and get over these are the same people trying to game the system now.

I'm sure next summer all tryouts will be based on the new age requirements. You'll have the opportunity to play up or have your child play in their appropriate age group.

Think you are going to be disappointed if you believe this. The clubs won't change. USL has no power to enforce this.

What about insurance? Don't many tournaments require players to be US Lacrosse registered for insurance purposes? I'm not saying the insurance actually does much, but I'd think that US Lax would make playing at the appropriate age level a condition of having coverage under their insurance. My girls' club is making sure that every single player is US Lax registered before the first practice by confirming it directly with US Lax.

I think the power goes to the schools and the municipalities/parks where the games are played. They will have to require that the tournament is sanctioned buy the governing body of the sport...

I can't remember the last time I had to enter my son's US Lacrosse number for a tournament. Not even sure it it's active. Most big tournaments are run by clubs now and they can do what they want.

The only way this could change is the spring leagues, like HOCO in Maryland, tell the clubs they are changing to age based. But they don't require USL membership, so they don't have to follow the new standard either.

I wonder if the fields that are rented will have the power. because if no one pays will the paying customer get the field but then if someone is hurt everyone gets sued in this day and age

I will answer this.

My son is an on-age 2020 (May 2002). For the most part in Maryland (and elsewhere?), teams have their last tryouts for the boys in their freshman year and that team continues playing in summer (and some fall) tourneys throughout the high school years. Yes there are some additions and subtractions, but for the most part the "core" stays the same. So to the 2020s, in particular, how clubs implement the changes could be critical to this age group.

I have asked our club owner what he plans to do, and he has not yet decided whether to "bite the bullet" next year yet. He said he looked at the rosters and thinks that the private school holdbacks on the 2021 can replace the private school holdbacks on the 2020 and upwards. Since lacrosse is still a relatively small community, I am sure the bar room meetings will be taking place during the summer season.

Keep crying, LI dads.