The reality is that most kids in 8th or 9th grade "like" a particular school based upon:
1) name recognition
2) uniform colors
3) company that sponsors the athletic gear
They don't give much thought to the school being a good fit based upon other more important factors. If anyone thinks this they are fooling themselves.
What's the harm in letting kids be kids for a little longer and have a level playing field for recruiting that starts Sept 1 of their junior year. If anything this will help late bloomers or those going through puberty a little later. Oh, and the kid might be a bit more mature emotionally.
My daughter verbally committed as a freshman and considered a lot more than the three things you mentioned. She focused on schools that were a good fit academically, with campuses and surrounding areas that appealed to her - schools she would like to attend even without lacrosse. She considered coaching philosophy and team culture. We gave her a lot of guidance along the way, but ultimately the final decision of when to commit, and where, was up to her. I have to think a lot of other parents are helping their kids to consider more than just name recognition and uniform color.
We are comfortable with the early commitment, but wish the recruiting process was not starting so early. There are too many club coaches and parents pushing younger and younger kids into the process like it's a race. Sure, a great player can choose to wait until junior year and still be recruited, but there is some risk in missing out on opportunities and scholarship money by doing that.
