Holding a "Male" back is not a negative forTHAT KID, but it is a negative for every other kid in their correct grade trying to keep up with them. Too many kids in Northern and Eastern KY are holding their kids back, and acting as if they are as talented in the same grade as those n Southern and Western KY.... It has evened the playing field for them athletically because without that, they could not compete.... That should change now. A 17 year old should be on his way out of school; not just starting their Sophmore year, but it is happening more and more in the aforementioned parts of the STATE.

 

Please site your sources for stating that it's happening in some parts of the state more than others. I'm anxious to read the research.

Please site your sources for stating that it's happening in some parts of the state more than others. I'm anxious to read the research.

I'd like to know his reasonings too, well, besides possible sour grapes. Doesn't the state say that someone could be 19 and still play HS sports? Whatever the age limit is, it's there! But some want to complain when parents want to have their kid at that age when they graduate, and say that at 17 students should be rushed out the door of HS?

Holding a "Male" back is not a negative forTHAT KID, but it is a negative for every other kid in their correct grade trying to keep up with them. Too many kids in Northern and Eastern KY are holding their kids back, and acting as if they are as talented in the same grade as those n Southern and Western KY.... It has evened the playing field for them athletically because without that, they could not compete.... That should change now. A 17 year old should be on his way out of school; not just starting their Sophmore year, but it is happening more and more in the aforementioned parts of the STATE.

 

Big thing I disagree with is the "17 year old should be on his way out of school"

 

I was 17 when I graduated from HS. I didn't turn 18 until late October. I could have had 2 more years.

I was not recruited out of HS. I went to a local community college my first year in college. I grew taller and stronger that year. I then signed at a JUCO to play after that year. I went on to play 4 years of college basketball and had those 4 years paid for. NO I didn't go PRO but I did have my school paid for. If I had been held back in ES or MS I may have had the chance right out of school.

 

Honestly, what does it hurt a kid to be in school one more year no matter how they are benefiting as long as they are of age. The real world will be there.

Go ahead and hold them back. Let them play AAU, work out, do whatever the parent thinks they need. It is a redshirt year and not playing school sports is not that big a deal in a player's development. It really isn't in this day and age.

 

But what will the schools that hold back entire groups do? Lol

I can tell a big difference between 8 and 7 year olds when it comes to sports.

 

Wow - that is some insight. Not just everyone can see that.

Personally I have no issues with this rule. Some have stated that the kids who will fall under this rule will miss a season of X sport they play. Actually no they won't, they just won't get an EXTRA season of that sport. Personally as a middle school coach I get tired of hearing other coaches come up and try to justify why their kid is so much bigger, stronger, 4th year we have seen him at that level...has a full beard. Now I know sometimes the coach is just in a bad spot, the parents held the kid back for whatever reason (MOST of the time athletics, but can be other reasons at times) and there he is for the coach to coach. We experienced this with a team we played last year in particular, holding an 8th grader back and he played as an 8th grader for 2 years, and to be honest I thought he was an older 8th grader to start with BEFORE being held back. With this rule, he would not have been eligible to play, and my guess is would not have been held back if he couldn't.

 

Now, lets talk about age and high school. I keep hearing people say "well I was 17 my senior year". Well, that's what you really should be, just like I was 17 my senior year until a few weeks before graduation, turning 18 on April 18th. Most kids, under normal circumstances should turn 18 sometime within their senior year, some maybe right before school starts or right after graduation, IF they started at the proper time and have not been held back, with the majority turning 18 between September and May.

 

This might make some people mad, but it's the truth. In my day and age...if you were already 19 during your senior year of high school...guys I'm just gonna be honest here...either something was wrong with you developmentally, or you were, as we used to say, just dumb as a rock. Rightly or wrongly, that was the thought. That's just how it was. There also weren't many 19 year olds walking the high school halls in my time either. Sure there were other circumstances here and there I'm quite sure, but for the most part that's how it was. You weren't held back for athletics as you see a lot of kids are today, not to the extent it's done today anyway. You were held back MOSTLY because you were challenged in some way or you failed a grade and were held back by the school. I don't know if this is true or not, but was told by a coach in this particular schools area...a team who is a fairly recent state champion in basketball, ALL their seniors, and I believe there were 6 or 7 of them on the team, all were 19 the day they crossed the stage for graduation. IF true, then to me that's just absolutely ridiculous. Was also told they were all held back as a group specifically for athletics, namely basketball. Wow. I mean, really, who WANTS to be 19 and a senior in high school, for any reason, held back either for legitimate reasons or for athletics (which I don't deem a legitimate reason).

The practice of redshirting is a joke. Your kid isn't gonna play for the 'Cats. Get over it and let them live a reasonably healthy life without outrageous athletic expectations from parents who weren't really as good as they'd like to remember, either.

 

Everyone should agree w/ this. A lot don't, and hence this broad rule. This type of situation is very sad, obviously. Athletics ahead of Academics is a recipe for disaster. Keeping kids from playing sports who are doing the best that they can academically isn't the answer though.

Everyone should agree w/ this. A lot don't, and hence this broad rule. This type of situation is very sad, obviously. Athletics ahead of Academics is a recipe for disaster. Keeping kids from playing sports who are doing the best that they can academically isn't the answer though.

 

As a joke I asked my son after his 7th grade year if he wanted to be held back just to get his reaction and he said Dad, why would I want to take another year of the same grade and leave my friends. Hence, sports are not that important and your kid is likely not the next Prodigy so take a chill pill and leave your kid alone.

I am debating on doing this my son willl be 17 his Senior year. If I hold him back it will be when he is a 5th grader. Most of his friends are 8 and he is 7. I can tell a big difference between 8 and 7 year olds when it comes to sports.

If you are thinking about it, do it now instead of later. Later your kid won't want to, they will have stronger friendships with classmates and they won't want to be "left behind".

 

As a joke I asked my son after his 7th grade year if he wanted to be held back just to get his reaction and he said Dad, why would I want to take another year of the same grade and leave my friends. Hence, sports are not that important and your kid is likely not the next Prodigy so take a chill pill and leave your kid alone.

Agreed.

As a joke I asked my son after his 7th grade year if he wanted to be held back just to get his reaction and he said Dad, why would I want to take another year of the same grade and leave my friends. Hence, sports are not that important and your kid is likely not the next Prodigy so take a chill pill and leave your kid alone.

 

My boys still ask if there is a test that they can take to get into their correct grade. It was incredibly hard for them to be held back. It was our decision and it was incredibly difficult for us to make. Neither side of the family was happy w/ us for it, but they had trouble reading. It hurt their confidence. That was in 1st grade, I couldn't imagine having to do that later on. For those that make this type of decision lightly in the hopes that their son/daughter will gain an athletic advantage, I'll just say, "There's a right way to do things, and a wrong way."

I have had some direct conversations or overheard conversations with some middle school dads here recently regarding holding their son(s) back. There are several who, I believe if it were left to their own devices and no one else to answer to, would hold their kids back simply based on athletics. But the 2nd part of that conversation is ALWAYS..."but Mary Beth Lisa Sue aint gonna let it happen". It's amazing how almost all those conversations take that very same route when I hear it discussed.

Edited April 21, 201412 yr by BigVMan23
added text

But the 2nd part of that conversation is ALWAYS..."but Mary Beth Lisa Sue aint gonna let it happen". It's amazing how almost all those conversations take that very same route when I hear it discussed.

 

I don't get this.

I don't get this.

 

The wives/mothers of the kids won't let if happen.

If you are thinking about it, do it now instead of later. Later your kid won't want to, they will have stronger friendships with classmates and they won't want to be "left behind".

 

 

Agreed.

 

 

Youth football goes by age so he already knows all the kids. He has tons of friends older and younger.

Gotcha.

 

Held my kid back, and he had a great experience.

 

Mom didn't mind; she gets to keep her baby another year.