Holding a kid back, does it help??

[teach1coach2]

I'm a high school teacher and my wife teaches kindergarten. Forget about athletics for a minute. Especially for boys, it is better to have the older child in the class than the younger child. It is a maturity issue. All of my children (3 boys) were born in the summer and all were 6 when they started kindergarten. My wife consistently says that the kids who struggle in kindergarten and it usually continues up through elementary are the boys who are among the youngest in the class. So do it for the right reason, education.

Now for athletics. Duh. Of course being one of the older kids in the class is an advantage. I have a nephew who graduated high school when he was still 18. He was all-Ohio as a punter, in basketball and in baseball. He went to a D3 school and holds several punting records for the league. He had a few pro tryouts. Did not work out and he moved on to teaching. He has always wondered if he had 1 more year to put if he could have gotten some D1 interest. He is 40+ years old and still thinks about it.

[teach1coach2]

Unless the rules have changed recently and I missed it, if a student turns 19 before the first student day, they are ineligible for all sports that year. If they turn 19 on the first day or during the school year, they are eligible all year.

[toast]

Being 19 as opposed to 18 makes a whole lot of difference in most males. (muscle mass, growth, maturity, experience, knowledge, confidence) Is anyone really going to argue that an extra year is not a big advantage both in the classroom and on the field?

I had a friend who went to the state basketball tournament many years ago when Wheelersburg was there. He said the program listed the grade and ages of the players. He said everyone one of Burgs freshman were 16, sophomores were 17, all juniors were 18 and seniors were 19. Honestly, he is a credible source. In the past when this comes up there have been Burg posters who have admitted as much. Just repeating what I have been told and read.

As stated above, starting school later or holding a child back is a legal course of action to take. But to claim being "somewhat older" is not a significant advantage is silly.

[Abe Froman]

Unless the rules have changed recently and I missed it, if a student turns 19 before the first student day, they are ineligible for all sports that year. If they turn 19 on the first day or during the school year, they are eligible all year.

You missed it. A child (man/woman) can play HS sports up until the day before his/her 20th birthday.

[fbnut]

In my oppinion you can’t go wrong with holding your child back. I have a senior and just out of selfishness I wish I would have held them back to have them around another year

[greygoose]

Love all the responses and some very good information being put out, especially coming from a couple of teachers talking about the maturity level and how they can see it right away. Having to decide at a young age is very hard but one interesting conversation I had with a parent and talking about holding back their son was driven totally sports driven. HOWEVER, it was from the standpoint of the son wanting to play sports throughout and wanting to have a shot at a scholarship and playing sports in college. Now, is it hard in 5th or 6th grade to determine what they'll be absolutely but I think at that age you can also see traits that can show you where they might be and with also how big your child is going to be, which let's face it for colleges it's a determining factor. As a parent if our kids are wanting to try to play ball in college and we realize the extra year does help regardless of what we think, shouldn't we help our child to achieve a goal he or she has set??

Currently my son gets very good grades, he's lacking a little bit this year in the responsibility department and it's driving me crazy but he's a very good kid and no behavioral problems in school . Doctors have told us he'll be 6'2"-6"3' and currently he's typically the fastest kid on the field, he can't wait to do track once he hits junior high, but football is what he LOVES the most. My argument has been I'd like to hold him back get a bit more maturity from him and let him hit that height mark and at his current weight he'll hit 185-210 by the time he graduates. Currently he'll turn 18 just at the end of the football season in his senior year. The classroom information is very interesting as I guess didn't realize a teacher would be able to tell something like that so easily not even knowing the age of the student.

[greygoose]

In my oppinion you can’t go wrong with holding your child back. I have a senior and just out of selfishness I wish I would have held them back to have them around another year

Oh this is something I've thought about in terms of calculating the number of years left and how quickly it goes. This is definitely a factor as well.

[bhicks42]

If this didn't help, why would college programs redshirt so many incoming freshmen, regardless of age?

[bhicks42]

Is there a clear disadvantage other than the folks that are just hating on Wheelersburg? Lol

[The Flush]

Why not just hold every kid back?

[noreply66]

no one starts 1st grade until the age of 7

[Game day]

How could it hurt?

[toast]

Is there a clear disadvantage other than the folks that are just hating on Wheelersburg? Lol

No one is hating on Wheelersburg. Several Burg posters over the years have admitted it's a common practice in their community. Being somewhat older is a big advantage in sports (especially football) and also in academics.

The point is....MORE parents and communities should take advantage of this "legal" option. I don't believe there is much of if any downside to being a year older. Just do it!

[greygoose]

No one is hating on Burg, at least not from my perspective. I'm simply trying to get information on what people have seen in comparison to one way or the other. If there's that advantage by staying back a year, for a boy I say absolutely, maturity, body mass and muscle build. My wife has contested that it could hurt because colleges would see he was a year older, I laughed and told her they don't care if they kid can help their program and he's got the grades and good character.

People bring up Burg but I've brought up kids I know were held back, one I wondered about was R. Williams from Jackson couple yrs ago. Holden I believe was held back and you can see his advantage and when you watch you can't help but think this dude has another year to improve upon these skills.

My argument has been how can it hurt?? My wife doesn't see it that way and my son he can go either way on it. She just wanted me to present a case where it's little more concrete that it does help and some examples.

[TIGER#27]

In my oppinion you can’t go wrong with holding your child back. I have a senior and just out of selfishness I wish I would have held them back to have them around another year

Oh this is something I've thought about in terms of calculating the number of years left and how quickly it goes. This is definitely a factor as well.

Greygoose, if your son is in the 5/6th grade I would absolutely do it. I have 2 sons, 1 of which has graduated (he's 23) and every year he says Dad I wish you wouldn't have listened to everyone (esp. MOM) and just held me back. He said you know how much better and mature I would have been my senior year. (I almost cry every time he says that). I feel I did let him down.
Now on to my youngest son. I did have the opportunity to hold him back as well and I didn't let this opportunity slip by.
All elementary school grade cards he was straight A's, 3rd grade got 2 in the 3rd/4th grade spelling Bee, Won it his 4th grade year and Top 6 his 5th grade year. So grades weren't the problem (Nor were they with my oldest son). Physically and Mentally I could see the same trends In my youngest son as I seen in my oldest son. I done a bunch of research on could he play when he was a senior and if there were any drawbacks from being held back.
Of course His mother (My ex) and her whole family was against it, but My wife, my Oldest and youngest sons were all on board.
Now my Youngest is was pretty good at sports and the classroom, so I figured this was a win, win situation for him. He did lack some confidence in sports and in the classroom. He never played football for the fear of the bigger kids hurting him so after 3rd grade flag football, even though he was one of the fastest, was done with football. Now in Basketball he was still pretty good but lacked confidence there as well. Baseball he often played up an age level because he threw the ball hard and just had the talent to play (my get it from me ) but still lacked confidence.
So after his 6th grade year came the decision to hold back or to move on.
Well to the dislike like of everyone but the 4 (My wife, my Oldest and youngest sons) and some outside help from many of friends for and against it, we made the choice to hold him back. But before I did this, I had many, many, many of long talks with my son about how this wasn't for only sports as everyone has said or thought but this is mainly for your education an getting an academic scholarship because this was something he could completely control, and that this would put him in the perfect situation for him to put in hard work to get an Athletic Scholarship.
We are into now 2 years and I can say. WOW!!!! He did play football his 6th grade year (the second time) and he loved it, and was really good, but more importantly his CONFIDENCE grew so much as well as his maturity. He's becoming more of a leader. In the classroom he's still getting A's and B's.
This is his 7th grade year and we are so glad that we did what we did. The ex-in laws still thinks it's all about sports, but who cares. My son is couldn't be more happier in school and you can see he is enjoying the ride much better then when my oldest was in the same situation at that age.
(sorry, if this is jumbled up some I get to thinking faster then I type).
But I would do it 5th or 6th grade year, because of the before said reason by someone because of Age and limits.
Best of Luck in your families decision.

[TIGER#27]

No one is hating on Burg, at least not from my perspective. I'm simply trying to get information on what people have seen in comparison to one way or the other. If there's that advantage by staying back a year, for a boy I say absolutely, maturity, body mass and muscle build. My wife has contested that it could hurt because colleges would see he was a year older, I laughed and told her they don't care if they kid can help their program and he's got the grades and good character.

People bring up Burg but I've brought up kids I know were held back, one I wondered about was R. Williams from Jackson couple yrs ago. Holden I believe was held back and you can see his advantage and when you watch you can't help but think this dude has another year to improve upon these skills.

My argument has been how can it hurt?? My wife doesn't see it that way and my son he can go either way on it. She just wanted me to present a case where it's little more concrete that it does help and some examples.

Hope I helped.

[noreply66]

Turning 19 or playing high school sport in the 12th grade might get a kid labeled dumb jock. Saw it when I went to school.

[TIGER#27]

Turning 19 or playing high school sport in the 12th grade might get a kid labeled dumb jock. Saw it when I went to school.

I'm not sure were are still in the time and age of kids calling other kids at 19 dumb jocks.
But hey, Call it what they want, but if it pans out to an Academic Scholarship or Athletic Scholarship, college will be much cheaper. Next time your watching an NCAA game weather it be football or basketball look at the age of some of these players now and look at their size. I'm going to guess there aren't very many 18 y/o freshman doing very well (yes a couple) but look how many 19/20 y/o Freshman are making an impact.
If they come in as 18 year olds, then most likely they will get redshirted.

[greygoose]

In my oppinion you can’t go wrong with holding your child back. I have a senior and just out of selfishness I wish I would have held them back to have them around another year

Oh this is something I've thought about in terms of calculating the number of years left and how quickly it goes. This is definitely a factor as well.

Greygoose, if your son is in the 5/6th grade I would absolutely do it. I have 2 sons, 1 of which has graduated (he's 23) and every year he says Dad I wish you wouldn't have listened to everyone (esp. MOM) and just held me back. He said you know how much better and mature I would have been my senior year. (I almost cry every time he says that). I feel I did let him down.
Now on to my youngest son. I did have the opportunity to hold him back as well and I didn't let this opportunity slip by.
All elementary school grade cards he was straight A's, 3rd grade got 2 in the 3rd/4th grade spelling Bee, Won it his 4th grade year and Top 6 his 5th grade year. So grades weren't the problem (Nor were they with my oldest son). Physically and Mentally I could see the same trends In my youngest son as I seen in my oldest son. I done a bunch of research on could he play when he was a senior and if there were any drawbacks from being held back.
Of course His mother (My ex) and her whole family was against it, but My wife, my Oldest and youngest sons were all on board.
Now my Youngest is was pretty good at sports and the classroom, so I figured this was a win, win situation for him. He did lack some confidence in sports and in the classroom. He never played football for the fear of the bigger kids hurting him so after 3rd grade flag football, even though he was one of the fastest, was done with football. Now in Basketball he was still pretty good but lacked confidence there as well. Baseball he often played up an age level because he threw the ball hard and just had the talent to play (my get it from me ) but still lacked confidence.
So after his 6th grade year came the decision to hold back or to move on.
Well to the dislike like of everyone but the 4 (My wife, my Oldest and youngest sons) and some outside help from many of friends for and against it, we made the choice to hold him back. But before I did this, I had many, many, many of long talks with my son about how this wasn't for only sports as everyone has said or thought but this is mainly for your education an getting an academic scholarship because this was something he could completely control, and that this would put him in the perfect situation for him to put in hard work to get an Athletic Scholarship.
We are into now 2 years and I can say. WOW!!!! He did play football his 6th grade year (the second time) and he loved it, and was really good, but more importantly his CONFIDENCE grew so much as well as his maturity. He's becoming more of a leader. In the classroom he's still getting A's and B's.
This is his 7th grade year and we are so glad that we did what we did. The ex-in laws still thinks it's all about sports, but who cares. My son is couldn't be more happier in school and you can see he is enjoying the ride much better then when my oldest was in the same situation at that age.
(sorry, if this is jumbled up some I get to thinking faster then I type).
But I would do it 5th or 6th grade year, because of the before said reason by someone because of Age and limits.
Best of Luck in your families decision.

Thank you very much for the information an example like this is one I was hoping to hear. If I'm going to present my case gotta have good hard facts

[greygoose]

Turning 19 or playing high school sport in the 12th grade might get a kid labeled dumb jock. Saw it when I went to school.

It seems so frequent any more that I believe that label doesn't really apply. Especially considering in some cases I know of the kids are excellent students as well, B. Scott an example.