Holding back student atheletes for playing time?

[marshallman]

Another year of maturity can go a long way for a kid, especially males, late bloomers, they can get 2 inches taller and maybe 15 pounds heavier over the year, if they are undersized. They can also get faster and their minds mature too. They can also start working out with weights doing resistance training around age 13. Parents that see ability in their kids to excel in a certain sport may be looking at the potential for a college scholarship to pay for any part or all of college. I really don't think parents are thinking NFL or NBA while they are in Jr high. I do disagree with holding kids back once they are in Jr high just because they can't compete with their grade class but can dominate a grade down. I see this in basketball alot.

[Ironman92]

Good points but I believe the college scholarship is quite the stretch....how many kids around here get college scholarships for sports? How many of these kids are held back? how many of those held back had the talent to receive the scholarships anyways. If a college recruiter/scout can't see potential growth....they need to be doing something else.

I believe we are talking about a very small number in terms of playing in college and receiving scholarships.

[ironmen1987]

I agree nothing is guarenteed. I think it could also assist in highschool as well. A 19 yr old senior on the football feild that has worked his butt off in the weightroom and on his conditioning will most likely have an advantage against a 15-17 yr old kid that worked just as hard.

Watching a 19 yr old push around a 15 yr old. Yeah that would be great. There were alot of strong 10th grade runners this season that will be seniors when my kid hits 9th grade. Should i hold her back a year so she doesn't have to face them or do i let her take her lumps and encourage her to work hard ? She probably won't get to play much varsity bball either since our class directly ahead of her is loaded. Maybe i can sit her down and tell her since she isn't as good as these other girls that we're gonna tack on an extra year of school so that i can brag about how good she is when she is pushing around 15 yr olds as a 19 yr old senior...Don't think so.....

[fbnut]

I agree nothing is guarenteed. I think it could also assist in highschool as well. A 19 yr old senior on the football feild that has worked his butt off in the weightroom and on his conditioning will most likely have an advantage against a 15-17 yr old kid that worked just as hard.

Watching a 19 yr old push around a 15 yr old. Yeah that would be great. There were alot of strong 10th grade runners this season that will be seniors when my kid hits 9th grade. Should i hold her back a year so she doesn't have to face them or do i let her take her lumps and encourage her to work hard ? She probably won't get to play much varsity bball either since our class directly ahead of her is loaded. Maybe i can sit her down and tell her since she isn't as good as these other girls that we're gonna tack on an extra year of school so that i can brag about how good she is when she is pushing around 15 yr olds as a 19 yr old senior...Don't think so.....

As a parent that is your decision to make to not hold your child back, just as it is the decision of the other parents who may choose to hold their kids back for whatever reason.

[marshallman]

Good points but I believe the college scholarship is quite the stretch....how many kids around here get college scholarships for sports? How many of these kids are held back? how many of those held back had the talent to receive the scholarships anyways. If a college recruiter/scout can't see potential growth....they need to be doing something else.

I believe we are talking about a very small number in terms of playing in college and receiving scholarships.

I don't think its a stretch. I'm not talking OSU. There are alot of kids going to NAIA, D-2 or 3 to play sports that are from this area and they were also the ones who excelled as Jr and HS players. They may not be getting full rides but they got something from it. Now, were they held back, I don't know? But, if they were, its a crap shoot. Just like the blue chipper, 5 star recruits that end up being a bust or #1 draft picks ending up busts. But, you take your chances when you see they can benefit from holding them back and sometimes it works. Same reason they red-shirt college recruits, to get bigger, stronger, faster.

[flapjack]

I guess the issues that I have with this are, I know a lot of these kids and their parents. Most are really good students but the thinking is that the class ahead is so talented that that their kids playing time is going to be limited at the high school level. Now before I go any further I must say that for myself I do not agree with this, academics should always come first. Also this could hinder the classes behind these kids or cause a ripple effect where this becomes the norm.

I do agree that a two year playing limit for middle school would be helpful. Back in my playing days, which are long gone. You earned your spot. I did play at the NAIA level and have been around and involved with sports of all kinds must of my days. Most coaches in those days were upstanding people who watched their players grades, and required a certain GPA level along with the school administration in order to play. The thinking was not to hold back but instead to excel. Sports were a bonus academics always came first.

I see no problems if a kid has a education problem or maturity issue, but I do think that most of these are found quite early in the schooling process, usually grade school and yes I do know some who have been held back at an early age. Usually for one or both of these reasons, but to hold back just on the assumption that your child will not get the playing time at the high school level is in my opinion wrong. Of course this is just my opinion and everyone has one.

[fbnut]

I guess the issues that I have with this are, I know a lot of these kids and their parents. Most are really good students but the thinking is that the class ahead is so talented that that their kids playing time is going to be limited at the high school level. Now before I go any further I must say that for myself I do not agree with this, academics should always come first. Also this could hinder the classes behind these kids or cause a ripple effect where this becomes the norm.

I do agree that a two year playing limit for middle school would be helpful. Back in my playing days, which are long gone. You earned your spot. I did play at the NAIA level and have been around and involved with sports of all kinds must of my days. Most coaches in those days were upstanding people who watched their players grades, and required a certain GPA level along with the school administration in order to play. The thinking was not to hold back but instead to excel. Sports were a bonus academics always came first.

I see no problems if a kid has a education problem or maturity issue, but I do think that most of these are found quite early in the schooling process, usually grade school and yes I do know some who have been held back at an early age. Usually for one or both of these reasons, but to hold back just on the assumption that your child will not get the playing time at the high school level is in my opinion wrong. Of course this is just my opinion and everyone has one.

The two yr playing limit for middle school may help a little but I am guessing you would see the # of kids being held back in 6th grade go way up.

[sballfan2010]

I think it goes back to each student should get two years of eligibility in Jr. High and that the schools need to look into this trend. Also, kids being held back are taking away from those kids who should be there. If they are good enough to play after high school then they should at least be able to play with kids their own age. So it goes, if they are immature or not doing well in school then holding back is fine. With two years of playing time they should take a year off and concentrate on their education.

Well said. It's horrible to think a parent would hold a kid back so they get more playing time. You're just showing your child that it's more important to be an athlete then to be a student. Has anyone noticed that this seems to be more of a trend with male athletes then female?

[fbnut]

I'm not so sure girls benefit physically as much as boys do from being held back.

[noreply66]

In track you see lot of girls peak at the 10th grade--where just about all boys continue getting better.

[wemufans]

Girls peak at the 10th grade because for most of them that is when they finally get their womanly build and get hips....kinda slows you down trying to run with the extra baggage.

[fbnut]

Girls peak at the 10th grade because for most of them that is when they finally get their womanly build and get hips....kinda slows you down trying to run with the extra baggage.

that's what I was thinking, I just wasn't sure how to state it.

[lumag13]

I'll add another wrinkle into this conversation. What about the schools that have pre kindergarten? Is this not another way to hold kids back and make them a year older once they get to Jr. High and High School? This is one of those debates that will be around forever and I believe has no right answer. It is different for each child and each situation.

I am a firm believer that grades come first. There are more scholarships handed out each year for academics than for sports. With that said I believe that there are some cases where it is best to hold a child back. Alot of times looking from the outside in we assume that a child is being held back strictly for sports. We do not get to see what is going on their lives.

When our kids are directly affected by a hold back it is hard not judge or sometimes criticize the parents or the school. We need to remember that we do not usually know the whole situation.

That is my two cents worth. take it or leave it.

[fbnut]

some schools also have pre-first

[gogrove9]

the fact still remains that a student may not be 15 before august 1st of the year they are playing jr high and 19 before august 1st the year they are playing high school . The holdback issue isn't a problem as long as the kids meet the age requirements.

[Incognito]

If parents want to hold their kids back for educational or self esteem purposes in grade school thats fine. I have a problem with those who hold a core group of kids back in 8th grade to play against lower competition in the grade below. example West 2 years ago. IMO one year does make a world of difference athletically however im not sold on the education aspect.

[DIDO]

Incognito(wonder why that name........probly chickens***) If you want to make stuff up to make West look bad,
you have to do way better than that. The truth is that your kid was probly less of a player or weak, but as a matter of a fact he was playing kids his own age.

[Incognito]

are you kidding me? So Alfie Bricker,Dale Swords, Ethan Morgan, Travis Perry and Travis Journey all failed the 8th grade? What place did they finish when they were the same age as the other teams? I think they were next to last then come back the next year and go 10-0. Get your facts straight.

[DIDO]

Hey dumba**, your on a junior high forum.....so 2 years ago would be this year soph.
P.s. your fact are wrong, the names that you stated wasn't all held back in 8th grade, and
sure ass hell wasnt for playing time.

[Incognito]

This thread wasnt specific for a certain grade or school. I wasnt saying this years West sophs were all held back just the fact its wrong to do in certain circumstances. IE West 2 years ago. They arent the only ones to do this, I believe Portsmouth has did it in the past. And yes they were held back, I played against them in jr. high then freshman year they all were gone.