Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

[merlebo05]

I hope this is a joke!! Your holding a kid back so he can play 1 extra yr of HS sports for WHAT?? What exactly will this accomplish? I would be much more concerned with his education than his athletic ability!!


Ive never understand why we mix education and athletics to begin with??

[Odis]

No, I'm not holding my kid back, never even considered it! The problem that I have is, in his class, about 20-30% of the boys in his class have been held back, for one reason or another, and my kid is having to compete for roster spots with kids that are a year older, faster and stronger. My kid can hold his own with anybody, his age and size, he's not small and is a very accomplished left handed pitcher, but the school has allowed this to go on. My main problem is that he's been at this school since K-3, and all his buddies (some play baseball, others don't) but all I asked out of the school is a fair shot at playing ball. Neither me nor my wife feel like he's ever going to get a fair shot playing baseball where he is but don't like the idea of pulling him from his buddies that he's known most of his life due to this. I asked the question to see what others thought, thanks for the replies. I think he's about to change schools because what I see happening where he is is just not a healthy environment. I think holding them back is ridiculous. Let them play and let the cards fall where they may but do have a problem with moving him from his friends that he's known for so long. The only consolation is that kids these days keep up with one another so much by social media that "hopefully" the friends he has made will remain friends whether he goes to school with them or not. I think holding back is ludicrous.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

This is nothing new its been going on forever......I know for a fact since the 70's

[Odis]

Thanks for the responses. I didn't think I was missing the point.

[yankee]

Ever wonder why the girls generally get better grades? They develop earlier, and have less trouble with the academics because of it. I would always hold a child back if possible. Socially it is difficult unless you are going to move or change schools. Academically it makes a huge difference for boys if they are a little more mature, and of course it helps them compete in sports. In many parts of the country, "double hold backs" are common, boys that were held back in kindergarten and again in 8th grade. Years ago, it seemed like if you did that to a kid it wasted a year, but this generation of children is likely to live to 100 or more, so in the grand scheme it is a small amount of time.

[bulldog ducker]

[iron grip]

Every kid that goes to John Curtis in NOLA that has a chance of being good in a sport, repeats the grade they enter into. 8th or 9th

They've had a little success with it too...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Curti ... igh_School


My five year old's birthday is in June. If he kept going the way he was he would have always been the youngest in the class. We planned on switching schools anyway so this year he is repeating K-4. Instead of turning 18 after he graduates highschool, now he will turn 18 after his junior year...making him an 18 year old senior. To me there is a much greater chance of an elevated maturity level throughout school doing it like this......... As a very distant second... if he is good at sports. I believe this will give him a little advantage. As shown above...proof is in the pudding. My only concern is that he does well with school, lives right, and gets a good education. If he want's to be on the debate team, that's fine by me. As long as he likes duck hunting..!

[kevinw]

I got a cousin who is a hell of a baseball player. He was held back, but it was his call. They met with several D1 and Juco college coaches before making the decision. The college coaches were all in agreement that they love kids that have been held back a year. The main reason they love it is not really from a performance standpoint at all. They say the kids that are held back have an extra year of maturity, mentally, before they come to play college sports and that really helps the kid when he gets to that level.

[donia]

my dad (78 yo) says he wished he'd have been held back early in grade school, from a maturity standpoint. his birthday is november.

[Jelly]

Why does a child go to school? Academics or Sports? Sports is extracurricular.

That being said, both my children have August birthdays and both repeated kindergarden... It was a maturity decision...

[Jelly]

Also, I have an October birthday and wasn't held back. Went to college at 17. Did it affect me in sports? I never thought about at the time, I just played.. I often wonder what could have been though but I would never have made that decision solely for sports

[skywalker]

[3spop]

I've seen a lot of this going on as my kids are getting older. I have a June 25th birthday. I didn't get a drivers license until after 9th grade. Graduated when I was 17. Nearly everybody I went against in sports was older than me in school. For me I it was more motivation. I've definitely seen it at the peewee football level. For the ones that see it as being a benefit for their child, why not hold them back 2 or 3 times. They'd really have an advantage then.

[bigoak]

Odis, does your kid by chance attend Simpson Academy? They are well known for parents holding their boys back for athletics.

Also, the kid from Brandon signed with Troy. He would have still signed with Troy if he graduated a year earlier. Sure college coaches like it but they have their own interest in mind. They have the option to redshirt a kid if needed. My opinion is if a kid turns 19 before Jan 1 of his senior year then he should not be allowed to play unless there is a proven medical reason (kid gets sick and has to miss a year due to illness) or a learning disability.

[edub20]

I'd think the athlete would just climb to the level of their position competition regardless of age within a reasonable range. If anything it makes them a better athlete if they have the dedication and mindset to do so. That's kind of what it's about... the self motivation and drive to push yourself to achieve more. I think what happens a lot is there are 4a,5a,6a schools with high headcount and more competition which causes mom and dad to get pissy when their kid doesn't make the team or isn't starting on varsity in the 9th grade.