Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

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Long Cut
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby Long Cut » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:02 pm

Do some research on the state of Texas and its High School athletic Programs. It is a common practice to do a hold back year. Look at the level of competition in Texas athletics from pee wee programs all the way up. 19 year old graduates are not rare in that state.
I understand what Odis is saying about your kid competing with kids that are older, mine has a june 23rd birthday which puts him at the bottom of his class age wise and he's competing in Tupelo public schools with what appears to be full grown men (i'm thinking they were not held back for sports reasons) so in some cases he's about 2 years behind. We have had the discussion with him that if he really wants to play that bad then he has to work that much harder to make up for his deficits and he so far is doing that. As I stated previously we briefly discussed it, our son said no and we moved on. I don't think my wife and I are bad parents for entertaining the idea. I'm not in the position to be telling another man or woman how to parent when it comes to their child's future and best interest. I'm sure most of us on this forum would be hacked off if someone tried to tell us that we were wrong for letting our kids start shooting a gun at 5 years old or hunting alone at age 10. Fact is that we all know our kids and what their needs and capabilities are and most of us want the best for them not the worst. How many people are going to argue about letting a kid graduate a year early from H.S. if they had the chance to get an academic jump start/advantage in college.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby Odis » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:18 pm

Thanks so much for the comments. I believe the holding back thing is a parental decision, not my decision, but it is apparently for some and that fine, their business. Our understanding with our child is this, school comes first, ball (and even hunting) second. Grades go down, no extracurricular activitites, fix the grades and your back in action, this is under your control, not mine. Here's the situation. I don't want to sound like somebody whose Little Johnny is the greatest thing since sliced bread. He's a good baseball player and has played for a long time at a high level, since he was 7, now 14, September birthday. That's all I'll say about that. Last year, his school discontinued their 8th grade baseball program that they had been having for years. The school did everything they could not to let their patrons know about it. Sent an e-mail out but only to the parents of the kids that were already in the baseball program but not to the ones (like me) whose child could be entering the program. I was told about it by another parent whose child is a grade above mine. I called the coach to ask why? He had several reasons. At the time, I was aware of a kid that transferring to our school that should have been going into the 9th grade program but was entering our school as a 8th grader, same grade as my kid. I asked the coach about this and he said he didn't know anything about it. I made a comment to him and said "It my understanding he's coming and as long as that 8th grader is treated like my 8th grader, I don't have a problem with what your doing" (as if he really cared about what I thought). Two weeks later, that kid and another that was in the same situation were both playing summer ball for our school, no tryout, no nothing, but both of them should have been in the 9th grade but enrolled as 8th graders. Both of them were transfers into the school and I am aware that at least one of them is in advanced studies so apparently it wasn't an academic issue. Both kids are big, one's 6'2", 205 in the 8th grade. So here we are, they cancelled our program and they will not even let us tryout but letting other "recruits" in with no effort at all. I'm not asking for "special arrangements" just equal treatment. Give him a chance and if he doesn't make it, fine, failure is a great motivator and teacher but at least give us a chance to get on the field. When I heard those two kids were on the team, I then called the coach and said something to the effect of O.K., they got on the team, they're 8th graders, why can't I have a shot at this? His reply was he already had too many kids and can't give them the attention they need, don't need to add anymore. Apparently he didn't have enough kids, he came to 8th grade P.E. late January or early February and asked the kids if anyone wanted to try out for baseball, to come talk to him. My kid and five others went to him and said put us down. He had the tryout, hit them a few ground balls and pop-ups, let them have about 10-12 cuts and came to the parents and said he let the kids know in the morning (next day at school). He called all the kids into a room and said the tryouts were to try to find some middle infielders. He chose two of the kids, mine was not included. They don't let lefties do that. But at the end of the meeting he looked at mine and said, I've already got too many first basemen, don't need anymore and don't need any more pitching. What baseball team has enough pitching, I didn't think that was possible. Also, while I said failure was a great motivator I also don't believe you intentionally set a kid up for it, he knew the minute my kid came to the tryout that he wasn't going to take him. I know that a lot of parents look at this with rose colored glasses and I am trying very hard not to do that. My son has had the opportunity to play a lot of baseball for a few, very good (not daddies) coaches. All of them have always said a lot of good things about him. But at this point I feel like the coach is using that baseball team as a carrot in front of a mule and I'm not playing that game. During the time all this was going on, other things have happened at the school that made us look at other, better avenues but I believe that if he's going to play ball in high school, which he says we wants to do, then it will have to be at another school. Again, thanks for the replies.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby Smoke68 » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:41 pm

I reckon things aren't always as simple as they seem. Hope your son keeps at it. Special treatment of players catches up to coaches and programs eventually.

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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby Odis » Fri Apr 10, 2015 7:50 pm

Big Oak, it's not Simpson Academy, Smoke68, thanks for the reply, I'm sure folks are sick of this thread but forgot to mention, the two kids picked up in February were also hold backs
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby Rice » Sat Apr 11, 2015 10:46 pm

Look at college rosters. Almost ALL the freshmen athletes are not 18. People are getting their panties in a wad saying school is school not sports but in today's world that college tuition that is also school is a lifetime of debt. To be held back a year of free school for an advantage to have that privelage isn't that far out there. 8th grade may be a little late. But I personally remember for me my freshmen year of college I went from about 185 benching around 225 to the start of my sophomore year (would be senior high school if I was held back) to being about 210 and benching that 225 12 times. It's a huge year of development. Not just for me it was for all of us that age. I know 8th grade is late I agree but also 100% agree with holding back early with a late birthday so they can be the oldest in the class.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby hillhunter » Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:31 pm

So, why don't we just have all kids go to six yr old kindergarten and then start first grade at age seven? That way all of them will be more mature for one more year of sports in high school. That way when folks want to manipulate the system, so that their kid will have the edge, they will be closer to 20 when they get out of high school.

I know this is kind of a smart assed remark, but where does it really stop, and what does it teach your kid if you hold them back just so they can stroke a baseball better or so that their the bigger kid on the field. You can throw out all that crap about college scholarships, 95% of them are gonna make it regardless of whether you hold them back, if not there would never be a sophomore starting on the high school team, or a senior would never ride the pine just cause he's older. Face it, some people are more talented at certain things. Some are athletes, some are chemists, some are engineers. I have always said that if I had a kid that had a June to August birthday, that I would strongly consider holding him back, and I would, but only from a maturity standpoint. But I think that is an individual decision that should in no way pertain to sports.

This is in no way directed at the OP or anyone who has or will hold your kid back, their your kids, do what's best for them, buts it's just frustrating that society puts this much value on HS sports. And don't get me wrong I loved every moment of my sports career and was considered pretty good at both FB and BB, but if the most important thing I accomplish in this life happens on a sports field, then what a shame. Their is so much more to this life than those years of sports. Don't let your kid be that guy who has to bring up his high school glory days at every party for the rest of their life.... Nobody likes that guy... Nobody. Haha.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby skywalker » Mon Apr 13, 2015 6:36 am

I was good in High School, wanna check some tape? I have some at home.....yeah, nobody likes that guy. :lol:
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby GulfCoast » Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:05 am

When I was in 8th grade, there were about 8 guys that were suddenly in my class that were "staying back" or repeating the 8th grade for football purposes. This was in 1979, so it has been happening a long time.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby yankee » Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:04 am

The only thing that will stop this is when it stops working. Read "Outliers" by Gladwell. Quick read. The example he uses is ice hockey, but it is absolutely applicable to every other sport. At the little league (3-4th grade) try out, the kids that are a little older are naturally just a shade better. They get picked to be on the "A" team. They get a coach who played some hockey in college. The "B" team gets a nice guy, but he is a dad. The "A" kids get better and the "B" kids have fun...but don't improve. Next year, same deal, the "A" kids make the all-star team. And it goes on through the school years--until you look at an NHL roster and see that almost everyone on it has a Jan-or Feb birthday and were the oldest kids. Parents can make their own decisions but it is not only happening, but it is happening for a reason.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby JaMak84 » Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:28 am

I was the oldest kid in my class and it sure as hell didn't help me out any :oops: Just made me the designated cigarette and dip buyer.
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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby Bonehead » Mon Apr 13, 2015 12:32 pm

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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby hillhunter » Mon Apr 13, 2015 2:32 pm

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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby three11 » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:06 pm

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Re: Holding kids back in 8th grade for sports?

Postby bigoak » Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:00 pm

I personally have never witnessed a kid that would have played college or pro sports if they had only been in high school another year or would have been born 6 months earlier. If you have it you have it, does not really matter what month you are born. Stats can be created to support most any argument. I believe Hunter Renfroe turned 18 in January of his senior year. He did not specialize in one sport. He played football, basketball, baseball and ran track. Was still drafted and still got a D1 scholarship. He was just as good in baseball 6 months before his 18th birthday as he was when he turned 18. It will help you in high school competing against 15 year olds but it has no bearing on your God given talent and does not make you a better college prospect.

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