Red shirting for sports- Is this really a thing for older kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

Being a year older and ignoring the issues will not fix the issues. Supporting your child and/or getting them support is what can help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

Being a year older and ignoring the issues will not fix the issues. Supporting your child and/or getting them support is what can help.

Oh stop. Sometimes extra time is the fix. It’s not a race. What do you care what others decide is necessary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where is this? How is the school ok with this if the kids are fine academically?

They change to private school when they reclass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

Being a year older and ignoring the issues will not fix the issues. Supporting your child and/or getting them support is what can help.

A year difference can make a HUGE difference for boys sports. Huge.

I disagree with it, and would not do this for my son- but I can definitely see why people choose to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally know one very high level basketball player who reclassed in 7th grade. Jury’s still out if it will pay off for college but clearly he will play somewhere.

A question though- don’t colleges look and say well, of course he’s good because he’s playing against properly aged kids who are almost two years younger than he is?

No, colleges don't care if a player is a little older than the correct age for his/her grade. NCAA rules allow for some slightly older students to still be eligible so long as they graduated hs in the recent past. It shouldn't be that way, but ultimately older athletes are better athletes and that increases ticket sales.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

You should have told the coach sure, so long as he foots the bill for private school tuition.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the sport. It matters in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, etc... For a sport like golf, not that much. My DS was born on September 25th so he is usually the youngest in the class because we didn't hold him back and he turned out to be fine. He is currently playing golf for a P5 school. My DD was born on September 20th and started school early. She is playing golf for an Ivy League school. Age is not a factor in a sport like golf.

[Anonymous]

The best time to do this is Pre-K or K.

[Anonymous]

There is obviously a continuum of kids to consider:

To whatever extent a kid fits toward one end of the continuum, that’s a reason to red shirt purely for sports, and if not toward that end of the continuum, not to redshirt:

Is his birthday in a month close to the cutoff? (June/July/August/September)?
Is he one of the smallest boys in the grade and likely to grow a lot but later?
Is he super sporty in a sport where size/strength is important?
Does it make sense for him and your family to have him change schools (even if it’s one year of private between middle and HS)?

We red shirted our late-August birthday boy because all these applied — he went private for 7-8 then back to public. (Caution: parental pride triggers)

Results:
Varsity starting freshman year, despite still being very small
1st team all-state in two sports senior year after big late growth spurt (but his 11th grade performances were not enough to attract recruiters’ interest)
Top grades
Admitted to Ivies on academics but attended a top-10 SLAC on a full merit ride, walked onto and barely made the team (perennial top 20 in U.S.) in his chosen sport, captain senior year.

Is anyone here really going to argue that for a little guy with a late-August birthday that this red shirting shouldn’t have happened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

Nope, still called "held back". Kids that couldn't compete needed some help.

[Anonymous]

I’ve known boys in the northeast personally who are clearly on track for D1 who have repeated their freshman year at a private in order to redshirt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

Nope, still called "held back". Kids that couldn't compete needed some help.

You sound petty and jealous.
I don't have a kid on this track but have seen it work countless times. Frankly, at least half the Ivy admits I know well are reclassed athletes.
These kids start as top local players but receive an extra boost for college with the extra year. It works like clockwork.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best time to do this is Pre-K or K.

K is the worst time to hold your kid back because you dont know yet if it is needed. Skipping grades later on to correct a bad decision to redshirt/repeat K is harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happens all the time in baseball--it's now called "reclassifying." Boys usually repeat 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, and thus are physically larger and stronger than their peers. Plus, the extra year of maturity doesn't hurt in the classroom, especially for high school!

One of our coaches asked us if we would consider having our son reclassify (i.e., repeat 8th grade at a private school). He did not, in large part because school always comes first, but given that he's a young 9th grader, sometimes I wonder if we should have done it for the executive function alone!

Nope, still called "held back". Kids that couldn't compete needed some help.

You sound petty and jealous.
I don't have a kid on this track but have seen it work countless times. Frankly, at least half the Ivy admits I know well are reclassed athletes.
These kids start as top local players but receive an extra boost for college with the extra year. It works like clockwork.

Nobody is jealous of held back kids who are too ild for the grade. They get picked on for being too old. Seen it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is obviously a continuum of kids to consider:

To whatever extent a kid fits toward one end of the continuum, that’s a reason to red shirt purely for sports, and if not toward that end of the continuum, not to redshirt:

Is his birthday in a month close to the cutoff? (June/July/August/September)?
Is he one of the smallest boys in the grade and likely to grow a lot but later?
Is he super sporty in a sport where size/strength is important?
Does it make sense for him and your family to have him change schools (even if it’s one year of private between middle and HS)?

We red shirted our late-August birthday boy because all these applied — he went private for 7-8 then back to public. (Caution: parental pride triggers)

Results:
Varsity starting freshman year, despite still being very small
1st team all-state in two sports senior year after big late growth spurt (but his 11th grade performances were not enough to attract recruiters’ interest)
Top grades
Admitted to Ivies on academics but attended a top-10 SLAC on a full merit ride, walked onto and barely made the team (perennial top 20 in U.S.) in his chosen sport, captain senior year.

Is anyone here really going to argue that for a little guy with a late-August birthday that this red shirting shouldn’t have happened?

It doesn’t sound like he was actually recruited for sports? So maybe the extra year helped with academics?