Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.

Spoken as someone who doesn't have a kid at a sports powerhouse school. Of course you are completely missing the point...it's not weak kids that are re-classing...it's the strongest kids doing this because they are competing nationally for D1 spots.

There is functionality no difference between a talented and athletic 16 year old versus a 17 year old versus an 18 year old. Get a grip.

You know they have 18 year olds competing against 22 years in college, don’t you? Are you going to cry about that, too?

And the 22 year old has a huge advantage over the 18 year old

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.

NP: If redshirting and reclassing didn’t confer some advantage, people wouldn’t be doing it. Let’s be real here. There is also a reason you rarely or never see this happening with girls (puberty and growth is almost always complete for girls by high school entry). . As for how much of an advantage it is: it really depends on the particular kid and the particular sport.

It really isn’t an issue at the youth levels (or certainly shouldn’t be)- because nearly all sports are organized by birthdate. But at the later middle school or early high school level (say, ages 13-16ish)? For males, it can make an absolutely enormous difference. In many team sports (and baseball is definitely one), strength and size are hugely important factors in making the high school JV teams at competitive schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.

Spoken as someone who doesn't have a kid at a sports powerhouse school. Of course you are completely missing the point...it's not weak kids that are re-classing...it's the strongest kids doing this because they are competing nationally for D1 spots.

There is functionality no difference between a talented and athletic 16 year old versus a 17 year old versus an 18 year old. Get a grip.

You know they have 18 year olds competing against 22 years in college, don’t you? Are you going to cry about that, too?

If you don't want to accept the facts, there is no help.

Again, the average age of college teams in revenue sports (and soccer) is now 21+. For every 18-year-old able to make a D1 team there are 10x 22 year olds playing.

You keep spewing nonsense and it's clear you don't get the landscape whatsoever.

The fact is that if you’re whining that the only reason Timmy made the team over Billy is because Timmy is 18 and Billy is only 17 you’re being delusional. Sorry.

Anonymous wrote:Hockey makes it easy. Birthyear. Period. So the "golden ticket" for hockey is to be born early in the year. And there is really no arguing about it--if your kid is born on Dec 31, that's unfortunate. He's still a 2008 or whatever.

Yep, and Canada also set up their developmental system by birthyear. The birth months January-June are overrepresented in the NHL. I will say, so far it hasn't made a whole lot of difference for my January born 8U player. He's decidedly a 50th percentile kid, there's kids 6+ months younger than him that are way bigger and heavier. Maybe it'll make a noticeable difference as he gets older, but I'm not holding my breath.

And before someone jumps on me, yes, there are exceptions. Alex Ovechkin is a September birthday. He's also an absolute freak of nature and it wouldn't have mattered when he was born.

OP, I hear you on the complaining. My nephew is an April birthday, 3 months (to the day) younger than my son. They decided to redshirt him--which may have been for the best because of his specific needs. But my brother and SIL whine constantly about how he's being "forced to play up." He's not playing up and certainly no one is forcing it. He's placed in the appropriate age group based on his birthday. I'm sure he would love to play sports with the kids in his class. But when sports are organized by age and not strictly by grade this is what happens. It's not some grand conspiracy to screw over their child. My favorite was the one time I answered my mom's questions about how DS was doing in baseball and said "he had a pretty great season." My brother shot back with "Because he's not forced to play up." So now we just don't talk kids sports when my brother's family is around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sports like lacrosse and basketball are based on school year (high school graduating class of 20xx) versus birth year like baseball or rugby. FWIW, soccer will be switching back to school year soon too.

So perhaps it is that lens that makes a parent of a redshirted child think it is unfair when their child has to play with their birth year?

No, that's not what the change is in soccer. It's by birth year, not graduation year, so if your kid is in the wrong grade for their age that's on you. They just moved the cutoff date from January 1.

So what is it now? Sep 1? that’s school year then as pp said!

No, that's not what she said. She said it was by graduation year. If you redshirted your kid and they're a year older than what they would be if they'd gone to school on time, they'll be with players who are a grade ahead of them for club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.

Spoken as someone who doesn't have a kid at a sports powerhouse school. Of course you are completely missing the point...it's not weak kids that are re-classing...it's the strongest kids doing this because they are competing nationally for D1 spots.

There is functionality no difference between a talented and athletic 16 year old versus a 17 year old versus an 18 year old. Get a grip.

You know they have 18 year olds competing against 22 years in college, don’t you? Are you going to cry about that, too?

If you don't want to accept the facts, there is no help.

Again, the average age of college teams in revenue sports (and soccer) is now 21+. For every 18-year-old able to make a D1 team there are 10x 22 year olds playing.

You keep spewing nonsense and it's clear you don't get the landscape whatsoever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.

Spoken as someone who doesn't have a kid at a sports powerhouse school. Of course you are completely missing the point...it's not weak kids that are re-classing...it's the strongest kids doing this because they are competing nationally for D1 spots.

There is functionality no difference between a talented and athletic 16 year old versus a 17 year old versus an 18 year old. Get a grip.

You know they have 18 year olds competing against 22 years in college, don’t you? Are you going to cry about that, too?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.

Spoken as someone who doesn't have a kid at a sports powerhouse school. Of course you are completely missing the point...it's not weak kids that are re-classing...it's the strongest kids doing this because they are competing nationally for D1 spots.

OP is illiterate

My DH hates this, too. We’ve heard multiple times about kids whose parents say they “play up”. No, you just redshirted your kid and they are playing with the grade they are technically allowed to be in.

Anonymous wrote:Half the boys at my DD's Alexandria private are 19 at HS graduation. It's insanity.

I agree with this. We know some well-off folks and they always want to hold their kids back early, so they'd be better off down the road. It is gaming the system to get their kids better grades to get into colleges they want.

But yes, some folks say their kid is playing up when they are the youngest on the team. They are parents and see how little their kid is compared to bigger kids, who are 6-12 months older and the cope by saying their kid is playing up.... it truly bugs them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The complaining about birthdays for sports is nuts.
My kid is also a June birthday. She is one of the youngest for everything done by grade.
Then she did summer swim and had an advantage because of the May age requirement, and now does travel soccer by birth year so is right in the middle of the age.

I’ve never once complained about her birthday. It is what it is.

Agree completely.

My favorites are people who say a kid has been “re-classed.” The word is redshirted.

Not even. The word is “held back” and it used to be considered embarrassing.

Half the boys at my DD's Alexandria private are 19 at HS graduation. It's insanity.

Hockey makes it easy. Birthyear. Period. So the "golden ticket" for hockey is to be born early in the year. And there is really no arguing about it--if your kid is born on Dec 31, that's unfortunate. He's still a 2008 or whatever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes how annoying!

Little league forces the summer birthday redshirt kids to play their correct age group (rather than grade). I was always glad about that one.

It’s more frustrating in later years IMHO. For example a freshman baseball player that is almost 16 (turns 16 in June). And there are so many like this- usually they were held back in Kindergarten but more and more are “reclassing”. I know two 8th grade boys who are repeating 8th grade next year - not for any academic reason but for sports.

Why on Earth would it be more frustrating after the kids go through puberty?

Because a great 16 year old is 99.9% better than a great 14 year old, and that age gap difference follows both kids throughout all of HS. The 0.1% is reserved for the insane athletes like Cooper Flagg who reclassed the other way...graduated HS after his junior year at 17, so he will just turn 19 after his one year at Duke and will be the #1 NBA draft pick.

The kids that reclass in 8th grade aren't weak athletes. Most are the strongest athletes. Again, colleges don't care how old you are. That's why you have 26 year old college QBs. Also, I think during the NCAA basketball tournament that they said the average age of the Auburn starting 5 was slightly older than one NBA team (I can't remember which team).

If your high school kid can’t get a spot on the team on his own merits, that just means he’s not destined to go far in his sport. Once the kids are through puberty age has very little to do with how good the kids are.