Kids held back in school for sports

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Yeah, the MIAA and NEPSAC are two totally separate entities. Many kids graduate from high school and spend a year playing for "prep" schools to hone their academic skills. I think the OP is talking about parents deliberately holding their kids back in the same system because they're not "mature enough" but it's only for athletic reasons. It WAS common in Texas, but the UIL has really clamped down on it.

I played sports in school since 3rd grade in Boston. Never once played MIAA. We don’t know what school the athlete goes to. Coulda stayed back a year in MIAA and then left sophomore year and reclassified in prep.

[camj70]

My experience in the Dallas Fort Worth area is that parents often considered holding back young 5 year olds from kindergarten (i.e., summer birthdays), particularly in private schools, for academic and social reasons, as the classes are geared for older kids. Holding back only exacerbates the issue, with the classes skewing older - which is why Dallas and Fort Worth public schools were openly discouraging parents from holding back. Private schools are another story, but the motivations there tend to also be academic scores vs athletics as well in my experience. No doubt athletics are a significant motivation for some families - particularly with parent athletes, but I would be surprised if actual data reflects holding back more than one year at the school entry age. There are significant costs to families for keeping kids in pre-k - or at home - and many families can't swing the extra year of expenses no matter if they believe their kid will some day be a superstar.

[matrix5k]

I didn't even think of the maturity part. Imagine being a 17 year old in the same classes as 14 year olds, fresh out of middle school. Must feel so awkward.

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Most top athletes are NEPSAC not MIAA

That is a wild generalization.

NEPSAC schools give you one additional year of eligibility versus MIAA.

"Individual athletes who are 19 years old, or younger, on September 1 of each school year are eligible to participate in [league games]."

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by gf2020

That is a wild generalization.

NEPSAC schools give you one additional year of eligibility versus MIAA.

"Individual athletes who are 19 years old, or younger, on September 1 of each school year are eligible to participate in [league games]."

Its not at all a wild generalization, anyone who knows HS sports in MA will tell you the same. the schools D1 athletes in football basketball and hockey go to at least 70% NEPSAC if not more. Visit verbal commit, rivals, espn, or 24/7 sports. Look at madssachusetts recruits going back 20 years. It’s overwhelmingly NEPSAC and it’s not even a question. Of the 11 NBA players from MA in the NBA I think only one or two played MIAA all the way through (Jake Layman and Pat Connuaghton)