I recently learned that the VHSL might be considering student age as an issue in VHSL activities. I am not sure exactly what the age limit now is, but I understand it started as a result of some younger players being injured by some much older students. The issue at hand is the so called " hold back " of 8th grade students repeating the 8th grade to be bigger than most other 8th graders, especially by their senior year. In other words what you have now is essentially if one was held back in the 8th grade, what you have is a college freshman age 18+playing against a 13-14 year old freshman. There is a point to be made, if this is the case.I understand "hold back " is a common practice in several SWVA counties at this time,and has been for some time, while other school districts strictly forbidden such actions. If the VHSL does look into this matter, it will be interesting to see the reaction from school districts were this practice is commonplace.
VHSL to consider 8th grade hold back policies ?
- Thread starter Chilwar25
- Start date
Disagree with those saying kids are only held back for sports. There are plenty that need to be held back but get socially promoted to 9th grade. They should be held back or they become a big problem in the classroom in high school because they can't read and don't know what 3 x 1 is without a calculator and they are usually the student's who are the most disrespectful and the most disruptive. There are plenty of these types roaming the high schools. Trust me.
Then there are some that are academically fine but intentionally "redshirt" by staying in the 8th grade. These are the ones who only do this to get an athletic advantage while thinking they have a better chance at getting a scholarship. They're able to dominate middle school as well as high school later which is unfair to other middle and high school kids. What about the kid in middle school who hasn't fully hit puberty yet and is sitting the bench and not developing to his potential while the 15 year old gets most the pt?
Here what it should be...They should change the rule to "the four year High School clock" starts ticking the academic year you turn 14 and you have four years period...no exceptions...NO WAIVERS by VHSL. Once your clock starts ticking for high school your middle school clock has expired. If you get held back in 8th grade for academics you will lose that year or any other year you don't pass the eight grade and you can't play middle school either.. That would motivate those that refuse to work or are disrespectful to the teachers in the classroom.
If you start your kid in kindergarten when he is 7 that is one thing you should know might come into play later and so you have no reason to whine and complain to the VHSL. If you adopt a kid from a foreign country and he has gotten a late start in academics it shouldn't give him a huge advantage on the playing field because he's two grades behind. What about the parents and kids who do things right? Our schools and society try to make every accommodation but we sacrifice those that do things right on the altar of political correctness.
Then there are some that are academically fine but intentionally "redshirt" by staying in the 8th grade. These are the ones who only do this to get an athletic advantage while thinking they have a better chance at getting a scholarship. They're able to dominate middle school as well as high school later which is unfair to other middle and high school kids. What about the kid in middle school who hasn't fully hit puberty yet and is sitting the bench and not developing to his potential while the 15 year old gets most the pt?
Here what it should be...They should change the rule to "the four year High School clock" starts ticking the academic year you turn 14 and you have four years period...no exceptions...NO WAIVERS by VHSL. Once your clock starts ticking for high school your middle school clock has expired. If you get held back in 8th grade for academics you will lose that year or any other year you don't pass the eight grade and you can't play middle school either.. That would motivate those that refuse to work or are disrespectful to the teachers in the classroom.
If you start your kid in kindergarten when he is 7 that is one thing you should know might come into play later and so you have no reason to whine and complain to the VHSL. If you adopt a kid from a foreign country and he has gotten a late start in academics it shouldn't give him a huge advantage on the playing field because he's two grades behind. What about the parents and kids who do things right? Our schools and society try to make every accommodation but we sacrifice those that do things right on the altar of political correctness.
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They probably should leave it as it is. Some kids are held back for athletics. Some for academics. It would be impossible to draw a line that is fair to everyone. If a kid is held back for athletics, it be hard to say he cannot play as a senior, whereas is his "brother" is held back for academics, who is to say he cannot go to class and study as a senior.
Hold back or as it is referred to by many as reclassification has been commonplace. The only actions that VHSL has made concerning the issue to my knowledge is that an 8th grader may only participate in a JV sport for one year as an 8th grader. If they fail/holdback/reclassify whatever term you would like to use the AD is not supposed to allow them to play a second year of JV sports. Now that being said not many pay attention to 8th graders on JV rosters so it is still commonplace in school divisions who care more about athletics than integrity.
Most of those schools I would imagine have Freshman teams in addition to their JV programs?