This is Ridiculous

[Tossica]

around here, if a kid is too much better than his age group in hockey, they tend to promote the kid to the next age group

theory being that it doesn't do him any good to always dominate (makes him lazy etc) and it helps the rest of the league in terms of parity

That's what I was getting at.

[Diekan]

Someone said it best when they pointed out that the other teams would only face this kid once or twice per season. I really don't see what the big deal is. I don't think it's a good idea to move him into a higher age bracket. Then what? A kid that's really terrible in the higher bracket get moved down an age group?

I wrestled in high school and one year I had to face a kid that was undefeated. When I say undefeated I mean as in never lost a match in his entire wrestling life. The kid was an ape that just happened to walk up right. No one with in the district could beat him. All we could do was go out there and do our best. He ended up going to state and all throughout high school. Don't know what happened to him after high school - I am sure he got a scholarship some where... whatever it didn't concern me.

The fact was he didn't get moved to a "higher age group," we didn't get "extra points" as a handicap before the match. It was what it was. We were good, he was just better, period. It didn't hurt my self-esteem or anything of the kind.

It's just bullshit. Let the kid play in his age group.

[Tossica]

High School and 4th grade are different.

[Haylo]

So he gets moved to a higher age bracket where he'll suck and not be as good. How is that any more fair? He's 9 he should get to play with 9 year olds. If he's better than they are, well then oh well. It's not the same with school because if you have a gifted kid that's as smart as older kids, moving them won't make them worse by comparison. If older kids already pitch as well as or better than this kid, then moving him up is a detriment. I just find it silly that it's an issue.

Toss, your son is in a band right? Well let's say your son entered a series of contests with other band players all his age. He's a kickass lead singer; he's so good that they said hey this isn't fair, no one else can win against this singer. So they moved him to a contest where there are other kids that are older and their voices are more mature. Well now your son is a backup dancer because he can't compare to the other singers in this new division. How would you feel?

edited as you were responding :p

[Tossica]

I'm just taking the opposing view point so that we have something to argue about.

[Tikker]

So he gets moved to a higher age bracket where he'll suck and not be as good.

you wouldn't move up a kid that couldn't compete in the higher bracket

that would be stupid

you're slowing his progress by not challenging him

[Martrae]

So he gets moved to a higher age bracket where he'll suck and not be as good.

you wouldn't move up a kid that couldn't compete in the higher bracket

that would be stupid

you're slowing his progress by not challenging him

Actually, you're more likely to cause him injury by pushing him to compete with kids that are more developed.

[Tikker]

if you say so mart!

[Martrae]

I just did! :P

[Gypsiyee]

So he gets moved to a higher age bracket where he'll suck and not be as good.

you wouldn't move up a kid that couldn't compete in the higher bracket

that would be stupid

you're slowing his progress by not challenging him

Actually, you're more likely to cause him injury by pushing him to compete with kids that are more developed.

That's what I'm saying, though - 40mph is nothing extraordinary. Move him in with the 10-12 year olds and you're going to have pitchers who pitch 40 as very average, the really good kids pitching 50-60 mph, and he'll be a schlub.

No one said he's a ridiculous fielder, no one said he can hit like crazy - they just said he happens to have a decent fastball.

It's not like this kid is the next best thing - he's just an all-star by little league terms. There are heaps of other leagues all over with kids just like him.. it would seem this league just happens to have a whole shitload of kids who suck at baseball and want to whine about it.

[Zanchief]

Plus they weren't moving him into a new league, they were just kicking him out of theirs.