[eratia]

The simple solution in my opinion to the holdback issue is simply to limit kids to playing for only one year in ANY grade. They can holdback as many years as they want or need to reach academic and social maturity, but sports eligibility is limited to only one year per grade level... I'm constantly seeing this argument going back and forth, with some being for holding back for athletic reasons, and some being against it. Some schools clearly are using the lack of regulation regarding this hot topic issue to their advantage, and some schools forbid or frown upon the practice. There's never going to be a level playing field until a set of regulations that equally apply to everyone allows kids to play against other kids their age in their grade and the incentive to holdback strictly for sports by playing multiple years in grade 6, 7, or 8 is limited. I love middle school football, and I'm glad to be a part of it, but it's very clear what teams are holding back massively and what teams are not. The spirit of fairness and sportsmanship are suppressed by a desire to be dominant on the playing field, and the lessons being taught are not to work harder, or to commit stronger, but rather to be older and bigger than the competition in middle school. I applaud loudly the incredible teams in Kentucky, and hope everyone does well, but I truly hope that we're sending the right messages to all our kids about how to succeed in life, and using football as a means of teaching that lesson rather than saying win at all costs so we can add another shiny trophy to our middle school trophy case. Sometimes what's being told to them and asked of them are going to teach them what they need to do to get ahead, and is that going to help them or hinder them later in life? After all, football won't last forever for them. Just my opinion!