[DEVILOLOGIST]

Holdbacks have always been an issue close to us.....
I do know of a school where the top 6-7 athletes are held back every year in 6th grade. This gives them a great boost in sports. I do know that one kid made straight A's and his parent was a school board member. He was held back.. Now granted it is the parents control and if the kid is struggling in school or socially then it is hard to argue the point.. But if the kid makes A's and is an Athlete in anything they play,,,well it is hard to argue the point of grades or socially immature....
i will tell you that the current 6th grade team at Russell had ZERO holdbacks on the football team. At Russell if you dont make the grades you set out... if you fail the year ,, you have more important things to worry about than the playbook!!!

This iwll always be a problem unless two things happen:
1. The parents of the school who witnes these actions stand up and complain...

2. The new league for middle school or the Association will limit by age the ability to have this happen,, Of course a team can not join the new Middle School association,
http://www.digitalsports.com/organizatio...71837.aspx
but then when people will not play you unless you play by the rules then it will make some eyes open... Now I know that this is not the reason why the league was formed but having someone to follow these kids are having them in a data base will help keep school shonest and keeping a kid from playing 4 years of MS Sports......