[BB CLAW]

There may be a few that have just turned 19 on a state championship football team, but there will not be any 20 or 21 year olds eligible to play in HS. And, I would venture to say that all of the state championship teams are loaded, every year, with kids that heldback in middle school. Why? I explained it in an earlier post, but again one reason is that there is a big difference in a 17 year old or just turning 18 compared to an 19 year old. Just think of those above average 17-18 year olds who graduate having just turned 18 and wonder how impressive and successful they and their team would have been the next year with that extra year of eligibility. Those players themselves while entering college will tell you how bad they would like to have another year of high school and how impressive they would be and why. Although this is not the only advantage to holding back or reason for holding back, it is a big one. That extra year of success/impression does provide another year of opportunity to obtain a college education paid in full.