Celebrating equality in sports?

A number of states do.

 

Amen.

 

Once I found out that one does, I assumed others do as well. Still strikes me as odd and potentially dangerous for the younger kids in some sports.

 

You don't see it too often in sports where it would be dangerous.

In girls sports especially it's pretty reasonable. I covered a girls hockey player who led the state in scoring five or six times.

 

Seems like it could be an issue in sports like football, hockey or boys lacrosse.

Even something like softball, you could have a line drive off an 18-year-old's bat coming at the head or body of an 11-year-old pitcher or third baseman (one reason you are seeing more fielders wear facemasks).

 

I think in most cases middle schoolers "play up" because they're more physically developed than their peers so there probably isn't a safety issue.

I'm sure that's not universal though. I'd guess in some cases kids get called up because the high school doesn't have enough players.

 

Equality!


espn.go.com/high-school/story/_/id/7918253/girl-baseball-player-15-cited-opponent-forfeit-phoenix

 

That would be my concern, that the varsity either doesn't have enough players or a coach of a bad team wants to see some of the young talent get some experience early. Then you have a kid playing at that level when he or she isn't ready.

 

Oc course, this principle does not apply in field hockey.

 

Ironic the name of the school that forfeited was "Our Lady of Sorrows"

 

The problem with "playing up" is that nowadays it is meaningless seeing as every kid who has even a little bit of talent "plays up" so what you get is an 8th grade division full of the worst 8th graders and a bunch of 7th graders, some who are good enough to play up and some whose parents are delusional.

I wish kids would just play their age or grade level, period.

 

The 8-ball says ... "could be."

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/66076/