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Age-Group Cut-Offs

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This resource stems from a question submitted to the Ask PCA blog. Responses come from our experts including PCA Trainers, who lead live group workshops for coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes.

"My son is right near the kindergarten admission age cut-off. Should I hold him out so that he is one of the older kids in his class and gains a size advantage for sports??"

PCA Response By Kelly Kratz, Lead Trainer
You need to know your son. I was a third grade teacher for nine years, and I can honestly say that holding younger boys back in kindergarten to give them an "advantage" was not always a positive.

If your son is academically, socially and physically ready for kindergarten (the enrollment evaluation by the school will let you know their opinion) then he is ready. I have seen some kids who were held back who were much larger in size but also bored with the maturity level of the kids they were now playing with or against.

A year may not seem to make a difference at age 5 but when they hit 8-11 it does. Sports advantage should not drive this decision. There is so much more to your son than the sport he plays.

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