High School Young On Varsity

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Indiana, Kentucky, Delaware, New Mexico to name a few allow middle/jr high school students to play up in high school sports, especially where the sport is not offered in the lower level.

You can google it and determine what states allow it.

The challenge is if you move up too fast, you now have to fight to stay on it. Once on Varsity doesn't mean you get to stay on Varsity. So what looks good this year, may not be enough next year.
 
I have heard of it and I think it is absolutely cheating! Especially because the schools that tent to take advantage of it are schools that compete and to me it is the same and having fetus on a team
 
I have heard of it and I think it is absolutely cheating! Especially because the schools that tent to take advantage of it are schools that compete and to me it is the same and having fetus on a team
My thoughts exactly! We have only basketball in 8th grade, but football players, volleyball players, tennis players, swimmers, etc didnt get to swim for the HS. They just had to wait until they were IN highschool to play on the HIGH SCHOOL team... If you don't want to make them wait, offer it in 8th grade.
 
In middle school, 7th & 8th graders were able to play middle school sports. 8th graders were allowed to play high school sports. If you were good, you were on varsity unless it was on our state's list of "no-gos". The no-gos were Football & Soccer, I think. I didn't consider it cheating. I thought it was normal. To be honest though, we needed the 8th graders. Our cheerleaders didn't compete. All our teams usually came in last place other than our girl's basketball, boy's soccer, & baseball team. If we hadn't had them, we probably wouldn't have been able to have sports at all.
 
I have only heard this in cases where your secondary school is 7-12 and some areas are so small that that may be the structure of your school, however, I don't feel an 8th grader should be on varsity even if you have a combined school. Just too young. It's tough enough for freshmen on Varsity because it is a big change and it is a tough adjustment, an 8th grader must be VERY difficult.

I know all-Star teams have 6th graders on senior teams, but the school cheerleading environment is so much more about social and that is a large age span.
 
I sympathize with those saying that 8th graders play up because they need the numbers or because its not offered in junior high, but as a coach I don't agree with it. Our middle school doesn't offer junior high cheerleading, but there is no way the 8th graders are mentally prepared for high school cheerleading, it's hard enough when they come in as freshman. Also, I understand having a small squad, our school is very small and my squad consists of 7 girls, it's hard, but I've grown fond of my small group. It's not about the talent of an 8th grader, I am concerned with them being mentally ready. It's a big change.
 
We only have one mid young for my grade and I middle school that goes to one high school, but we don't pull up girls from eighth grade.
I am young for my grade and I did make the varsity team when I was 13!
 
I sympathize with those saying that 8th graders play up because they need the numbers or because its not offered in junior high, but as a coach I don't agree with it. Our middle school doesn't offer junior high cheerleading, but there is no way the 8th graders are mentally prepared for high school cheerleading, it's hard enough when they come in as freshman. Also, I understand having a small squad, our school is very small and my squad consists of 7 girls, it's hard, but I've grown fond of my small group. It's not about the talent of an 8th grader, I am concerned with them being mentally ready. It's a big change.
I completely agree. Even though I validated the rules exist that allow it, I don't agree with it. My daughter made Varsity as a freshman and although mature enough as she cheered in All-star and competed on a senior team for 2 years prior, there are things one learns by going through the normal process.
 
My sisters high school team had 7th grades on varsity. I personally don't think 18yr olds should be on a team with 11 yr olds in that capacity...where its a school activity... I mean one of them celebrated their 12th birthday at camp. The difference between freshman and senior is huge....let alone a 7th grader.

However, the fact of the matter is they needed the younger girls to have enough girls for a competition team.
 
My sisters high school team had 7th grades on varsity. I personally don't think 18yr olds should be on a team with 11 yr olds in that capacity...where its a school activity... I mean one of them celebrated their 12th birthday at camp. The difference between freshman and senior is huge....let alone a 7th grader.

However, the fact of the matter is they needed the younger girls to have enough girls for a competition team.
Think about it... Some of the team "can't" see PG 13 movies (no real restriction, but you know what I mean) and some of the team can VOTE. that's a huge difference. I'm a sophomore and I feel so young when I talk to the seniors, so I can't imagine being a seventh grader. I would be terrified!
 
Think about it... Some of the team "can't" see PG 13 movies (no real restriction, but you know what I mean) and some of the team can VOTE. that's a huge difference. I'm a sophomore and I feel so young when I talk to the seniors, so I can't imagine being a seventh grader. I would be terrified!


Well that's the case on senior all star teams as well. I just feel like for school Cheerleading cheering for your peers is priority so therefore it's worse because of the social environment you're exposed to. 11yr olds shouldn't be around 18 yr old football players. What my sisters and her upperclassmen friends do after the games shouldn't involve middle schoolers. Sometimes the 8th graders would hang out with one of the seniors after games. That to me is unnecessary. I was a 13 yr old 9th grader on varsity and it was awkward for me...but at least I actually went to the school I cheered for
 
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like do any other schools have 8th graders on varsity
Yes. It's not uncommon, especially in private schools. I believe there is some sort of rule that if they are on the same campus or something that it is legal. The newer schools in our area have the high school, middle school, and elementary school all on the same campus, but all still there own separate thing. They are trying to get it to where every school feeds into itself and you don't have multiple elementary or middle schools feeding into a high school. It also makes zoning easier! You just move up the chain as you get older, so that would be legal for them to do.
 
I went to a public high school in Monroe County, NY. We had 7th and 8th graders on varsity and I cheered on varsity as a Freshmen. Our high school is 9-12 but we only have one middle school. Our school houses a Freshmen, JV and Varsity cheer team, all of which compete. Like all sports in our county and I believe state, underclassmen could be pulled up if talented enough to compete at a higher level but I know in my district you had to pass a fitness test to prove you were capable.
 
I agree with HeresAThought that the difference between an 8th grader or a 7th grader and a Senior in high school is massive. When I was a Junior on JV, it was still slightly awkward being with Freshmen. I love them all but some things I was more mature about than them. As previously stated, 11 year olds shouldn't be on a team with 18 year olds. Its great you have the skills but I still think that varsity should be 10th through 12th graders
 
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