[toussaints]

I don't have any issues with holding a kid back for athletic reasons, but it's something I'll never practice. I've seen the positives and negatives to it. Some families do it right and the kid becomes more mature mentally and physically. Then there are families that mess it up and the kid loses focus academically because they know the specific reason why they're held back.

It's a decision where the kid, parent(s), and school really need to buy into it. There are a number of teachers out there that will refuse to teach a kid that was held back for non academic and non social reasons.