sports professionals are not convinced that red shirting confnfers a real advantage. if you re the smallest one, you have to learn to be faster so you don t get creamed into the boards in hockey. that might teach you how to be a superior athlete, a better player, if you re always the biggest player, there s not as much impetus for you to make those kind of creative solutions. this was on espn outside the lines. they first were reporting this. a great story. thanks to jesse palmer there. it s an interesting debate. you kind of get it, undederstand it but it seems unfair a certain degree. i did this. you held back. for my son, we decided to hold him back but not for athletic reasons. where i live it s by the calendar year. so you have the choice to red shirt your child. i felt he was born at the end of the year. most other states in the u.s. timing and an age issue. it s more for academic. i m a tiger mom.