WAG JO National age groups

[Sidnito]

For region 8 regionals, looks like the Jr A age group is THE largest group. There are 36 girls. Is that typical in all the other regions? There is one senior age group in L9 with only 6 girls. Does that automatically qualify all 6 to Nationals?

 

[Seeker]

That is weird

But I know it happens sometimes as these are spread across the nation/all regions. But weird for Region 8 to have 2 age groups with wild differences.

 

[3rd_time_around]

That is weird

But I know it happens sometimes as these are spread across the nation/all regions. But weird for Region 8 to have 2 age groups with wild differences.

its actually pretty normal. The oldest age group is usually the smallest. The youngest is always the biggest.

 

[Seeker]

its actually pretty normal. The oldest age group is usually the smallest. The youngest is always the biggest.

I realize it happens. It is odd to me that a large region would have only 6 gymnasts in an age group. I thought that was more common in the smaller regions, but obviously it can happen anywhere depending on how the dates fall.

 

[wandrewsjr]

For region 8 regionals, looks like the Jr A age group is THE largest group. There are 36 girls. Is that typical in all the other regions? There is one senior age group in L9 with only 6 girls. Does that automatically qualify all 6 to Nationals?

Gymnasts must score a minimum 34 at level 9 at regionals to go to westerns/easterns, minimum 35 at level 10 to go to nationals.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Are you having your 9/10 state meet at the same facility as the big ten champs? That the only reason I could see to move it, since the rest of the states in your region look like they held their meets last weekend.

Not the same gym, but the past 3 (maybe 4) years, Level 8-10 states was held at Rutgers university so same campus where Big 10's were held. I'm guessing it was moved to a different weekend because at the time Big 10's were announced, the bids for hosting States had not been made yet. Also noticed that several of the Big 10 judges were judges we normally have at States, as well as some local gym owners working as timers, etc. Don't forget, NJ is a "small" state. This is not the first time that NJ States has been late March.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Not the same gym, but the past 3 (maybe 4) years, Level 8-10 states was held at Rutgers university so same campus where Big 10's were held. I'm guessing it was moved to a different weekend because at the time Big 10's were announced, the bids for hosting States had not been made yet. Also noticed that several of the Big 10 judges were judges we normally have at States, as well as some local gym owners working as timers, etc. Don't forget, NJ is a "small" state. This is not the first time that NJ States has been late March.

I do wish the state meets weren't the same weekend as the conference championships, would have loved to have been able to go to the ones near me. I assume this is also why a few states (like Texas and Iowa) held their state meets March 10-12th weekend instead.

 

[tomtnt]

I do wish the state meets weren't the same weekend as the conference championships, would have loved to have been able to go to the ones near me. I assume this is also why a few states (like Texas and Iowa) held their state meets March 10-12th weekend instead.

The NorCal sessions were scheduled so that all the PAC12 coaches who were still in town were able to watch the level 10s on Sunday AM....

 

[wandrewsjr]

The NorCal sessions were scheduled so that all the PAC12 coaches who were still in town were able to watch the level 10s on Sunday AM....

MPSF conference coaches too! It was a stacked weekend of gymnastics in Norcal!

 

[Natasha]

For region 8 regionals, looks like the Jr A age group is THE largest group. There are 36 girls. Is that typical in all the other regions? There is one senior age group in L9 with only 6 girls. Does that automatically qualify all 6 to Nationals?

Region 8 is one of the (if not the) largest # of L10s. The age groups for L10 seem to average about 25, with a range of about 20 to 36. There seem to be less L9's comparatively and this year there are even less at regionals because Region 8 required a score of 35 at state meet for both L9 and L10 to go to Regionals. Often the Sr age groups of L9 have very small numbers (I guess in Region 8 they either do a good job of getting older girls to L10 or they drop out or they go Xcel, I'm not sure). So, now there is this situation where one L9 age group has less than 7, so somewhere there is a a girl (likely multiple girls) in that age group that scored in the 34's but didn't get to go to regionals. Meanwhile, that spot will be given to a girl in another region to go to Easterns where you are only required a minimum of 34. Seems backwards to me, but apparently Region 8 had to increase the qualifying score to decrease the numbers at Regionals so that they could fit it all in to 3 days. The regions very much need to be re-distributed.

 

[Stormy]

It has changed this year. Per the 2016-17 R&R It is going to be based on actual qualifiers from state meets. The state chairs have to send the names of all qualifiers by Monday after the state meet and then the National office will determine the age groups based on that. So, numbers won't be out until all state meets are completed. Theoretically it should make for more even age groups, although I am sure there will still be quite a bit of variance.

The age groups don't look at all even to me.........and the when do the birthdates of the kids that petition in get considered?

 

[Stormy]

Anyone know when they will post the birhtdates for the 12 age groups for JO Nationals?

It has been published the Regional chart is used for both Regionals and Nationals.

 

[CMA25]

The age groups don't look at all even to me.........and the when do the birthdates of the kids that petition in get considered?

The age groups are based on the number of girls at the national level. This leads to inequalities of the age groups at the regional level.

 

[thefellowsmom]

The age groups don't look at all even to me.........and the when do the birthdates of the kids that petition in get considered?

My dd is petitioned to regionals and she is listed on the session schedule so I would just assume part of the age group break down. Her petition was approved last week though so I don't know how that effects anything.

I know that petitions were due on Monday as well, at the same time as qualifier lists. Maybe the ones that look like obvious approvals or were submitted earlier and considered, then the ones left over would maybe only be a few and not really effect anything?

Her age group is only a couple of months wide. I was surprised.

 

[tomtnt]

as coachp previously mentioned, it would be so much smarter to just let each region evenly divide their gymnasts into the 12 age groups.. who cares if JrA from region 1 is a few months off from JrA from region 3??

 

[sportsmom]

Last year was my daughter's first year at level 9, her Birthday was the actual cutoff day for her division and she ended as the 1st alternate. It was hard in the end because looking at all the other age groups she would have qualified to Westerns in every single age group except the one she was in (If she would have been born two hours earlier she would have been in the higher age division) and gotten to compete. The age old question is why they don't just take the top 56 Jr's and the top 56 Seniors is beyond me. My daughter was in the top 50 and didn't get to go.

 

[2gymmies]

So, truth be told... no matter how they do it someone will benefit and someone will feel cheated. We (my dd and I) have had several years of this now and some years it works out to my dd's benefit and some years it's really tough. her first of Level 10, there were over 40 girls in her age group and 20th Place was over a 37 all around... that was a tough year! But my dd has also been on the other side of the age cut off where she made it thanks but wouldn't have if she were a week younger. Now, since they have added more age groups, it is better and generally speaking the girls that deserve to go usually do, but not always. Could the system be better? I don't know, but one thing I do know is that we will continue to have this sort of discussion every year. We will discuss the disparity between regions and age groups and high scoring states and low scoring states and why should girls testing elite compete against level 10s and all kinds of interesting topics... at least they have improved the way the fill the empty spots. Maybe they should just rank everyone based on accumulated points throughout the season (isn't that how the men do it?!) I just know it's an exciting time for the girls who make it and disheartening for those that don't, but it can be motivating either way. Best of luck to everyone at regionals! (And good luck to the New Jersey and Minnesota kids who still have to get through states!)

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Last year was my daughter's first year at level 9, her Birthday was the actual cutoff day for her division and she ended as the 1st alternate. It was hard in the end because looking at all the other age groups she would have qualified to Westerns in every single age group except the one she was in (If she would have been born two hours earlier she would have been in the higher age division) and gotten to compete. The age old question is why they don't just take the top 56 Jr's and the top 56 Seniors is beyond me. My daughter was in the top 50 and didn't get to go.

Yes, that's what I keep thinking - why not the top 56 Juniors and Seniors from each region and then determine the age groups for easterns/westerns? ? It seems like that would be the fair thing to do and certainly simplify things. What am I missing here?

 

[2gymmies]

Yes, that's what I keep thinking - why not the top 56 Juniors and Seniors from each region and then determine the age groups for easterns/westerns? ? It seems like that would be the fair thing to do and certainly simplify things. What am I missing here?

Because a junior A is 12 and a junior F is 16

 

[sportsmom]

Because a junior A is 12 and a junior F is 16

There are no Jr.'s that are 16 my daughter is 14 and is a SR.2 and she will not be 15 until late summer. 13 is the max age at Jr.'s for Level 9.