WAG Level 10 Regional and National Championships Age Groups

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Can someone please explain to me how the Level 10 age groups for Regional and Nationals are determined? I thought it was so that the number of gymnasts were fairly evenly distributed throughout all age groups, but looking at the schedule there is a large variance in how many kids are in each age group. For example there are only 7 kids in Junior D, but there are 20 kids in Junior E. Seems like with only 7 kids in Junior D they all automatically qualify to Nationals if they score a 35 AA. Doesn't seem like much of a competion, and Junior E has almost 3 times as many kids as Junior D. I don't understand the logic. Why not widen the Junior D age range a little to make more of a balance between the number of kids in the Junior D and E age groups. This is only 1 example there are many other situations where some age groups have way fewer kids than others. I would love to understand the logic.......... if someone can provide a factual answer it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!!!!
 
Can someone please explain to me how the Level 10 age groups for Regional and Nationals are determined? I thought it was so that the number of gymnasts were fairly evenly distributed throughout all age groups, but looking at the schedule there is a large variance in how many kids are in each age group. For example there are only 7 kids in Junior D, but there are 20 kids in Junior E. Seems like with only 7 kids in Junior D they all automatically qualify to Nationals if they score a 35 AA. Doesn't seem like much of a competion, and Junior E has almost 3 times as many kids as Junior D. I don't understand the logic. Why not widen the Junior D age range a little to make more of a balance between the number of kids in the Junior D and E age groups. This is only 1 example there are many other situations where some age groups have way fewer kids than others. I would love to understand the logic.......... if someone can provide a factual answer it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!!!!
I am updating this so that people will know the numbers I am using are for the Region 6 Level 10 Regional Meet, but regardless of the numbers I was under the impression that the purpose of the new process of not determining the age groups until after the State Meets was to even out the numbers in all age groups across the board. The number sure don't look very even to me...........and I feel like I must be missing something???
 
I am updating this so that people will know the numbers I am using are for the Region 6 Level 10 Regional Meet, but regardless of the numbers I was under the impression that the purpose of the new process of not determining the age groups until after the State Meets was to even out the numbers in all age groups across the board. The number sure don't look very even to me...........and I feel like I must be missing something???

The purpose is to even out the numbers in the age divisions, but at the national level, not necessarily at your specific region. Remember, at these levels the focus is on the culminating meet - Easterns/Westerns or JO Nationals.
 
The purpose is to even out the numbers in the age divisions, but at the national level, not necessarily at your specific region. Remember, at these levels the focus is on the culminating meet - Easterns/Westerns or JO Nationals.
So how can they estimate prior to Regionals what the appropriate age groups are for Nationals?
 
Theoretically, if you add up all the competitors in an age group in all 8 regions (say for example JR C) it would be equal to the total number of competitors in each of the other age groups. However, in each region it will vary. I think since they added the 4 age groups it is now varying even more because of just how birthdays may happen to fall in different regions when you are looking at spans of about 4 months.
I agree they need to come up with a better system. And don't even get me started on the inequalities in the sizes of the regions...
 
Another region may have a huge Jr D and Jr E age group, so Jr D is small and everyone makes it with the right score, but another region Jr D may have 20 kids and 37.00 AA girls will stay home.
 
Another region may have a huge Jr D and Jr E age group, so Jr D is small and everyone makes it with the right score, but another region Jr D may have 20 kids and 37.00 AA girls will stay home.


Could this lead to overly generous scoring in those small regions to get the allocated number to NATs? Crappy to see so many great gymnast stay home. If they honestly can get a 37 they really should be going.
 
I just posted in another thread about Level 9 being the same. It is beyond me why they will not take top 56 JR's and the top 56 Sr.'s at level 9 and the top 56 Jr's and the top 56Sr's. at level 10 from each region. Then breakdown age groups at Nationals. Why would you leave kids at home that are clearly more equipped to do well at Nationals just because of where there birthday falls? It is so frustrating to see. My daughter was 1st Alternate last year for Westerns with one of the top 50 scores in the region.
She would have qualified (her birthday was the cutoff for her group) in EVERY other age division. (ugh)
 
sort of off-topic, but possibly sort-of related: is scoring in level 9 and 10 like previous levels in that the younger age groups are usually highest scores?

i've never looked, but in my mind i've been expecting that to change- particularly in level 10 where i would expect scores to go up with age because of having considerably more time at that level.

if the scores do go up with age in level 9 & 10, then is that maybe why they take a certain number from each age group? because if they didn't then it would be mostly the older, multi- year level girls going?
 
sort of off-topic, but possibly sort-of related: is scoring in level 9 and 10 like previous levels in that the younger age groups are usually highest scores?

i've never looked, but in my mind i've been expecting that to change- particularly in level 10 where i would expect scores to go up with age because of having considerably more time at that level.

if the scores do go up with age in level 9 & 10, then is that maybe why they take a certain number from each age group? because if they didn't then it would be mostly the older, multi- year level girls going?

Level 9 & 10 are different in that respect.

In level 10, you can have older seniors who have been in level 10 for 3-5 years... as you can imagine, those scores can be sky high (consistent 38s all season).. you also have seniors who only competed 1 season of 10 and those scores can be pretty low... For Jrs, you can have 1st year Jrs with pretty low scores or 1st year JRs with really high scores because they are the HOPES kids or because they are just biding time in the JO levels until they switch to JR. ELITE.

For level 9, there tend to be less high scoring seniors because they would have either left the sport already or have moved onto level 10......
 

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