Parents Age verification/birth certificate to compete?

[Pea'sMom]

We were never asked at either gym, or either program (USAG and IGC.) For Pea's brothers soccer, however, we virtually needed a signed in blood affidavit. It was a little crazy. Birth certificate (with seal etc, no copies), signed verification, photo for ID cards with no hat or glasses, no smile. Because I've got the time to be manipulating my mediocre soccer players info

 

[rjb123]

i have not needed one for gymnastics but I needed one for my child who does comp cheer. I have another child who does swim and did not need one for that either. In that case it is surprising as birthday cut off dates can really make a difference for qualifying/ competing in big meets due to age time standards.

 

[tucktwisttumble]

i have not needed one for gymnastics but I needed one for my child who does comp cheer. I have another child who does swim and did not need one for that either. In that case it is surprising as birthday cut off dates can really make a difference for qualifying/ competing in big meets due to age time standards.

Totally standard in cheerleading. When we were at bid competitions for Worlds (a qualifying competition) we all had to carry photo ID with us into the practice/warmup gym. And present them to the event official AFTER our warmup but BEFORE our competition run (backstage). They are pretty strict in cheer with regards to ages.

 

[beachgirl]

I'm in So CA. Your daughter will compete as an 8 year old at all of the preliminary meets. When she gets to sectionals there will be 8A, 8B, 8C and by state age 8 will be broken down into 4 groups, so all of the girls will be close to your daughter's age. Age 8 is the biggest group for L3. If she makes it to optionals it will change because the last meet is in March or April and by then usually the younger girls are the best. No birth certificate required.

 

[PRY9]

Surely she isn't the only 7 year old that will be in the same situation - it sounds like much of the 8 yr old age group might be 7 for much of the season. I don't see an incentive for fudging a birthdate, the competition in the next age group down is going to be very similar - and potentially even tougher for any given meet.

 

[CuriousCate]

Our gym just uses what we entered when we registered for rec. That said, they actually had it wrong for my younger DD (they somehow defaulted to my older DD's birthday) so my younger DD's first meet she was going to be scored with kids two years older than her. Fortunately the meet director took one look at her and believed us when I told them and moved her down (she's super tiny and looks younger than her age). But when we went to change it with USAG, we had to send in a birth certificate to verify. So I guess they will take it at face value from the gym, but if you try to change the name (happened to a friend of ours where our gym registered her kid with her middle name listed as her last name), or DOB, USAG requires proof.

 

[rosiekat]

Haven't been asked for gym/USAG. We have been required to provide it for recreational soccer and for competitive swim/USAS. We have not needed it for any other of the myriad sports one or the other of my kids has been involved in!

 

[SHELOVESGYM]

I have noted the irony of having to provide a birth certificate for my 6 year old to play rec soccer, yet never having provided one for my daughter to be registered at meets (which I find so much more competitive than the rec soccer).

 

[duyetanh]

Both my kid and my coach were asked when her birthday was when she was a level 4. She was literally asked every meet....by judges during the competitions! I remember watching the coach get frustrated over it by the third meet, because a lot of the judges were the same judges as the first meet that season. Even at states I remember checking her in and the woman asked when her birthday was, and asked me not to talk, presumably because she thought I would not be honest. What is funny about all of this is my kid was definitely not a threat to any gymnast out there at level 4 unless it was usurping the last place position.
... oh and yes...she is still damn tiny.

 

[LindyHopper]

Both my kid and my coach were asked when her birthday was when she was a level 4. She was literally asked every meet....by judges during the competitions! I remember watching the coach get frustrated over it by the third meet, because a lot of the judges were the same judges as the first meet that season. Even at states I remember checking her in and the woman asked when her birthday was, and asked me not to talk, presumably because she thought I would not be honest. What is funny about all of this is my kid was definitely not a threat to any gymnast out there at level 4 unless it was usurping the last place position.
... oh and yes...she is still damn tiny.

Short Stack is 12 years old & 4'4". Her coach been asked (mostly by beam, but occasionally floor, judges) to ask her how old she is while warming up on events. They've never asked for her birthday. It didn't start happening until this year (L6). It hadn't happened every meet, but enough to be notable.

 

[Flyaway]

Dd has a spring birthday that always falls between the last regular season meet and state. So her age group at state is always bumped up from what she competed all season. It is what it is. We've never been asked her ask or to provide proof.

 

[Natasha]

For anyone competing in USAG the birthdate should be taken off of the USAG registration form that you have to complete each year. You know, the same one that the gymnast and parent has to sign with the fine print that says gymnasts won't compete skills that they are not properly able to competently do? My dd's birthdate was wrong for her first year of competing as the day of the month was apparently typed in to the system incorrectly. We didn't know this until her last meet of the season when she and a teammate (with identical birthday) were in separate age groups- apparently the cut off for that particular meet happened to be right at their birthday. I do remember a process to get it fixed (only a 20 day difference in birthdate) but can't recall if we had to send in birth certificate.

 

[Natasha]

Both my kid and my coach were asked when her birthday was when she was a level 4. She was literally asked every meet....by judges during the competitions! I remember watching the coach get frustrated over it by the third meet, because a lot of the judges were the same judges as the first meet that season. Even at states I remember checking her in and the woman asked when her birthday was, and asked me not to talk, presumably because she thought I would not be honest. What is funny about all of this is my kid was definitely not a threat to any gymnast out there at level 4 unless it was usurping the last place position.
... oh and yes...she is still damn tiny.

If she was tiny, they were probably verifying that she was old enough to actually be competing L4 as some gyms have incorrectly interpreted the rule to be reaching the age minimum by states vs having already reached the age minimum before competing at all.

 

[duyetanh]

If she was tiny, they were probably verifying that she was old enough to actually be competing L4 as some gyms have incorrectly interpreted the rule to be reaching the age minimum by states vs having already reached the age minimum before competing at all.

Yep that was exactly why... and it irritated the crap out of her, lol