MAG Ages & levels

[jenjean70]

Yes, the upper age really seems dumb. We have two kids on our L6 team who have birthdays something like a week before the age cutoff. So they will compete this year as 11, even though they won't turn 11 until after the season is over. One of them placed super high in his age category at state, but didn't get to go to the special training because he was over the hill, so to speak. Never mind this kid is great, and his scores blew away some of the younger kids, and he even seems to have a body type that will work long term...he was one week too old, so they don't want him. On the one hand I get the whole age cutoff - but it would be nice if there was a common sense provision or something. We just had another kid quit in part because he was injured over the summer (not at the gym, of course - I swear only 5% of injuries are actually from gym) and he's kind of running behind for the season. Since he was already at the older end of what they like, the idea that he would have to repeat this year again was just kind of depressing - he'd be too old to qualify for Nationals ever, etc. So he opted to quit altogether.

And yeah, when they changed the age cutoffs, it affected a lot of kids. My son competed L4 as a 6 y.o., but when he went to L5 the next year, he was considered 8. He's still on track to potentially compete L8 at age 11, but not if he gets any setback whatsoever. But there's no way he could have started any earlier - so the mere tightness of that schedule is rough, and I know a gazillion other boys are probably affected in the same way. I don't like him having no wiggle room whatsoever. (And of course, I know it's not the end of the world not to compete 8 at 11 y.o., that's just what he wants to work for.)

We have a boy on our team like that- late May birthday, 14 yo until May but competes as a 15 year old. He was trying to get ready to compete level 9 this year but I think the coaches had to have a talk with him and his parents last night- probably telling them he wasn't quite ready. It's really sad.

 

[skschlag]

What did he compete last year?

 

[jenjean70]

What did he compete last year?

He competed level 7 last year as a "14" year old and the year before that he competed level 6 as a 12 year old. I just got the sad news that he quit last night. He came in to say good bye to the boys. I guess he was told that he was going to go JD because region 3 doesn't want to have 15 yo level 9s (or that was a rumor someone heard)...but that would make him a team of 1 and he did that as a level 6 and it wasn't a good experience for him or his parents.

 

[profmom]

Depending on how JD works in your area, many meets may have them grouped with one of the optional levels at meets. He may be a team of 1, but he may have company as he rotates. I hope there's a chance he will come back.

 

[skschlag]

Sounds like a gym issue. Sad for sure. Nothing wrong with JD or being a 15 yo L9.

 

[jenjean70]

Depending on how JD works in your area, many meets may have them grouped with one of the optional levels at meets. He may be a team of 1, but he may have company as he rotates. I hope there's a chance he will come back.

Supposedly he's taking a "break" right before the season starts. He has just started high school and is in all AP classes and he says he wants to do "high school stuff" so his mom doesn't think he'll come back. Being the only JD probably makes him feel "lees than" especially when he was looking forward to competing with our other 4 level 9s- One of them is in 9th grade (summer birthday- 3 months younger than the boy who has to compete as a 15 year old), 2 are in 8th grade and the other is a 7th grader so they are all right around the same age and he wouldn't be with them. I think that's probably what made the decision for him. He's worked so hard and even though the skills don't come easy he's come a long way. He's a good kid.

 

[profmom]

Don't count him out. Sometimes the chalk gets in their veins and they discover that they really miss it too much to let it go. I am hoping that one of my son's former teammates will have this epiphany as well after realizing that he can manage high school just fine. JD is a great option for these guys -- we have, I think, three guys who quit gym earlier currently on our JD team and loving it. So much of it is in how the coaches pitch the program.

 

[Madden3]

OK if he wants to quit so he can concentrate on his studies, that is one thing. Also he might be interested in HS sports which would be a much less financial burden, or HS clubs or some other interest. So, those alone would be reasons to stop doing gym that are perfectly legit. In other words, there does not need to be any other reason.

But those gym related reasons? Something sounds off.

First off, JDs can and do train with JO kids their age. So he would not be alone unless for some reason the coaches are choosing to not have him train with other kids his age. That is entirely up to the coaches. Staying with same age kids is largely the point of JD! Also, if he or his parents or coaches are thinking JD is "less than," maybe they do not understand JD. As far as I know, he can go to JD and do the Level 9 type routines if he can and wants. And if he can't, he could still do really well.

Second, I do not know how a whole region can possibly say "we have no 15 year olds in 9." Huh and Wha? Clearly as far as USAG is concerned, 15 year olds can compete Level 9. They just cannot qualify for Nationals. If a whole region is really doing this, that is not good!

Third, JD is not a one way ticket. Two of my son's teammates did a year of JD and are back in JO this year.

 

[skschlag]

OK if he wants to quit so he can concentrate on his studies, that is one thing. Also he might be interested in HS sports which would be a much less financial burden, or HS clubs or some other interest. So, those alone would be reasons to stop doing gym that are perfectly legit. In other words, there does not need to be any other reason.

But those gym related reasons? Something sounds off.

First off, JDs can and do train with JO kids their age. So he would not be alone unless for some reason the coaches are choosing to not have him train with other kids his age. That is entirely up to the coaches. Staying with same age kids is largely the point of JD! Also, if he or his parents or coaches are thinking JD is "less than," maybe they do not understand JD. As far as I know, he can go to JD and do the Level 9 type routines if he can and wants. And if he can't, he could still do really well.

Second, I do not know how a whole region can possibly say "we have no 15 year olds in 9." Huh and Wha? Clearly as far as USAG is concerned, 15 year olds can compete Level 9. They just cannot qualify for Nationals. If a whole region is really doing this, that is not good!

Third, JD is not a one way ticket. Two of my son's teammates did a year of JD and are back in JO this year.

i agree with you! On all acounts. D started the year JD and ended at L9 nationals. NOthing is set in stone.

 

[sce]

I am sad to hear a kid who loves this sport felt so discouraged that he quit. I think the intent of JD was to keep kids in the sport but altogether the changes last year did make a lot of boys feel pushed out. It is likely that, at least at some meets, he still would have competed with teammates as many meets have a mixed session of optionals. I especially don't get the region thing. My ds was a 15yo level 9, having skipped from level 6. He was far from the only level 9 at 15 or 16yo in our region.

 

[2G1B]

What region? It is probable that my DS will be a "15 year old" L9 next year (birthday a few days before the cut off, so he will actually be 14). The coaches haven't said it would be an issue.

 

[jenjean70]

OK if he wants to quit so he can concentrate on his studies, that is one thing. Also he might be interested in HS sports which would be a much less financial burden, or HS clubs or some other interest. So, those alone would be reasons to stop doing gym that are perfectly legit. In other words, there does not need to be any other reason.

But those gym related reasons? Something sounds off.

First off, JDs can and do train with JO kids their age. So he would not be alone unless for some reason the coaches are choosing to not have him train with other kids his age. That is entirely up to the coaches. Staying with same age kids is largely the point of JD! Also, if he or his parents or coaches are thinking JD is "less than," maybe they do not understand JD. As far as I know, he can go to JD and do the Level 9 type routines if he can and wants. And if he can't, he could still do really well.

Second, I do not know how a whole region can possibly say "we have no 15 year olds in 9." Huh and Wha? Clearly as far as USAG is concerned, 15 year olds can compete Level 9. They just cannot qualify for Nationals. If a whole region is really doing this, that is not good!

Third, JD is not a one way ticket. Two of my son's teammates did a year of JD and are back in JO this year.

The region doesn't say that but there was a rumor that they didn't want 15 yo in level 9. He trains with the after school boys and the highest level boys in the after school program are level 8s. There are a lot of other boys level 9 and under (we have one boy who is trying to do 10 this year after doing level 8 last year) who do the homeschool training. They train 35 hours a week while the after school boys train 22 hours. The issue was not with the training but with the meets where he might be the only gymnast from our gym competing. He had been the only gymnast in sessions as a level 6 and it wasn't a good experience for him.

 

[jenjean70]

The m

What region? It is probable that my DS will be a "15 year old" L9 next year (birthday a few days before the cut off, so he will actually be 14). The coaches haven't said it would be an issue.

om looked it up and it isn't a "real" thing but she had said that she had heard a rumor- and so had her son and he didn't really want to JD.

 

[alongfortheride]

Wow. . .35 hours a week! My son would definitely quit if he had to practice that much each week. He would be burned out. Even 22 is a lot. . but 35!

 

[skschlag]

Wow. . .35 hours a week! My son would definitely quit if he had to practice that much each week. He would be burned out. Even 22 is a lot. . but 35!

So would mine! That is so much on their bodies, especially when they have not gone thru puberty. I think with those hours, you woudl have to have built in PT, yoga, dance, massage, and daily therapy just to keep boys healthy. Even then, my son likes doing gymnastics and doing other things.

 

[sce]

Wow. . .35 hours a week! My son would definitely quit if he had to practice that much each week. He would be burned out. Even 22 is a lot. . but 35!

Mine too, he is homeschooled and he would love daytime practices, but not 35 hours a week!

 

[jenjean70]

Wow. . .35 hours a week! My son would definitely quit if he had to practice that much each week. He would be burned out. Even 22 is a lot. . but 35!

Yup! The coaches would like my son to do the home school practices but last year when it was 30 the idea was just too much for him. I think 22 hours is a lot for him some weeks. There were a couple of weeks when he went 14 days straight- future stars with the clinic on Sunday and then practice and muscle man competition the following Sunday. After that he just wanted a day off! There are a couple of boys in the gym who do the 35 hours during the week M-S and then do 2-3 hour semi privates on Sundays. My son can't handle that...he loves gymnastics but he wants time at home too. I do hope that he makes his personal goal of making nationals this year and long term level 10. I would love to see him do gymnastics in college but that is years away so we celebrate the small victories.

 

[Madden3]

The region doesn't say that but there was a rumor that they didn't want 15 yo in level 9

But who is "they?" Just curious.

Since we already homeschool, I sometimes wish my boys' gym had a homeschool program. But actually I realize it would probably never work for us. My boys learn best in the mornings whether it is gym or school. I guess it better be school! Still it is nice in the summer and over school breaks when they often go to a morning practice temporarily.

 

[profmom]

I don't understand why they don't have him do L9 if he doesn't want to do JD. That's just downright silly. Our region had more than 25 at regionals alone in the 15-16 YO age group. And I'd be very worried about overuse injuries with those kinds of hours -- unless it's a ton of conditioning, that just does not sound healthy for boys who are going through or have just finished puberty. It will be a heck of a lot harder to get on a college team with chronic injuries.

 

[jenjean70]

But who is "they?" Just curious.

Since we already homeschool, I sometimes wish my boys' gym had a homeschool program. But actually I realize it would probably never work for us. My boys learn best in the mornings whether it is gym or school. I guess it better be school! Still it is nice in the summer and over school breaks when they often go to a morning practice temporarily.

I don't know...It might have been the coach trying to soften the blow of JD- but that's just my guess...I know the coaches have talked to other coaches and they told me that they fear that men's college gymnastics will be gone in ten years...I sure hope not!