MAG Birthday Cut Off

[Kolyvanov]

I am reading Gladwell’s Outliers again and I can absolutely see the age cut off correlation in early baseball success with 2 of our sons, one on each end of the spectrum.
I’m wondering if it’s the same for MAG? What are the age cut offs for each track? Does anyone see that it makes a difference in either the short or long term success of boys that were blessed by a magic birthday or negatively effected by a birthday right before the cut off?
I searched the forums and found conflicting information due to recent changes.

 

[Cheryl]

Prior to this restructuring, there were upper levels for competing. For example, you were considered out of age group for Level 8 at age 12, Level 9 for 14. This seemed to impact many boys and their ability to gymnastics. My kid was a late starter who missed the cut off by weeks, so he was both competing against kids 2 years older and getting pushed up in levels in order to stay “in age group”.

With this restructuring, they have taken out the upper age cut offs, so you can do the best level for you pretty much regardless of age. I think that this change means that each boy has a path to keep at gymnastics. However, I do think that between putting upper age limits in and Covid definitely put a dent in gymnastics participation. Boys who weren’t able to do Level 10 by age 15 (which for many boys was 14) tended to quit.

 

[Kolyvanov]

A loss of youth participation in any sport is concerning.
I can see where athletes wouldn’t continue after being robbed of 1-2 years in some cases. Some sports aren’t affected the same.
I am wondering more about the age cut off specifically.
Do people see a big difference and faster results from children that are right after the cut off vs right before it?

 

[skschlag]

When my son started, he was on the younger side of the age group. When he ended, he was on the older side. I did not see any difference in his results either way.

 

[DTAG]

A loss of youth participation in any sport is concerning.
I can see where athletes wouldn’t continue after being robbed of 1-2 years in some cases. Some sports aren’t affected the same.
I am wondering more about the age cut off specifically.
Do people see a big difference and faster results from children that are right after the cut off vs right before it?

I’m nervous my son might be negatively affected as he has a Dec birthday. He is 10, but competition age 12. And at level 6. I don’t see this affecting his scores at all, but when he goes to level 8 next year, he will be competing against other level 8’s that have been in that level for their second year. I do see a pretty big difference in first and second year level 8’s. So he will be trying to play catch up.

While there is a wide range of abilities in level 8 still, there are guys catching tkatchev’s in our gym at first year level 8. So they will continue to uptrain from that. My son is learning toe-on/toe-off and endos for level 6. For him to be competitive with these guys next year, it’s going to be a pretty big jump.

By the time he goes to 9, or even 10, I foresee it all evening out. But my son is accustomed to doing well at the level he currently trains, but next year might be rough. Especially as our optionals pretty much have all travel meets and the competition is pretty much the best of the best.

 

[JBS]

My son has a Dec. 31st birthday. In the long run I don't think is matters at all.

 

[DTAG]

I agree, by the time they are level 10, the playing field evens out I think.