MAG Recalibration of MAG levels for next season?

[skschlag]

I’m excited to see all of the changes

I am as well. I think in the long run they will be good. Of course, my son is done ( ) so it doesn't affect him at all

 

[DTAG]

I am as well. I think in the long run they will be good. Of course, my son is done ( ) so it doesn't affect him at all

Who’s to say they don’t change somethings up on a collegiate level though? Once again, they want us to be more competitive at those super high levels right? They might end up change requirements for the collegiate routines so we can kick some more butt at World's and the Olympics. ‍

 

[skschlag]

Who’s to say they don’t change somethings up on a collegiate level though? Once again, they want us to be more competitive at those super high levels right? They might end up change requirements for the collegiate routines so we can kick some more butt at World's and the Olympics. ‍

You never know! (but then, I am out of the picture and will never really understand it all anyway!)

 

[Cheryl]

In a sport that is hard to get boys to do, hard to get boys to stay in the sport, and that boys don’t have much chance to do gym after HS, I would like to see a better approach. Maybe like mobility scores with girls. If a 14 year old girl has skills for level 6, she can stay and compete Level 6. A 14 year old boy would have a hard time, because of the age limit levels in optionals. In mens’ gymnastics you basically have to be at Level 10 by 16. It doesn’t take into account late starters, injuries, repeating levels, or male physical development which is more diverse than female development at the same age. At 16, most girls are post pubescent, while at 16, many boys are still developing.

I would like to see whatever program evolves to encourage boys to keep doing gymnastics. I think the easiest way to do this is by allowing boys to compete at the level they are at, rather than the reverse, of saying... you are this old, you can only compete this level.

 

[skschlag]

In a sport that is hard to get boys to do, hard to get boys to stay in the sport, and that boys don’t have much chance to do gym after HS, I would like to see a better approach. Maybe like mobility scores with girls. If a 14 year old girl has skills for level 6, she can stay and compete Level 6. A 14 year old boy would have a hard time, because of the age limit levels in optionals. In mens’ gymnastics you basically have to be at Level 10 by 16. It doesn’t take into account late starters, injuries, repeating levels, or male physical development which is more diverse than female development at the same age. At 16, most girls are post pubescent, while at 16, many boys are still developing.

I would like to see whatever program evolves to encourage boys to keep doing gymnastics. I think the easiest way to do this is by allowing boys to compete at the level they are at, rather than the reverse, of saying... you are this old, you can only compete this level.

By putting the lower limits on it, they are trying to slow down the push to get younger boys doing bigger skills, which causes more issues to their developing bodies and decreases their time in the sport. They are talking about not having upper age limits on the boys optionals (there have never been upper age limits on compulsaries). (or at least I have heard rumblings of that, but have seen nothing in writing)

This would mean that if you are 16 and have L8 skills, you compete L8. There is nothing that says you have to be a L10 by age 16. That is just the first year you can be a L10.

 

[gymboymom]

The bid packet for 2022 Easterns and Westerns has a meet schedule on it which includes older boys at all levels L7 to L9. So I think it is pretty safe to say the plan is to get rid of the age cap on these levels.
Link Removed

 

[Cheryl]

Got it. Sounds like a good plan to let kids compete where they are, rather than by age, by getting rid of upper age limits. I know of more than a few boys who because of age, had to do 8 or 9 but really weren’t ready. JD attempted to fix this, which was a good start, but many gyms either didn’t offer it, or used it as a rec program, rather than a level-less optionals program.

 

[gymboymom]

In a sport that is hard to get boys to do, hard to get boys to stay in the sport, and that boys don’t have much chance to do gym after HS, I would like to see a better approach. Maybe like mobility scores with girls. If a 14 year old girl has skills for level 6, she can stay and compete Level 6. A 14 year old boy would have a hard time, because of the age limit levels in optionals. In mens’ gymnastics you basically have to be at Level 10 by 16. It doesn’t take into account late starters, injuries, repeating levels, or male physical development which is more diverse than female development at the same age. At 16, most girls are post pubescent, while at 16, many boys are still developing.

I would like to see whatever program evolves to encourage boys to keep doing gymnastics. I think the easiest way to do this is by allowing boys to compete at the level they are at, rather than the reverse, of saying... you are this old, you can only compete this level.

While I agree with you the program needs to keep encouraging boys to keep doing gymnastics, (my son has been competing since 2012!) I don't think the boys have age limits on the compulsory levels (at least they used to not, correct me if I am wrong). And there is JD for the boys to compete if they want to compete optionals at an older age but are not ready for L8+. This has been wonderful for the late starters in men's gymnastics. I am afraid calling this level now L7, will change that.

I don't see a huge issue with the age caps at L8 and L9 since it is FIG scoring. It is fully possible to compete the same routines for all these levels. Yes, they may score lower due to dismount difficulty requirements. And they will place lower against boys with more difficulty, but this is the case with all the optional levels with open-ended scoring. If either is an issue, they can compete JD instead.

 

[skschlag]

While I agree with you the program needs to keep encouraging boys to keep doing gymnastics, (my son has been competing since 2012!) I don't think the boys have age limits on the compulsory levels (at least they used to not, correct me if I am wrong). And there is JD for the boys to compete if they want to compete optionals at an older age but are not ready for L8+. This has been wonderful for the late starters in men's gymnastics. I am afraid calling this level now L7, will change that.

I don't see a huge issue with the age caps at L8 and L9 since it is FIG scoring. It is fully possible to compete the same routines for all these levels. Yes, they may score lower due to dismount difficulty requirements. And they will place lower against boys with more difficulty, but this is the case with all the optional levels with open-ended scoring. If either is an issue, they can compete JD instead.

JD is going away in the new quad.

 

[DTAG]

Well I was excited for the new changes before, but maybe not as much now. My son’s coach mentioned he may start training Future Stars. He is 9, with a Dec bday (so relatively new 9). If I am understanding the age changes correctly, then he may compete next year as an 11 yr old. He will turn 11 December of 2022. I’ve watched FS 11 yr old videos and I’m a bit nervous. He hasn’t learned to do one giant by himself yet, (just finishing up level 5), and those FS routines are serious! He can do the PH routine no problem but that hi-bar, I just don’t see it.

 

[skschlag]

Well I was excited for the new changes before, but maybe not as much now. My son’s coach mentioned he may start training Future Stars. He is 9, with a Dec bday (so relatively new 9). If I am understanding the age changes correctly, then he may compete next year as an 11 yr old. He will turn 11 December of 2022. I’ve watched FS 11 yr old videos and I’m a bit nervous. He hasn’t learned to do one giant by himself yet, (just finishing up level 5), and those FS routines are serious! He can do the PH routine no problem but that hi-bar, I just don’t see it.

Training for it, though, can help so much! My son trained FS a lot, but did not compete past age 9 due to coaching issues. But the training helped a lot!! So, just go for it and see what happens; he may surprise you

 

[DTAG]

Training for it, though, can help so much! My son trained FS a lot, but did not compete past age 9 due to coaching issues. But the training helped a lot!! So, just go for it and see what happens; he may surprise you

Good point!! He may just train it, and if he can do it successfully then perhaps compete it. But it should definitely help him clean up his routines.

 

[skschlag]

Good point!! He may just train it, and if he can do it successfully then perhaps compete it. But it should definitely help him clean up his routines.

Exactly. It really does help build those foundational skills!

 

[CLaValle]

Well I was excited for the new changes before, but maybe not as much now. My son’s coach mentioned he may start training Future Stars. He is 9, with a Dec bday (so relatively new 9). If I am understanding the age changes correctly, then he may compete next year as an 11 yr old. He will turn 11 December of 2022. I’ve watched FS 11 yr old videos and I’m a bit nervous. He hasn’t learned to do one giant by himself yet, (just finishing up level 5), and those FS routines are serious! He can do the PH routine no problem but that hi-bar, I just don’t see it.

The Future Stars age is different from the regular competition season age. For FS this year (regionals in October, Nationals in November), they compete the age they are as of Dec 31, 2021. So, it sounds like your son would turn 10 in December this year, and he would therefore compete as a 10 year old for FS 2021. (Unless of course they make changes to the FS rules/program as well!)

 

[DTAG]

The Future Stars age is different from the regular competition season age. For FS this year (regionals in October, Nationals in November), they compete the age they are as of Dec 31, 2021. So, it sounds like your son would turn 10 in December this year, and he would therefore compete as a 10 year old for FS 2021. (Unless of course they make changes to the FS rules/program as well!)

Oh wow that would be amazing! Him doing the 11 yr old routine is like skipping 2 levels if not more it seemed. Which the PH routine he said looked easy even at the 11 yr old bracket. Hopefully they don’t change how they are doing it with the ages.

 

[CLaValle]

Oh wow that would be amazing! Him doing the 11 yr old routine is like skipping 2 levels if not more it seemed. Which the PH routine he said looked easy even at the 11 yr old bracket. Hopefully they don’t change how they are doing it with the ages.

My son has done FS for several years now. In 2019, he competed the 10 year old routines at FS Nationals, and last year, he did the virtual competition as an 11 year old. This year, he will compete as a 12 year old in October/November. His birthday is in January, 2009. It has been a very rewarding experience, and he likes the program a lot!

 

[DTAG]

My son has done FS for several years now. In 2019, he competed the 10 year old routines at FS Nationals, and last year, he did the virtual competition as an 11 year old. This year, he will compete as a 12 year old in October/November. His birthday is in January, 2009. It has been a very rewarding experience, and he likes the program a lot!

Excellent, thanks! I’ve suggested that he start working on his flexibility a bit. He’s pretty good with his lower half. But he has huge shoulders, arms, and lats (I would think that is what is hindering him, can’t say for sure). Arm flexibility is not very good at all. I’m sure his coaches will show him how to improve it though.

 

[springsforlegs]

It will be confusing for a while but then it all shakes out.

All of this is speculation until the official documents come out in May:

From what I have heard, your age will be whatever you are turning during 2022. That will line us up with FIG which has been the goal for a while. They are looking at it like birth years, if that helps. So, if you were born in 2005, you will compete as a 17 yo next season, or as a 2005, depending on how they decide to word it. I think birth years work way better.

They have changed the ages for some of the levels to help with this. L10 will be 16-19, L9 will start at 14, L8 at 12. L7 will be an optional level. I have heard rumors that there may not be an upper age limit on any of the optional levels, but not 100% on that.

Again, I am not "in-the-know" or anything, but these are the things I have heard discussed. We are done with the junior program in a very few short weeks, so I don't pay a ton of attention to the new stuff

I need them move L8 to 11 - or else my kid is stuck with L6 again.

 

[skschlag]

I need them move L8 to 11 - or else my kid is stuck with L6 again.

But that would really be "moving up" as this year's L7 routines would probably be the L6 routines next year

 

[springsforlegs]

Well I was excited for the new changes before, but maybe not as much now. My son’s coach mentioned he may start training Future Stars. He is 9, with a Dec bday (so relatively new 9). If I am understanding the age changes correctly, then he may compete next year as an 11 yr old. He will turn 11 December of 2022. I’ve watched FS 11 yr old videos and I’m a bit nervous. He hasn’t learned to do one giant by himself yet, (just finishing up level 5), and those FS routines are serious! He can do the PH routine no problem but that hi-bar, I just don’t see it.

Giants aren’t so bad. My son had to learn them in less than 2 weeks. It took a little longer for reverse giants, but with a strap bar they will get it pretty quick, especially if the coach is thinking Future Stars.