Parents so...how does this meet stuff work?

[lhmom]

We've been to 4 meets so far, and I've never seen the age group in the program. Some of them had monitors, but it only displayed the scores, not ranking, and not the age group.

Guess we might be a bit spoiled where we are then with live scoring and all. Need to appreciate that more, even when there are technical difficulties!

 

[MeetDirector]

One more thing about ages for parents new to this crazy sport.

The age of your dd for competition purposes (her competition age) is the age she will be on the final day of the culminating meet for her level in the season. The culminating meet can be the State meet or Regional meet or National meet (even if she doesn't qualify). So if your dd is 8 when the season starts but turns 9 before her level 5 state meet, she competes as a 9 year old all season. This is USAG's way of leveling things out for age divisions thu the season. All scoring software, if configured correctly, will place athletes in the correct age level with just the athlete's birth date.

 

[IreneKa]

Guess we might be a bit spoiled where we are then with live scoring and all. Need to appreciate that more, even when there are technical difficulties!

Yeah, it's very nerve-racking! Especially since they only announce the first 4-5 places. So, you are sitting there listening for your child's name, and it's up to place 2, and she still hasn't been called, and you are wandering, is she in the first place or hasn't placed at all? lol

 

[2G1B]

It always seemed for USAG boys that it was the age at the start of the season. My son's birthday isn't until summer, so he would be the same no matter what; but I know that he had boys in his age group who had turned 8 in like December while he was still 7 (until end of May). Is it different for the boys?

For my girls last year they were AAU. They competed the age they were and when they hit a birthday, they went up to the new age group. That left my youngest DD competing state in the 7 year old group - she had turned 7 two weeks before states.

 

[MeetDirector]

The USAG Men's program is organized and governed differently from the women's program; I don't try to keep up with it.

As I understand it, AAU is a little more relaxed than USAG JO. During a season in USAG, an athlete's age will never change. USAG wants them competing all season against the gymnasts they will be competing against at the end of the season.

 

[skschlag]

Boys' ages for competitive season are determined by their age on Sept 1. I think level 4 might be different..

 

[2G1B]

The USAG Men's program is organized and governed differently from the women's program; I don't try to keep up with it.

As I understand it, AAU is a little more relaxed than USAG JO. During a season in USAG, an athlete's age will never change. USAG wants them competing all season against the gymnasts they will be competing against at the end of the season.

That makes sense. It is tough for the kids who have a birthday right at the end of season;b ut at least they know what to expect. My DD scored a little higher than her normal at state, which at most meets would have placed her pretty well; but since she was suddenly in with the older girls she didn't do so well and she wasn't expecting that.

so since she will now be competing in fall and the state meet is in December, she will be with the 7 year olds. right? (she won't turn 8 until the end of March - which would be before SPRING state meet; but after the FALL one.)

 

[tennismom4]

wow ladies - so much information! Ohhh boy what did I just get myself into?

I'm going to make an assumption that I should probably leave the 4yr old brother home? It sounds like a meet day is alot of hunkering down and passing time....

 

[armbmom]

Another thing to keep in mind about the age ranges is that they may be grouped not only by age year, but by birthday range. For example, 9 year old Jan-March, April-June, etc. Also, she might be in Child B at one meet, but Junior A at another. They could also change the grouping around, so, they may not always compete against the same group.

Last season my dd competed against one girl on her team at several meets and then they weren't in the same age group at the next meet. My dd wasn't aware and freaked out when she didn't get called up to get an AA medal when she knew her score was higher than the other girl. She was in Junior A and the other girl was in Child C and they called the Child C awards before the Junior A awards.

 

[htimcj]

wow ladies - so much information! Ohhh boy what did I just get myself into?

I'm going to make an assumption that I should probably leave the 4yr old brother home? It sounds like a meet day is alot of hunkering down and passing time....

I would definitely leave the 4 year old at home if possible. One session tends to last 3-4 hours depending on how many gymnasts there are.

 

[armbmom]

I also have a 4 year old and had to bring her to a few meets last season. It is challenging. Bring lots of snacks and quiet activities and get a babysitter when you can.

 

[Quadqueen]

One more thing about ages for parents new to this crazy sport.

The age of your dd for competition purposes (her competition age) is the age she will be on the final day of the culminating meet for her level in the season. The culminating meet can be the State meet or Regional meet or National meet (even if she doesn't qualify). So if your dd is 8 when the season starts but turns 9 before her level 5 state meet, she competes as a 9 year old all season. This is USAG's way of leveling things out for age divisions thu the season. All scoring software, if configured correctly, will place athletes in the correct age level with just the athlete's birth date.

This is not true in all states. In our state, the age that the gymnast competes is their age that day, the day of the meet.

However, that's not the way they do it for boys. It is their age as of September 1.

 

[Quadqueen]

oops, skschlag already covered boys! But it's done differently for girls in different states as well, as stated above.

 

[MeetDirector]

Quadqueen, its true if the meet director is following the USAG Rules and Policies. The meet director is also required to publish the age guidelines for that meet. If the particular meet is not a qualifier for your particular state meet, then maybe they have some wiggle room, but I don't think its a good idea. As long as the competitors know what the criteria is it should be fine.

As for what ages and age ranges are in a particular group and what that group is called, it is completely up to the meet director as he sets up the scoring software. The label that goes on a group is chosen, hopefully, to distinguish one group from another. Knowing what age group an athlete is in before the meet should be known to the coach since it is usually printed on the score cards/sheets that the coaches get.

 

[Quadqueen]

Quadqueen, its true if the meet director is following the USAG Rules and Policies. The meet director is also required to publish the age guidelines for that meet. If the particular meet is not a qualifier for your particular state meet, then maybe they have some wiggle room, but I don't think its a good idea. As long as the competitors know what the criteria is it should be fine.

As for what ages and age ranges are in a particular group and what that group is called, it is completely up to the meet director as he sets up the scoring software. The label that goes on a group is chosen, hopefully, to distinguish one group from another. Knowing what age group an athlete is in before the meet should be known to the coach since it is usually printed on the score cards/sheets that the coaches get.

So are you saying our state meet isn't following USAG Rules and Policies? Sorry if I sound a bit confused. All meets in our state are run the way I describe. An 8 year old girl could turn 9 two days after her state competition, but she still competes as an 8 year old at the state meet (although 8s would probably be divided up into 8A, B, C, D).

 

[MeetDirector]

If she turns 9 the day after the state meet and the state meet was her culminating meet of the season, she competes as an 8 yo all season. What you described was changing ages throughout the season. That is not allowed.

I refer you to page 14 of the USAG Rules and Policies. By the way, this topic is one that causes no end of problems all the time. Meet directors need to read the R&P because if they called on a sanction violation they can be fined by USAG.



Good Luck.

 

[Quadqueen]

If she turns 9 the day after the state meet and the state meet was her culminating meet of the season, she competes as an 8 yo all season. What you described was changing ages throughout the season. That is not allowed.

I refer you to page 14 of the USAG Rules and Policies. By the way, this topic is one that causes no end of problems all the time. Meet directors need to read the R&P because if they called on a sanction violation they can be fined by USAG.



Good Luck.

ok, sorry, bad example . If the girl turns 9 in January, she competes as an 8 year old in the fall/winter until her birthday, and then competes as a 9 year old after her birthday, until her state meet in the spring. That is the way it is at every meet in our state.

I don't doubt there is a rule stating what you are saying, I just find it very surprising that our entire state USAG organization is in complete violation of such a rule.

 

[kayjaybe]

I think the exception to the age thing would be invitationals. You could have people coming from different states to your invitational and their state meets are all different dates, so using the age at states wouldn't really work.

For the invitational we host, the age the day of the meet is used. For all of our other USAG meets, we use the age they will be at states (or regionals or nationals).

 

[happychaos]

Leave the 4 year-old at home! I have never seen live scoring/ranking, and we have a number of good gyms around here. Also, I have found that arriving early with my DD and watching the last rotation of the earlier session helps calm her down. Then she gets a chance to cheer some teammates on, and get a feel for the way everything is laid out. Every meet except for one I have sat on bleachers, and a cushion is a must. Be prepared to have a pit in your stomach, and possibly be more nervous than your DD. Even now, when I watch a video with last years level 4 music I get anxious. It's like Pavlov's dogs, except I have been conditioned to feel anxious when I hear that music! I have seen awards go top-down, and bottom-up, so knowing your DD's scores is nice so you can be ready with the camera. You can also prepare your DD by letting her know that although there may be a bunch of people in the audience, not many will actually be watching her. And falls are very common.

 

[tennismom4]

Happychaos thank you for your post. It's *very* helpful - especially arriving a bit earlier and her realizing that not all eyes will be on her. That is a big issue at the moment - she is fearful for everyone staring at her & laughing (especially for floor) since she is deaf she is convinced that she will be bad since she won't hear the music. It's amazing that even though she's still such a young girl, she is determined to do gymnastics yet tormented at the thought of "doing gymnastics" in front of strangers. Ugh! such drama