Age Group breakouts

[nettyinpa]

I didn't know where to post this but I've been wondering....how do they determine the age group break outs at a meet? Do they go by the age the girls are at the time of the meet? I read somewhere that they determine the age group by the age they'll be at the time of states. Can someone clarify this for me? My dd is a Level 4 and she has girls on her team that range from 6 up to 9 years old.

TIA!

[hammy]

I can't remember exactly, and it might be different for different states, but I think most of the time they do it based on the age they are at states. Sometimes, though they do it based on the age they are at the time of the meet.

[midwestgymmom]

Our state goes by the your age at the state meet -my dd will compete as a 10yr old even though she doesnt turn 10 til Jan and the state meet isn't until March. They usually break the age groups up or combine them so that there is as equal # competing. In our state there cant be more than 30 girls in any age group i.e. If there is 30 ten yr olds and 10 6yr olds 10 7yr olds and 10 8 yr olds they would combine the 6,7 and 8 yr old group and the 10 yr old group would be alone. I hope that made sense :lol:

[purpleterah]

In our state they group you by the age you will be at States. This was a sore spot with me when my DD got jousted out of a medal because she turned 12 in Feb but she was 11 at the meet in Nov. I quickly learned the rules as my DD cried all the way home!! The meet director bumped her up level to evem out the numbers in the 9-11 bracket so what would have been a second place finish on vault parlayed into no placing or ribbons. You know the rulle book where it always says these are the rules etc in such and such case..Well if you ever ask my DD she'd say put my face there next to you are going to get the short end of the stick here...
Danielle
P.S this happened about 4 years ago.

[Ingymmom]

per the usag rules regarding age determination... This is nationwide.

2) The gymnast must compete with the age division as designated for the entire season. Provided that the gymnast has reached the minimum age for her level, the gymnast's age for the competitive season is determined by the date of the final day of competition at the culminating championship meet for that level.
a) For Levels 1, 2 & 3 – age is determined by the date of the culminating competition as directed by the State Administrative Committee.
b) For Levels 4, 5, 6 & 7 - age is determined by the date of the last day of the State Meet (or Sectional, if no State meet is held).
c) For Level 8 – age is determined by the date of the last day of the Regional Meet.
d) For Levels 9 & 10 State meets and below– age is determined by the date of the last day of the State meet.

http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/women/rules-and-policies/

[nettyinpa]

Thanks for all your replies. I did find the exact information on-line at the PA gymnastics website. Just took some browsing. There are going to be a few moms that will be upset by this news.

[krazykidzmom]

We encountered this when my dd was level 4. Her birthday was on the last day of the meet, the day they competed,(turning 8). However, the meet began 2 days before, so she competed as a 7 year old. One of our teamates mom was furious. It was the craziest thing. As, it ended up my dd would of been better off in the older group.

Now, three years later, be thankful for the age breakouts because some meets at level 9 the young age group will be ahh..... 14&under