Grade 14 out of age

[Little Mo]

Hi there, this is my first post here

My little one is about to compete for the first time and has been entered in county grade 14 out of age. My question is does this mean she can't qualify for the regional comp if she does well, even if she's just one year out of age? We are very new to competitive gymnastics and she is very fortunate in obtaining a place in a very successful elite gym having previously only doing rec in a school hall but the coaches aren't very forthcoming with info.

I look forward to your replies. Thank you

 

[chocolate]

My dd doesn't do grades but I think it's only in age girls that make up the county team that go to the regional finals . good luck to your daughter in her first comp.

 

[Little Mo]

Thank you. I didn't fancy asking her coach and looking silly, think its just been assumed I know these things. I think she's got a chance at really doing well. Looking at footage of the county grades I think she would have been fine doing grade 13, except for the bar routine. I said before, she was only doing rec gym in a school hall up until a few months ago so had never even been on a beam or bars until she went to her new gym.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I'm pretty sure that regional grades are not so much in and out of age so much as minimum ages for year of competition - so 8 for 14, 9 for 13 and 10 for 12, hth

 

[Jenny]

Some regions split their regional grades into year of birth, some just under 10 and over 10. Some have a 'county' team that go to a regional final, others just have a single competition in the whole region. Some have their regional grades at the beginning of the year, some at the end and some in the middle. Huge variations between regions.

Good luck , hope she enjoys it. Better to be more than ready than only just ready especially if she has only just come out of rec.

 

[Little Mo]

Thank you! She's really excited, especially as she's just been given her floor routine and she loves it! I'm just feeling rather nervous :/

 

[Jenny]

First floor routines are soo cute. They look so serious at first.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

mine always looks serious ! I keep telling her if she frowns so much she will get a crinkly face

 

[Uglybetty]

I think the "in age" thing must be seen as pretty important here as I know a few girls have been pulled from grades in recent weeks in part because they were struggling with a few skills for grades they are considered "out of age" for. No grades for my DD this year (or the vast majority of her group) but clear signs of up training already so expect she'll skip to a higher grade next year.

 

[Little Mo]

Haha well when she dances she's very serious so it will be interesting to see how she performs her floor routine. We don't get to watch at all so it'll be fantastic to see how much she's improved.

 

[Little Mo]

Yes the same in our club ugly Betty. My dd has been put in the development 'potential' squad who are one step away from pre elites so a lot of up training (is that what you call it?!) but I think her upper body strength needs working on and they wouldn't put a child in for a comp unless they were confident they would do well. Maybe if she'd have done grade 14 last year they'd have pushed her on the bars more but I'm just happy she's entering a comp so soon.
Thanks for all your replies

 

[Flossyduck]

Are county grades different to regional grades then?? How do they work?

Just when I think I have a handle on how this works, someone throws something else in to make me go eh?!

Good luck to your dd. The first competition is always going to be exciting

And with the face thing - my dd definitely has a concentrating face when she's competing. Every photo is the same. I keep hoping she'll relax and smile more, but I think we're going to have to refer to it as her game face and live with it...

 

[Tally Ho]

We don't have county grades, only regional grades, then county levels. DD did grade14 out of age, but I don't think there is a regional team etc unless it's national grades and compulsory?

 

[chocolate]

In my region each county holds each own regional grade competition and the top 4 from each grade go through to the regional final held on the same weekend as the compulsory levels and national grades competition so the overall regional champion for each grade is declared and also the winning county team for each grade.

 

[rlp2]

I'm pretty sure that regional grades are not so much in and out of age so much as minimum ages for year of competition - so 8 for 14, 9 for 13 and 10 for 12, hth

As far as I'm aware they can do grades out of age a year earlier too but can't place.

My 7 year old did 14 last year and is doing 13 'out of age' this spring just after she turns 8.

I do however have very limited knowledge and can only go by my experience!

 

[Jenny]

I haven't seen that before. It doesn't happen in our region so must be an unofficial thing in your region. BG clearly states minimum ages for each grade.

 

[Faith]

In our region you can't compete wag outside your own club until the year you turn 8. Until then you compete F+V, if you compete.

I know for F+V it's a BG rule rather than a regional one, you can't compete until the year you turn 6. DD did a couple of comps last year, and had to enter in "display" category- they all get a participation award, but routines weren't judged and there were no placements. Unless that's what your DD is doing, Rachael….

 

[rlp2]

Like I said, I have very limited knowledge and this is just my experience!

I think it must be an unofficial thing and they certainly haven't been allowed to compete until this year.

I'm just left wandering if I'll ever understand...

 

[floppycat]

DD did Grade 14 at age 6 year turning 7 last year, she placed and the winner was the year she turned 7 too so I'm confused. Different regions must have different rules.

 

[Faith]

Oh here you go- from BG policy doc…

iii. Age and Competition

Competition is an integral part of gymnastics and the performance-orientated gymnast must gain experience in competition over a period of time. However, to protect the young gymnast, it is British Gymnastics policy that for an event that leads to a national or UK final, the gymnast must attain the minimum age of nine years in the calendar year in which the event is held.

It is recognised that gymnasts may wish to enter events when they are below the age of nine years. British Gymnastics therefore recommends the following;

Age

Competition environment

5 years old in the year of competition and under 6

Within the club, school and leisure centre only

6 years old in the year of competition and under 7

Up to county and County Sports Partnership level

7 years old in the year of competition and under 8

Up to regional and home country level

8 years old in the year of competition and under 9

Up to BG/UK wide national level

The world governing body for gymnastics, the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (F.I.G.) has age related rules governing the performance of a gymnast at international events.