MAG Region Championships not allowing some to compete

[ArmyMom]

So my son competes in region 3 and is a 13 year old level 8 and we just found out Region 3 has decided NOT to let older level 8’s & 9’s compete at regional championship Wondering if this is something happening in all regions this year or just in this region

 

[2G1B]

That isn't happening in R8. In R8, since they split to have a compulsory and optionals regionals they need all of the gymnasts that they can get for optionals to make it profitable!

 

[ArmyMom]

That isn't happening in R8. In R8, since they split to have a compulsory and optionals regionals they need all of the gymnasts that they can get for optionals to make it profitable!

Region 3 is split that way too but they are still kicking them out

 

[Madden3]

Wow that is too bad! Kind late to be making that change...
I do not see specific meet info for 2019 Regionals in Region 1 yet. I mean all I can see posted on the website is date at this point. So I do not know. Certainly coach has not said anything, but my 12 YO (13 year old competition age) is competing JD this year.
Was your son's coach/gym given any explanation?
I wonder if your son could/would want to switch to JD so he can compete at regionals.

 

[ArmyMom]

No we are not going to switch him... he will be back “on track” next year. In the grand scheme of things it is not a huge deal but I wanted to see if this was an across the board thing or just something Region 3 decided to do.

 

[skschlag]

No we are not going to switch him... he will be back “on track” next year. In the grand scheme of things it is not a huge deal but I wanted to see if this was an across the board thing or just something Region 3 decided to do.

No. it is not something other regions are doing. And it goes against the guidelines set forth by USAG. I am sorry it is affecting your son

 

[sce]

So my son competes in region 3 and is a 13 year old level 8 and we just found out Region 3 has decided NOT to let older level 8’s & 9’s compete at regional championship Wondering if this is something happening in all regions this year or just in this region

So is the region wanting all those boys to move up to the next level?

 

[skschlag]

So is the region wanting all those boys to move up to the next level?

Whether they are ready or not? I bet they are wanting them to do JD (which our coach does instead of older 8 especially). But still, to exclude them just seems rude.

 

[Madden3]

Whether they are ready or not? I bet they are wanting them to do JD (which our coach does instead of older 8 especially). But still, to exclude them just seems rude.

Yes I agree. More likely they are trying to pressure "older" optional kids into JD. Or pressure gyms/coaches to embrace JD more. Because a 13 year old JD kid could qualify to Regionals. So Regionals is like a carrot to do JD. I assume that JD was conceived as part and parcel of the optional levels competition age limits and National qualifying age restrictions. One does not really work without the other.

I am not saying it is fair of Region 3 to do this. I do not think it is. As we all know, 13 year olds are allowed to compete as Level 8s but can not qualify for Nationals. That should be carrot enough, and I think gymnasts and coaches should be able to make that choice of whether a gymnast is better off competing JO or JD without being further penalized. I am just musing about a possible logical reason for adopting such an age restriction for Regionals.

 

[profmom]

I think it's ridiculous. I suspect Madden has it right in terms of what the national organization is trying to do here, but when will those folks learn that they should not be making the rules to address the tiny, tiny handful of kids who will progress in conventional fashion through Future Stars into JE and then to elite status in the age brackets they have set? The regions don't have to play along with this. I'm really glad that, as far as I have heard, Region 7 is not.

JD is so new and the program has a lot of potential. I don't see why the powers that be can't just give it around 5 years to develop to see how different coaches are going to use it. It looks to me like the push is for JD2 to accommodate the guys who don't want to work out JO hours, and JD1 is increasingly getting pointed to JO guys who are not "up to level" for their ages. I am not at all convinced that this is wise.

 

[ArmyMom]

What I hate the most is how the last age change totally screws my son (and I am sure a lot of others).... May birthday! Yup short end of the stick so “technically” he is right where he belongs as a 12 year old level 8 BUT May Birthday makes him a “13” year old... I wish they had never screwed with the ages
And from what I hear you are all right... Region 3 is trying to make everyone on age track or go JD. I wish they would have made all the coaches aware so they could have made these choices before summer (not right when the season stared).... I heard they weren’t even going to let those age groups compete at States but changed their mind!

 

[skschlag]

that is tough armymom, and it did affect a lot of boys. But some boys are always going to be in that boat. It was the opposite before that. My son was the young end, and would always be beaten by kids that were actual age older than him (so the 12 year old nationals winner would actually be 13.

There is no perfect way...but, yes, it was hard fro some!!

BTW..
welcome to ChalkBucket!!

 

[ArmyMom]

that is tough armymom, and it did affect a lot of boys. But some boys are always going to be in that boat. It was the opposite before that. My son was the young end, and would always be beaten by kids that were actual age older than him (so the 12 year old nationals winner would actually be 13.

There is no perfect way...but, yes, it was hard fro some!!

BTW..
welcome to ChalkBucket!!

Lol... I have been here for a while I just lurk like a creeper I guess

 

[acam1103]

I still don’t understand exactly how the age limits are implemented because we aren’t there yet but I hate that it is having such an impact. I know that my older two will have to go the JD route because at 10 and 12 they are already “too old” to get to optionals on time. Makes me crazy.

Profmom (or anyone who knows) - curious how it is that this is supposed to help “elite track” kids? My son does future stars and his coaches have him pegged as possible JE when he gets to level 8 (barring the million things they could happen in the next two years to prevent that) but I don’t get how keeping other kids out of JO makes any difference for him. What’s the connection?

 

[ArmyMom]

And come 2020 the age rules could change again.... my understanding is that it will possible go to the age youbare Jan 1 but who knows.... I wish they would just pick something and stick with it insteadong of changing it every 4 years

 

[ArmyMom]

And come 2020 the age rules could change again.... my understanding is that it will possible go to the age youbare Jan 1 but who knows.... I wish they would just pick something and stick with it insteadong of changing it every 4 years

I guess 2021 season.... the changes always happen after the summer Olympics

 

[jenjean70]

So my son competes in region 3 and is a 13 year old level 8 and we just found out Region 3 has decided NOT to let older level 8’s & 9’s compete at regional championship Wondering if this is something happening in all regions this year or just in this region

It had been mentioned last year in region 3 but our coaches forgot about it. I had looked on the region 3 website and noticed that the older level 8s and 9s weren't allowed to go to regionals (last year it was listed that they couldn't do state either)- I mentioned it to our coach in September and he was shocked because we have a number of 13 year old level 8s at our gym. He called the region 3 chair but it was already a done deal. Thankfully they are letting them do state.....It seems like they are trying to push them to do JD........

 

[ArmyMom]

It had been mentioned last year in region 3 but our coaches forgot about it. I had looked on the region 3 website and noticed that the older level 8s and 9s weren't allowed to go to regionals (last year it was listed that they couldn't do state either)- I mentioned it to our coach in September and he was shocked because we have a number of 13 year old level 8s at our gym. He called the region 3 chair but it was already a done deal. Thankfully they are letting them do state.....It seems like they are trying to push them to do JD........

Hey Jennifer! You know we have already chatted about this! Lol

So our coach did say to me that they said they couldn’t compete last year but then let them anyway at regionals? Do you know if that is a legit statement? With him have been a 7 last year I never even paid attention to what was going on in the higher levels

 

[jenjean70]

Yes I agree. More likely they are trying to pressure "older" optional kids into JD. Or pressure gyms/coaches to embrace JD more. Because a 13 year old JD kid could qualify to Regionals. So Regionals is like a carrot to do JD. I assume that JD was conceived as part and parcel of the optional levels competition age limits and National qualifying age restrictions. One does not really work without the other.

I am not saying it is fair of Region 3 to do this. I do not think it is. As we all know, 13 year olds are allowed to compete as Level 8s but can not qualify for Nationals. That should be carrot enough, and I think gymnasts and coaches should be able to make that choice of whether a gymnast is better off competing JO or JD without being further penalized. I am just musing about a possible logical reason for adopting such an age restriction for Regionals.

This year in region 3 ALL of the optional gymnasts qualify to regionals since they separated Optional and compulsory regionals and added level 4 and 5 to the compulsory regional competition.

 

[jenjean70]

Hey Jennifer! You know we have already chatted about this! Lol

So our coach did say to me that they said they couldn’t compete last year but then let them anyway at regionals? Do you know if that is a legit statement? With him have been a 7 last year I never even paid attention to what was going on in the higher levels

Originally I think they weren't going to let them compete last year but because people weren't informed I think they let them but changed it for the following year (this year)- I guess the coaches forgot that this was discussed.