WAG Wrong age group

[flippysmom]

This is my dd second year competing and every meet that she has competed in she has been in the wrong age group for awards, always placed in the age group a year to a year and a half older than her. We have always mentioned it to the coaches, but not made a big deal about it because we have always said that the scores aren't what is important. We always figured that it was a matter of grouping the session into even categories for awards, and maybe a couple of 7 year olds ended up in the 8 year old category because they were on the "margin" of the category, or something similar.

This year there is a new girl on my dd team and she is six months older than my daughter. She has been in the correct age group at each meet, but my daughter has been one or even two age groups higher than this girl. This year (second year lvl4) it had caused her to lose as many as 5-6 places and kept her off the podium at least 7 times. At her last meet she would have been 2nd AA, 2nd on two events, and 3rd on two events. Instead she was 5th AA, with two 5th places and two 6th places.

The gyms only response is that we should be happy, she did well. We were thrilled with her performance and her scores. We are just tired of watching her disappointed at awards when she just scored a high 36AA, beat the girl that is 6 months older by almost a full point and that girl got the 2nd place AA and dd got 5th.

We have been very patient and understanding, but I want this fixed. It is clear now that it was not a one time mistake, it even happened at states last year (putting her at 6th instead of 3rd AA). Does anyone have any advice? Could her profile with usag be wrong, and could I verify it? Where do meets get the ages for the girls? Her gym says that her age is correct when they submit it, but I have never seen them check to be sure. I would really appreciate any help, I would like to get this corrected before states in April. Thank you.


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[SignHere]

This happened to my DD one time. I told the adult registering her at check in that they had her in the wrong age group (listed in the program or meet sheet), who told the meet director , who changed her age group.

i think it does make a difference. One of these days, someone else is going to complain when your daughter beats their daughter and she's not in the correct age group!

 

[Seeker]

Yeah, something definitely sounds fishy. Maybe the gym has her birth-year wrong on their records? Maybe her USAG profile is wrong? I would double-check both and make sure they address it before your State meet. She deserves to be credited appropriately!

 

[wandrewsjr]

My guess is that her birthdate is wrong in her USAG information. Meet directors often download all the gymnasts' info directly from USAG.

 

[kayjaybe]

Also, be aware that different meets use different ages when giving awards. Most of our meets use their age on the last day of states for that level. My dd's bday is in mid-March, so she turns older right before states. So, she spends most of her meets competing at an age higher than her actual age. (i.e. she is 10 right now but competes as 11 because she'll turn 11 in March and our states is in April). There is a girl in her group that competed as an age 11 last year and competes as 11 again this year because states is a bit later and she is still 11. She is almost a whole year older than my dd.

For invitationals, it has usually been her age the day of the meet...as you can have girls coming from other states where they have a different date for their state meet.

So...you should get her age record checked, but also be aware that meets use different ages.

 

[flippysmom]

Also, be aware that different meets use different ages when giving awards. Most of our meets use their age on the last day of states for that level.

That is what we thought was happening, and is the reason why we haven't pushed the gym on it for the last year and a half. I am pretty certain that this is not the case because at the last meet the girl that is six months older than dd was in the right age group based on the breakdown by birthday on the rotation schedule, but dd was in an older age group.

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[flippysmom]

My guess is that her birthdate is wrong in her USAG information. Meet directors often download all the gymnasts' info directly from USAG.

That is what I was wondering. Do you know if I can check her date of birth directly with usag?

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[Jenny]

this is really unfair on your dd. I would ring USAG and ask them straight out. I don't understand why your gym is not correcting it. Surely they would like her to place at state for the gym's sake.

 

[Aussie_coach]

It really sounds like her birth year is wrong on their records. You need to look into this, its hardly fair for her.

 

[Danica76]

Do you have her USAG number? You can go online and create an account if you have that info and check to make sure all of her stats are correct. You can edit it there, but I would also call members services directly to.let them know of the errors. I hope you get this figured out! It really isn't fair for your DD.

 

[my4buffaloes]

At one meet a girl from our gym was placed in the wrong age group. We noticed it right off because she has the exact birth date as my dd and they were in separate age groups. The mom told the coach who immediately went and told the people doing the awards and they stopped and redid her age group with her in the right now. I am surprised that your gym doesn't seem to care that she is always in the wrong age group and would look into as well as check with USAG yourself. That sounds very frustrating!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I bet the gym and USAG have the wrong DOB down for her. Check with them to make sure but that would be very annoying after a while. If it happened only once then ok maybe it was an oversite but at every meet? Not acceptable and her gym should take ownership and get this fixed for you.

 

[SGMOM]

Something similiar happened to my daughter's teammate due to a typo. The gym had her birthday correct, but somehow during the USAG registration process her birthdate was incorrectly entered. It took our gym a couple of weeks to get it fixed, but they actively worked to find the problem and correct it.

 

[krisnkids]

If the gym won't do anything about it, and you don't have her USAG number, call USA Gymnastics and get to the member services area. They can look up your dd's info and get it taken care of. I wouldn't even say anything to dd's gym about it until the next meet when they finally have her in the right age division comment that she is finally in the right age group! I can't believe your gym won't even check into it!

 

[gymmomtoo]

Agree--sounds like USAG has her birthdate down wrong. I would contact them and have it fixed. I am also astonished that the gym isn't concerned about it!

 

[Flossyduck]

Amazing that the gym aren't bothered about it. Surely posting better placement reflects on them?! I can't understand it myself.

Don't know about the USA system, but I'd do what other's have suggested and sort it out yourself directly. You're not making a fuss at all, it's only fair and I think you've been forced to accept a silly situation way beyond that necessary to show good manners!

 

[Gymmommy71]

Agree--sounds like USAG has her birthdate down wrong. I would contact them and have it fixed. I am also astonished that the gym isn't concerned about it!

I have not noticed anything like that happening at meets...usually the age groups are always spot on w/ the order of the girls birthdays. I agree something is amis in the USAG system and also can't believe that your gym isn't making an effort to get it fixed. I can't imagine a gym not making it top priority to fix something like that...an athlete's DOB is a very big deal in the sport of gymnastics, it's way more serious than say a mispelled last name. Good luck.

 

[SamIam]

My guess is that her birthdate is wrong in her USAG information. Meet directors often download all the gymnasts' info directly from USAG.

I think this too as it has happened to us.

 

[flippysmom]

Thank you so much for all of the help. I have been a little disappointed in the gym's help with this matter, but they have had a lot of parents that have been upset about little things and making them into BIG things. I think that they assumed that it was just the grouping for ages. DD is very mature for her age, so people are surprised at her real age-I do it all the time.

Several members have directed me to where we need to be with USAG to fix the problem, without having to create waves at the gym, thank you CB!

I know that this will sound odd, but I think that the scores issues have done so much more for dd long term. She has learned to really focus on her accomplishments and be happy with how she did. There is always a variable in awards when you have different age grouping, and dd has always come out on the wrong end of it, when someone else in the gym comes out on the better end. She has had numerous meets getting lower placements than teammates who had lower scores, and several times had it rubbed in her face by those teammates. If she got all tens I wouldn't have been more proud of her then I have been this year with the grace and maturity that she has shown.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

call USA Gymnastics Member Services and verify your child's information. 1-800-345-4719. have her USAG number in hand. do this tomorrow on Tuesday. Office is closed today. and they open 8:30 eastern time.