MAG Team Awards

[uniqueRN]

Just a couple questions regarding team awards. How many boys does it take to make a team?

My son is a Level 6 9 year old. A couple times this season, him and two other boys were separated from the rest of the team which has 6 10 year old boys. In the last competition, they younger boys did not even place where as the older team placed first. This really stunk for the younger ones. The competition between the two age groups is not even close. The younger age group is much more competitive than the other. My son's AA score would put him first if the ages were combined. At this meet, he placed 7th. Why do they separate age groups in some and not other meets?

Does this happen for States or Regionals?

Thanks.

 

[profmom]

Your state surely has rules about this. If you can look up what happened last year, unless the rules have changed, it should be the same for this year. But I think I am not understanding your post -- how would your son have placed first if the age grouping was L6, ages 9-10 but 7th if it were just L6 9 YOs?? Wouldn't he have been grouped with the same six 9 YOs who finished ahead of him in either case?

It can be frustrating when the age brackets disadvantage your child -- my daughter's had a few meets where she would have placed in any age group other than the one she was actually competing -- but I think that's just one more reason to encourage them (and ourselves!) to focus on how good the routines are and whether they accomplished what they wanted to at the meet. And, geez, if your son is competing L6 at 9 and placing so well, he must be a terrific gymnast!

 

[skschlag]

I know that in our state, they will often break up the ages so that more boys can place. In my son's age group, there can be 80 boys, and in the one above him, there will be 20-30. So they will break the groups up to make it more even. I believe at states and regionals, they are set whereas at individual meets, they can change it.

For team awards, usually they will combine all the age groups for the team awards. We have been to one meet where they didn't do that, but most of the time they do.

It takes 3 gymnasts' scores at most meets to make a "team."

 

[profmom]

One nice thing about our state is that at states for the L4s, they give out both the usual team awards based on top three scores on each event from all ages but also team awards for just the 6-7 YO age group. It gives the teams composed mostly or exclusively of little guys a chance to have their big moment crowding the podium as a team and bringing home one of those banners!

Most of our meets also just count three scores from each event for team awards in general, but some meets only count two scores for upper-level optionals, since not very many gyms are competing several guys as 9s and 10s.

 

[J&A's mom]

In my state we have just had one meet that the team award was different. At one of the meets the 6-7s were on one team, while the 8 and up was another. It was hard because we don't fill a team for the oldest group. The 'reasoning' I was given was that the 6-7's were "prime age" which was the age they should be at that level in order to be prepared for an elite career. What is odd is that the next level up was also 6-7, but you would think it would be 7-8, since they are a year older?!?!

 

[gymboymom]

This is very interesting. So far we have only been at meets where all the age groups have been combined for team awards. This makes it very hard for our boys to place since they are mainly 6-8 year old first year L4s. Other teams have had kids a lot older. I am curious what they will do at states.

 

[pattymello]

In Australia kids will compete in one of two divisions. We have an age division which is any kid under the age limit for their level. So for L6 the age is under 13. If They are older than this age they compete in open division which can have people up to 25 years old (I think). In this system your 9 yr old son who is obviously performing at an exceptional level my be able to do well but really young kids won't usually place.

 

[uniqueRN]

But I think I am not understanding your post -- how would your son have placed first if the age grouping was L6, ages 9-10 but 7th if it were just L6 9 YOs?? Wouldn't he have been grouped with the same six 9 YOs who finished ahead of him in either case?

In past meets, some of those boys did not compete with my son because I think this was a 9 and below and 10+ but in any case, your right, they would have been grouped ahead. We don't experience many of these meets; this is only the second time.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yikes!............................

 

[pattymello]

i don't always understand your "Yikes". This is one of those times.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

this poster's son is a level 6. came up from level 4 and 5. hasn't figured out yet that all meets are different, meet directors can do what they want and it's not that important anyway. and she's describing the age groups that are most often used that come from USAG mens program. i suspect she doesn't like the answer she's getting from her gym?

and uniqueRN, i sincerely mean no disrespect. and state and regional use the USAG men's program age groups. you'll be disappointed again.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Got to agree with pattymello on this one, dunno. Your yikes have always been a very powerful force on this site. Please reserve them only for the truly crazy posts. You may diminish their power with overuse.

 

[uniqueRN]

Just to clarify, I'm not disappointed in any way. I'm very proud of my son's accomplishments no matter where he places. No disrespect taken but I was putting a question out there to see if anyone else from different states have experienced this which I thought was purpose of the thread. I haven't even asked my gym, it wasn't that important. Also, we just moved from a different state and never experienced this format. Sometimes I'm not sure if formats come from the state or from USAG. Thanks everyone for you input.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

got that wandrewsjr. i yikes'd that one cause its complicated depending on where you are and how many are in a meet. there is no perfect answer.

uniqueRN, Mag and Wag are both different in how they break out the age groups. ultimately, meet directors do what they want at their discretion. most across the USA will use the USAG men's program age groups but a lot won't. it usually has to do with how many numbers are in a meet and how they translate to participant birth dates.

 

[uniqueRN]

got that wandrewsjr. i yikes'd that one cause its complicated depending on where you are and how many are in a meet. there is no perfect answer.

uniqueRN, Mag and Wag are both different in how they break out the age groups. ultimately, meet directors do what they want at their discretion. most across the USA will use the USAG men's program age groups but a lot won't. it usually has to do with how many numbers are in a meet and how they translate to participant birth dates.

Now that's the answer I was looking for! Better than "yikes"