All-Star Age Grid 2020-2021

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Question: If I recall, everyone who was aging out 19-20 got offered an extra year due to COVID? (If they wanted it.)

Follow up question: How old does that make the oldest seniors on a team if they were already super and took that extra? 20 or 21?

In your experience: has that affected space on say, Worlds teams? Ex: Suzie is Worlds eligible and wanted to make _____ but a number of super seniors returned, so she was placed on __?

I know open teams do not really have that age limitation, but did you notice any changes in open athlete numbers following covid? I would assume that there are more because many 20-21 collegiate seasons were cancelled, shortened, etc?

 

[DonnaM]

Honestly, this year's travel schedule is the first time that I can see being a full time college student might be compatible with All Star. Even the Worlds teams locally are mostly competing within a reasonable drive due to COVID, and almost all classes have an online option so if you did need time to go to some of the bigger comps, you could probably do your class from there. Add that some schools aren't doing sports at all (I know the local 2 year school has NO athletics this year) and some are doing sports, but limiting spectators, and spending a year as a super senior or on an open team seems pretty appealing.

 

[CLynn]

Question: If I recall, everyone who was aging out 19-20 got offered an extra year due to COVID? (If they wanted it.)

Follow up question: How old does that make the oldest seniors on a team if they were already super and took that extra? 20 or 21?

In your experience: has that affected space on say, Worlds teams? Ex: Suzie is Worlds eligible and wanted to make _____ but a number of super seniors returned, so she was placed on __?

I know open teams do not really have that age limitation, but did you notice any changes in open athlete numbers following covid? I would assume that there are more because many 20-21 collegiate seasons were cancelled, shortened, etc?

With regard to open teams, yes! We have a ton of alumni on our open team now, either because college went virtual or they decided to stay local for the year.

 

[XtremeWpg]

My extremely unqualified opinion (We use the IASF age grid) is that they're trying to align the age grid with olympic eligibility.

IASF age grid is U6, U8, U12, U17, U19 (both of those have covid adjustments) and then open at 14+ except level 7 at 16+. U19 is 'senior' and it seems like it's on its way out the door. That would mean you'd go from U17/U16 (adjusted for Covid) to open.

Also, I'm currently coaching a team with a 9 turning 10 year old and 15 turning 16 year olds (our median age is 13 on the team) in U17 and we haven't had one issue with their age differences. I sort of understand parental concern about the age gaps, but I just haven't seen it personally as a coach at all.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

My extremely unqualified opinion (We use the IASF age grid) is that they're trying to align the age grid with olympic eligibility.

IASF age grid is U6, U8, U12, U17, U19 (both of those have covid adjustments) and then open at 14+ except level 7 at 16+. U19 is 'senior' and it seems like it's on its way out the door. That would mean you'd go from U17/U16 (adjusted for Covid) to open.

Also, I'm currently coaching a team with a 9 turning 10 year old and 15 turning 16 year olds (our median age is 13 on the team) in U17 and we haven't had one issue with their age differences. I sort of understand parental concern about the age gaps, but I just haven't seen it personally as a coach at all.

I don't think you have the worst possible age spread though.

The bottom of Juniors per USASF is 6 but the top is 17 (if you turn during the season.)

10 is young but not as wildly inappropriate as six or 7.

 

[XtremeWpg]

I don't think you have the worst possible age spread though.

The bottom of Juniors per USASF is 6 but the top is 17 (if you turn during the season.)

10 is young but not as wildly inappropriate as six or 7.

Thats fair!

IASF U17 has a lower age limit of 10 in the year of competition. So my 9 year old who turns 10 in 2021 is eligible. U19 has a lower limit of 14 in year of competition I believe, U12 has a lower age of 8. So we actually can't have that wild spread of kindergarten to grade 12 on a team at all.

 

[Cheermom1979]

my issue isn’t so much the age spread of the girls it is the inequality in competition especially being a small gym. Our Jr 1 team is very young most could still be in the youth category and they are competing against stacked jr teams with high schoolers.

My extremely unqualified opinion (We use the IASF age grid) is that they're trying to align the age grid with olympic eligibility.

IASF age grid is U6, U8, U12, U17, U19 (both of those have covid adjustments) and then open at 14+ except level 7 at 16+. U19 is 'senior' and it seems like it's on its way out the door. That would mean you'd go from U17/U16 (adjusted for Covid) to open.

Also, I'm currently coaching a team with a 9 turning 10 year old and 15 turning 16 year olds (our median age is 13 on the team) in U17 and we haven't had one issue with their age differences. I sort of understand parental concern about the age gaps, but I just haven't seen it personally as a coach at all.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I could see that!

J1 with somewhat experienced high school aged kids and MS/HS aged flyers (who probably also cheer for their schools)

>>>>

J1 with 4-6th graders basing kids who are still youth aged like 6-9 years old. (And have likely not been cheering as long as the team above, even if they are same level.)

 

[XtremeWpg]

my issue isn’t so much the age spread of the girls it is the inequality in competition especially being a small gym. Our Jr 1 team is very young most could still be in the youth category and they are competing against stacked jr teams with high schoolers.

I think that’s sort of the breaks of the age grid.
The same could be said for Open being 14+. You could be in a situation with 2 20 year olds and need to go open or you can have majority adults competing against one and other

Junior has always been a tough one for spread. Even when the upper age was 14 (last season) we had a J1 with a median age of 10 that was junior because of 2 athletes not being age eligible for youth. Locally most junior teams were 12-14. Our kids held their own but it was evident they weren’t going to be competitive on a large scale.

You can see the inequity in the age grid in all divisions

I do like that IASF made a U17 lower age of 10 because it does help things as opposed to USASF having a lower age of 6