All-Star Age Grid 2020-2021

[CLynn]

I don’t see it as a calendee year.
It reads usasf members June 1- May 31.
And then it states seasonal fall cheer June 1 - dec 31.
I currently have a child.. per the gym
Her cheer age 9.2 years.
She is 9 born in March ,2011.
They have her in mini 5/8
Gym says everyone waiting on additional info
Meanwhile.. I’m “trusting the system “

The gym also did this to my 11 year old. Year she turned 9. Started as mini moved to youth.
Born 6/09

Look at the charts in the link. Yes, your cheer age goes by birth year so her cheer age is 9. And your daughter can be on mini, youth or junior this year.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

Am I reading correctly that Juniors is back to 15 (or 16 if you turn during the season?)

NOT 16 turning 17 anymore?

Not sure how much that addresses the super wide gap, but 10th grade is better than a SENIOR?

I can tell you that I for sure don't envy coaches/directors/etc. trying to make teams with grids that keep changing.

So I am reading it still birth year, so Junior, if its 20o4 - 2014 - someone born in 2004 is 16 now... sooooooooo

 

[Keep_Believing]

@CheerVA

The information is already out, I was calling it “their” calendar year because the way USASF set the ages up. As mentioned above, look at the charts in the link. Yes, your cheer age goes by birth year so her cheer age is 9. And your daughter can be on mini, youth or junior this year.

 

[Cheermom1979]

What I don’t understand is why my daughter who is 12 was asked to cross down to youth 1. She is currently on A senior Team.

 

[luv2cheer92]

What I don’t understand is why my daughter who is 12 was asked to cross down to youth 1. She is currently on A senior Team.

When is her birthday?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Cheermom1979]

Nov 2007

 

[123jump4!]

Nov 2007

Nope. She’s too old for youth then. 2008 is oldest eligible birth year.

 

[ImAChauffeuse]

6-15 is quite an age range for a Junior 2 team. Imagine a 1st grade baby on a team with high schoolers.

International Junior is now called “U17” and International Senior is called “U19”. I feel bad for the announcers having to deal with all these different division names. “Next up in the International U17 Level 1 division.... a Junior Level 1 team that is for some reason is competing in something called International U17 Level 1”

Kids born in 2003 (the U17 cutoff) are turning 17 this year, so the kids born Jan-May 2003 will be turning 18 during the competition season. That's adults on the same team as 10 year olds. My daughter would rather quit all star than be on a team with elementary age kids. For other sports the age range on a team is maybe 2-3 years max.

I don't understand the reasoning behind this. I keep seeing gyms post that they have more kids than ever signing up this season, so why the increased age overlap?

 

[123jump4!]

Kids born in 2003 (the U17 cutoff) are turning 17 this year, so the kids born Jan-May 2003 will be turning 18 during the competition season. That's adults on the same team as 10 year olds. My daughter would rather quit all star than be on a team with elementary age kids. For other sports the age range on a team is maybe 2-3 years max.

I don't understand the reasoning behind this. I keep seeing gyms post that they have more kids than ever signing up this season, so why the increased age overlap?

I agree, it doesn’t make sense. There’s almost no difference in Jr & Sr top age. Both for normal and international. Why?

 

[XtremeWpg]

I agree, it doesn’t make sense. There’s almost no difference in Jr & Sr top age. Both for normal and international. Why?

My theory is that IASF is attempting to eliminate the U19 (senior) division to fall in line with more Olympic Sports ages. But that's pure speculation.

 

[123jump4!]

My theory is that IASF is attempting to eliminate the U19 (senior) division to fall in line with more Olympic Sports ages. But that's pure speculation.

Interesting. But even for normal junior they raised the max age by 1.5 year. Used to be 14 at the start of the season, now it’s 15/16 at the start of the season.

Mini & youth was raised just 0.5 year with the change to birth year. For example youth was 11, is now 11 or “young” 12 (2008). Mini was 8, is now 8/9.

So why raise Jr by 1.5 year? Does anyone actually know why this was done? It makes it harder for 12-14 year olds to be bases IMO, because the strongest teams will have a bunch of 15/16 year olds base small flyers. I would like to see it changed down by one birth year to 14/15 max age.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Possible WHY:

I feel like it benefits small gyms to have overlap like that?

More placement options for each single registered person = more teams you can field.

More team options = kids don't need to leave to go elsewhere.

Ex: You can place that one age eligible 8 year old on Mini 2, Youth 2 or Junior 3. Or any 2. Or all 3.

That's helpful if you only have 50 to 100 kids.

 

[CLynn]

Possible WHY:

I feel like it benefits small gyms to have overlap like that?

More placement options for each single registered person = more teams you can field.

More team options = kids don't need to leave to go elsewhere.

Ex: You can place that one age eligible 8 year old on Mini 2, Youth 2 or Junior 3. Or any 2. Or all 3.

That's helpful if you only have 50 to 100 kids.

This is true they have the most to gain, then of course there are other programs who choose to routinely have their best athletes cross to multiple levels disregarding need.

The age grid seemed to be going in the direction of age appropriate groupings with narrowing bands and then the changes this year are in direct contrast. Is there evidence that any drop off in participation or fielding teams are related to the age grid vs. say missed school days, overall expense, maxed out skills etc?

Years ago, didn't they use the average age of athletes to determine youth or junior? Might as well go back to that at this point. It allows the most flexibility without this pretense that any of the decision makers (including many gym owners) actually think more narrowly focused age grouping are important.

 

[123jump4!]

So with the new higher junior max age (raised from 14 to 15.5 by the start of the season), it seems there are now more junior teams and less senior teams.

Just look at the schedule or results for some recent comps. Spirit of Hope had 11 J2 teams + 3 international. And only 2 S2. Similar scenario for level 3. There are more senior teams in level 4 and up though.

 

[dat.jpp]

So with the new higher junior max age (raised from 14 to 15.5 by the start of the season), it seems there are now more junior teams and less senior teams.

Just look at the schedule or results for some recent comps. Spirit of Hope had 11 J2 teams + 3 international. And only 2 S2. Similar scenario for level 3. There are more senior teams in level 4 and up though.

There are 2 gyms around here with no senior teams at all