Using Age Vs Grade Level

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Dec 14, 2009
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A thread in the All Star section got me to thinking about the age vs grade for breaking down Tiny, Mini, Youth, Jr, Senior. I was coaching at the time the change over happened but I am not sure the why's and what nots. Questions that came up:

1. Why do they (the power that be) use age as a cut off rather than grade in school?

2. What do other competitive travel sports use?

3. What are the benefits of using age as the cut off? What are the negatives of using age as a cut off?

4. What would be the benefits of going back to grade level as the cut off? What would be the negatives of using grade levels?
Right here I know people will talk about super seniors - If we use grade level the top grade should be 12th grade with the clause that they are still 18 at the start of the school year.
 
A thread in the All Star section got me to thinking about the age vs grade for breaking down Tiny, Mini, Youth, Jr, Senior. I was coaching at the time the change over happened but I am not sure the why's and what nots. Questions that came up:

1. Why do they (the power that be) use age as a cut off rather than grade in school?

2. What do other competitive travel sports use?

3. What are the benefits of using age as the cut off? What are the negatives of using age as a cut off?

4. What would be the benefits of going back to grade level as the cut off? What would be the negatives of using grade levels?
Right here I know people will talk about super seniors - If we use grade level the top grade should be 12th grade with the clause that they are still 18 at the start of the school year.

Soccer uses age.
 
I believe more sports use age over grade.


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US lacrosse uses age.....

One of the main reasons that age is used is to ensure that athletes are matched up again equal opponents. You don't want a kid that is 3 years older going against a kid in soccer, that much of a difference could cause injuries or an unfair advantage. For example: my son started school as early as possible, there is a kid in his grade that started K late and then was held back a year...he's almost 2 years older than him. My son plays U-11 lacrosse, that kid plays U-13....if they played in the same (based off of grade level) the other kid would flatten my kid, because he's almost 2 years older and that much bigger. Using age groups more closely ensures that the playing field will be level.

I think the ages in cheer need to be tweaked....I can't stand seeing a level 5 team with super seniors basing tiny 12 year olds. I think it's an unfair advantage (older, more experienced, stronger bases with a tiny flyer), and I also think that it's developmentally inappropriate to put a 12 year old on a team with people who can vote.
 
Cheer used to use grades. Believe it or not there were a LOT of 3rd and 4th year seniors in high school that didn't graduate just to keep cheering.

Tragic but true.

Ages might need to be tweaked, but it's a much better situation than there used to be.

Evergreen, if you want to raise the lower age on the senior teams, you'll need to convince the small gym community.
 
Age works better for the international teams as well because some countries do not have grades that match up with ours.
 
Grades would not work for alot of people like me

im a senior now, but i'll be graduating at 17!
so i would have to stop then and go on to an open team that would be full of people in twenties and up with the random 19 year olds that graduated late or something
i personally think it would be weird for me to have to be on an open team when im not old enough to be called an adult yet
 
Grades would not work for alot of people like me

im a senior now, but i'll be graduating at 17!
so i would have to stop then and go on to an open team that would be full of people in twenties and up with the random 19 year olds that graduated late or something
i personally think it would be weird for me to have to be on an open team when im not old enough to be called an adult yet

You'll have the same mix if you cheer in college.
 
i think age is the perfect use for cutoffs but something needs to be done about having such young girls on senior teams! it's not as impressive to watch 18 year old boys toss around a 10 year old girl that should be put up by people of the same age. yesss we know; you're a boy.. she's light... it's easier but cheerleading ain't easy... time to man up :)
 
i think age is the perfect use for cutoffs but something needs to be done about having such young girls on senior teams! it's not as impressive to watch 18 year old boys toss around a 10 year old girl that should be put up by people of the same age. yesss we know; you're a boy.. she's light... it's easier but cheerleading ain't easy... time to man up :)

That can only happen on Senior Open 5 and not having a minimum age was a specific feature of the division.
 
Grades would not work for alot of people like me im a senior now, but i'll be graduating at 17!
so i would have to stop then and go on to an open team that would be full of people in twenties and up with the random 19 year olds that graduated late or something
i personally think it would be weird for me to have to be on an open team when im not old enough to be called an adult yet


Given this statement how would you feel being a 12 yr old 6th grader on a team with 19 year old college kids? Is this not virtually the same thing?
 
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