All-Star Senior Level 5 Worlds Eligible Teams- 12/13 Year Olds

[tdittmar]

I kind of see a girl who can be on a youth team be on a senior team a problem, JMO

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but how can anyone on a youth team be eligible for a Worlds Sr 5 team? My CP was the oldest on her youth squad and her birthday was September 6th, so she turned 12 6 days after the cut-off. Because of that 6 day issue, she wasn't even eligible to be on a Sr 5 team. I would think the same would hold true for anyone on a youth team?

 

[Deleted member 1556]

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but how can anyone on a youth team be eligible for a Worlds Sr 5 team? My CP was the oldest on her youth squad and her birthday was September 6th, so she turned 12 6 days after the cut-off. Because of that 6 day issue, she wasn't even eligible to be on a Sr 5 team. I would think the same would hold true for anyone on a youth team?

If you hit the age date correctly you can. In 09, Mckenzie Rutan from stingrays was on youth and junior5, then filled in on orange at worlds. Voila, it's possible!

 

[marissa.d]

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but how can anyone on a youth team be eligible for a Worlds Sr 5 team? My CP was the oldest on her youth squad and her birthday was September 6th, so she turned 12 6 days after the cut-off. Because of that 6 day issue, she wasn't even eligible to be on a Sr 5 team. I would think the same would hold true for anyone on a youth team?

For anyone who's birthday is before the cut off date and turns 12 they can be on both youth and senior

 

[carolinagirl823]

I don't think that Ashley was on youth elite this year. I think it was just junior coed elite and senior elite.

I don't see the problem with someone like her being on a senior 5 team. She is one of the best tumblers on the team, and she is one of those all around athletes that can do it all in terms of stunting.

Changing the age minimum higher would only hurt smaller gyms, not bigger ones like CEA or World Cup.

 

[tdittmar]

For anyone who's birthday is before the cut off date and turns 12 they can be on both youth and senior

But isn't youth 11 and under as of August 31st? If you turn 12 before August 31st you can't be on a youth team?

 

[tdittmar]

If you hit the age date correctly you can. In 09, Mckenzie Rutan from stingrays was on youth and junior5, then filled in on orange at worlds. Voila, it's possible!

I think in 09' the minimum age was 11 so that makes sense. We had a girl on our youth team on our Sr 5 as well. I think it went up to 12 after that year. I could be wrong?

 

[marissa.d]

But isn't youth 11 and under as of August 31st? If you turn 12 before August 31st you can't be on a youth team?

you could definitely be right but i thought that it's been 12 and for the next 3 years it went to 11?

 

[yojaehs]

If your 12 and an amazing gymnast should you be allowed to go to the olympics? Or if your a superstar soccer player, should you be able to make the world cup soccer team? No, because rules are set up to protect kids, and help them progress naturally. Just becuase you have the talent doesn't mean you need to show it off imeadiatly. I was on a senior team, and in my stunt group there was a 12 year old, 2 17 year olds, and an 18 year old. Thats not right, or fair for the older or younger kids. Kids should be with kids around their age. If one is going to middle school and one is going to college, does this really look right?

MAJORITY of Sr teams are 14-15, which actually means the 12 yr old is closer to the average age than an 18 yr old. I think for the sake of argument, lowering the Max age would be better than bringing UP the min age. Now does that really even sound right!? No, if the few Max age kids don't wanna hang out with the 12 yr olds I completely understand but to eliminate the 12 yr old who has busted hers as hard as the 17 yr old isn't fair. The difference in your "Olympic" analogy is that there is NO MAX. So on soccer teams you have 16 yr olds with 40 yr olds and gymnastics you have 15 yr olds with 25+ yr olds. Sorry your arguments carry no weight, if its only "I don't wanna hang out with a 12 yr old" then don't, feel free to hang out with kids your own age, no one is forcing you to. Also if you feel your team is too young then at age 17 you can cheer on on Int 5 OR 6 team. I'm in no way trying to attack you, you just happened to speak up on this topic, I just don't see what the problem is. The only thing I care about for the sake of this argument is what it affects on the floor, I am yet to hear on negative that having a 12 yr old on the floor and until I do, I'll continue to feel the way that I do. Let me ADD, ONLY Worlds Level 5 teams have minimums, Levels 1-4 tiny, mini, youth, junior and SENIOR divisions have NO minimum age. So be thankful your on a level 5.

 

[MissCongeniality]

But isn't youth 11 and under as of August 31st? If you turn 12 before August 31st you can't be on a youth team?

You are correct. In the past (they have steadily been increasing the minimum age for the past couple of years) it was possible, but no longer can an athlete be on both youth and a Worlds senior 5. They could be on a different level senior team (since there are no age minimums levels 1-4 or Open/Restricted 5) but not Worlds Senior 5.

I am guessing that most of you really pushing for the increased minimum age for Worlds 5 come from larger gyms. For many smaller gyms just getting a 5 team is a major accomplishment. Often all they can manage is an International 5 which does make it so 12 and 13 year olds can't be members (and then may have only the option of a level 2 or 3 team or finding another bigger gym 2 hours (or even half a state) away which then feeds back into that model of athletes being trained at a smaller gym and then taking off for the bigger gyms once they have the skills to be on a 5). Raising the minimum age would seriously impact most smaller gyms.

 

[mariahnicole1216]

I think it should be moved up to 14yo. I think it's pretty ridiculous to see a group of 17 year olds stunting with a 60 pound 12 year old. It's not fair imo. Also I think that's soooo much pressure being put on them. Of course, i'm just going by how I think I would feel in this situation.

 

[MissCongeniality]

I think it should be moved up to 14yo. I think it's pretty ridiculous to see a group of 17 year olds stunting with a 60 pound 12 year old. It's not fair imo. Also I think that's soooo much pressure being put on them. Of course, i'm just going by how I think I would feel in this situation.

I totally agree that it looks ridiculous at times. It is one of the things I dislike the most about some senior teams with little 6 year olds flying. BUT, that said, you can't judge a book by it's cover. My 12 yo was the 5'5" one basing the 85lb 16-year old on the team this year.

 

[StarshipTrooper]

MAJORITY of Sr teams are 14-15, which actually means the 12 yr old is closer to the average age than an 18 yr old. I think for the sake of argument, lowering the Max age would be better than bringing UP the min age. Now does that really even sound right!? No, if the few Max age kids don't wanna hang out with the 12 yr olds I completely understand but to eliminate the 12 yr old who has busted hers as hard as the 17 yr old isn't fair. The difference in your "Olympic" analogy is that there is NO MAX. So on soccer teams you have 16 yr olds with 40 yr olds and gymnastics you have 15 yr olds with 25+ yr olds. Sorry your arguments carry no weight, if its only "I don't wanna hang out with a 12 yr old" then don't, feel free to hang out with kids your own age, no one is forcing you to. Also if you feel your team is too young then at age 17 you can cheer on on Int 5 OR 6 team. I'm in no way trying to attack you, you just happened to speak up on this topic, I just don't see what the problem is. The only thing I care about for the sake of this argument is what it affects on the floor, I am yet to hear on negative that having a 12 yr old on the floor and until I do, I'll continue to feel the way that I do. Let me ADD, ONLY Worlds Level 5 teams have minimums, Levels 1-4 tiny, mini, youth, junior and SENIOR divisions have NO minimum age. So be thankful your on a level 5.

Agree. The only thing one could argue is being around an older group and the inevitable exposure to older issues, but good parental supervision, or good staff supervision and control takes care of that, and ABC Family appears worse to me than cheer squads. That said, does it hurt the athlete in Cheer? I don't see them getting injured much at all as they are usually the very skilled kids with good technique. It's the pubertal girls with "new bodies" and firmer bones trying to keep skills and stay on teams that push too hard that get hurt.

 

[ultimatelegacy]

Some programs are generally younger programs. I know in Illinois you can't cheer in high school and do all star, so we lose a lot of kids once they begin high school because they want the "school spirit" experience. Our smallest numbers are in senior.

Because of this, our largest numbers come in our youth and junior divisions. Speaking for UA, a bigger gym, I know a large chunk of our flyers are junior age. Last year, 4 out of the 5 flyers on Legacy were junior age, and 3 of them were 12. On Prodigy 3 of the 9 flyers were junior age but none were 12. When flyers are needed on a senior team, sometimes bringing the young ones that have good body control up is necessary!

I don't see a problem with it. I used to until we had to experience the loss of kids in our gym at senior age when the IHSA rules changed.

 

[yojaehs]

I just want to say this. I am OVER people complaining about "tiny" fliers. You freaking people drive me NUTZ!! If your a coach and you have an 18 yr old who is 4'4 with a double full, redic flexibility, has ALL lvl 5 skills your HONESTLY telling me you wouldn't put her in the air!? LIAR (or fool) whichever you choose to be. Now lets not even go into the fact that you might have FIVE of these kids. You seriously wouldn't put them in the air!? I have, will, would everyday that ends in "Y". And continue doing so until there is a reason why. Discriminating bc a child is too big, too small, etc etc etc. It might not be what you prefer, but who cares. The BEST belong to be on the team, I don't care what they look like. I've never heard any of you say "She shouldn't be a backspot bc she's too tall".

 

[randomlover:)]

I think if u have the tumbling and stinting and jumping of senior then you should get to compete in the senior age,i dont think your age doesnt really matter but their should be boundaries like 12-18 on a senior team. Not alot of teams have a lot of a seniors so they use their juniors wit the requirements of a senior.