AAU age group tournament out of control

[Anonymous]

Just got back from the K Sports Complex in Manassas. We're supposed to be in a 4th grade group. Played a team totally out matched talked to the parents, they only had two forth graders on it, the rest were fifth graders. Next group, looked like sixth and seventh graders. Some of girls ended up with injuries.

Is there anywhere we can report such incidents. I think the one team had clearly faked their team ages to play, so it wasn't like the tournament operators knew, but on the other hand it seems like they should have known. Their parents even said oh, yeah they're fourth graders and sort of giggled. I mean we have some girls that are in the 99th+ percentile for growth and every member of the other team were several inches taller.

[Anonymous]

Judging by the location mentioned (k sports) I assume your DC is playing at the Charmcity event. Your child's team is playing in the 4th/5th division, meaning most if not all teams will have 4th and 5th graders (and possibly a 6th grader or two).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the location mentioned (k sports) I assume your DC is playing at the Charmcity event. Your child's team is playing in the 4th/5th division, meaning most if not all teams will have 4th and 5th graders (and possibly a 6th grader or two).

Thanks, I am looking at the event now. The team, BTL Royals, was listed in both the 8th grade division and in the 4th/5th division.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the location mentioned (k sports) I assume your DC is playing at the Charmcity event. Your child's team is playing in the 4th/5th division, meaning most if not all teams will have 4th and 5th graders (and possibly a 6th grader or two).

Thanks, I am looking at the event now. The team, BTL Royals, was listed in both the 8th grade division and in the 4th/5th division.

Do you mean that the club had teams in those two divisions?

[Anonymous]

Get used to it. With so many kids reclassing you will play against older kids all the way to high school. One kid from our sons team last year stayed in 7th grade again and playing with 7th graders even though he should be in 8th grade. And this is the norm nowadays.
I tell my son all the time when he lays against bigger older kids that it will only make him better and grow, its not doing anything for a bigger older kid to dominate younger kids.
When they get to high school genetics start pulling everyone closer together and it will get more even.
It does suck when you lose to teams with older kids because they are bigger but as long as your kid is growing and developing that's all that matters

[Anonymous]

Looking at the divisions of the tournament, I don't really see the other team that your child's team as doing anything wrong.

As other poster mentioned, it's a grade 4/5 division. And the teams may not have any control over the divisions they get put in because the organizer had to group it that way based on the number of teams they have.

As someone with kids who have been on both sides of multiple grade teams, just be glad you're not in that type of situation. If your kid is in the younger grade, you'll see them miss out on playing time because of course the older kids will be slightly better. Then if they're on the older side, it's hard to win if the rest of their team is on the younger/inexperienced side, especially if you're talking about the grade 4/5 group where it has a lot of beginners in it. Some of this comes down to finding the right fit when it comes to looking for a team.

And as the other poster said, your primary focus should be on your child's development rather than the win/loss record of their team. Especially with knowing these types of mismatches during games and tournaments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the location mentioned (k sports) I assume your DC is playing at the Charmcity event. Your child's team is playing in the 4th/5th division, meaning most if not all teams will have 4th and 5th graders (and possibly a 6th grader or two).

Thanks, I am looking at the event now. The team, BTL Royals, was listed in both the 8th grade division and in the 4th/5th division.

Your 4th grader wasn't playing against 8th graders, you just didn't have a clue how the event is structured.

[Anonymous]

My son is no longer playing AAU basketball but several times he was asked by clubs to play for a game or two at various tournaments in younger age groups than his age. We would say no, but see classmates and friends he knew over the years playing down regularly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking at the divisions of the tournament, I don't really see the other team that your child's team as doing anything wrong.

As other poster mentioned, it's a grade 4/5 division. And the teams may not have any control over the divisions they get put in because the organizer had to group it that way based on the number of teams they have.

As someone with kids who have been on both sides of multiple grade teams, just be glad you're not in that type of situation. If your kid is in the younger grade, you'll see them miss out on playing time because of course the older kids will be slightly better. Then if they're on the older side, it's hard to win if the rest of their team is on the younger/inexperienced side, especially if you're talking about the grade 4/5 group where it has a lot of beginners in it. Some of this comes down to finding the right fit when it comes to looking for a team.

And as the other poster said, your primary focus should be on your child's development rather than the win/loss record of their team. Especially with knowing these types of mismatches during games and tournaments.

This. Two things you realize quickly re: AAU - 1) most tournaments are shady/spotty and they don't get enough teams to fill certain divisions so they come up with creative ways to group teams together - which inevitably results in crappy development for both teams. And 2) wild west with regard to rosters - if coaches think they can get away with guest players/older players etc. they will, all for the sake to put "W" on their instagram.

[Anonymous]

This is one of the big problems with "AAU" today. It really is designed to be a money maker and age rules don't really seem to be enforced (Which I blame the coaches for that)
If there are divisions, coaches will often put their team in the lowest division to pad their stats, which does nothing to develop the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get used to it. With so many kids reclassing you will play against older kids all the way to high school. One kid from our sons team last year stayed in 7th grade again and playing with 7th graders even though he should be in 8th grade. And this is the norm nowadays.
I tell my son all the time when he lays against bigger older kids that it will only make him better and grow, its not doing anything for a bigger older kid to dominate younger kids.
When they get to high school genetics start pulling everyone closer together and it will get more even.
It does suck when you lose to teams with older kids because they are bigger but as long as your kid is growing and developing that's all that matters

This was a little more than you're one grade up kind of thing. I actually had my daughter playing up a year last year so it's actually not my first time through the rodeo, I get it. These weren't just one grade up.

[Anonymous]

There are quite a few "more well known programs" that mix their teams around between the grades. Seems to happen more in league playoffs and tournaments with older kids playing down so the program can win and look good, which I assume attracts more players to their program which translates to more $$$

[Anonymous]

The U.S. Congress has opened investigations into Youth Sports and the Pay to Play model.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2025/12/17/congress-american-youth-sports-crisis-hearing-house/87803306007/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the location mentioned (k sports) I assume your DC is playing at the Charmcity event. Your child's team is playing in the 4th/5th division, meaning most if not all teams will have 4th and 5th graders (and possibly a 6th grader or two).

Thanks, I am looking at the event now. The team, BTL Royals, was listed in both the 8th grade division and in the 4th/5th division.

Your 4th grader wasn't playing against 8th graders, you just didn't have a clue how the event is structured.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the location mentioned (k sports) I assume your DC is playing at the Charmcity event. Your child's team is playing in the 4th/5th division, meaning most if not all teams will have 4th and 5th graders (and possibly a 6th grader or two).

Thanks, I am looking at the event now. The team, BTL Royals, was listed in both the 8th grade division and in the 4th/5th division.

Your 4th grader wasn't playing against 8th graders, you just didn't have a clue how the event is structured.

+1

They had tryouts for 3rd-6th grade:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/325327349978758/posts/342287634949396/