Why doesn’t USA Swimming use cut-off dates like every other youth sport?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

It can't be anymore fair than that.

I think what OP doesn't like is that it's TOO fair - no potential ambiguity by which one could gain an unfair advantage.

Lol, what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

It can't be anymore fair than that.

I think what OP doesn't like is that it's TOO fair - no potential ambiguity by which one could gain an unfair advantage.

Lol, what?

What could be more fair than competing the age you are at the time of competition, not the age you may have been at some point in the past?

No wiggle room, no ambiguity - you compete at your age.

It's so fair, it just may be too fair for OP because she is used to the the less fair ways that other sports determine age eligibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

This.

Since everyone isn't born the same day, there would still be an advantage to a consistent select group of swimmers based on where their birthday falls in relation to the cutoff date. At least w/ actual birthday, you are your age and you compete at that age, not some age you were in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

It can't be anymore fair than that.

I think what OP doesn't like is that it's TOO fair - no potential ambiguity by which one could gain an unfair advantage.

Lol, what?

What could be more fair than competing the age you are at the time of competition, not the age you may have been at some point in the past?

No wiggle room, no ambiguity - you compete at your age.

It's so fair, it just may be too fair for OP because she is used to the the less fair ways that other sports determine age eligibility.

Let me guess - you have an April birthday swimmer?
The point here is that while it may be very, very fair to age up on your birthday, it is a disservice to the sport that there are only a few “big meets,” around which an entire training season is structured, that are extremely advantageous to those born right after and extremely disadvantageous to those born right before. USA Swimming should take a look at this and consider moving away from the “championship season” for age groupers, instead spreading meets of equal value throughout the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

This.

Since everyone isn't born the same day, there would still be an advantage to a consistent select group of swimmers based on where their birthday falls in relation to the cutoff date. At least w/ actual birthday, you are your age and you compete at that age, not some age you were in the past.

Did you even read what you quoted? It doesn’t say what you apparently think it says.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

Ok, but this is just not true. There is a December championship meet, there is IMX Games, there’s Long Course Champs during the summer. The best swimmer on our team has a late December birthday. Guess what? He works really hard all year to make cut times for JOs (and does make them), but his “best” meet is the December champs meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

It can't be anymore fair than that.

I think what OP doesn't like is that it's TOO fair - no potential ambiguity by which one could gain an unfair advantage.

Lol, what?

What could be more fair than competing the age you are at the time of competition, not the age you may have been at some point in the past?

No wiggle room, no ambiguity - you compete at your age.

It's so fair, it just may be too fair for OP because she is used to the the less fair ways that other sports determine age eligibility.

Let me guess - you have an April birthday swimmer?
The point here is that while it may be very, very fair to age up on your birthday, it is a disservice to the sport that there are only a few “big meets,” around which an entire training season is structured, that are extremely advantageous to those born right after and extremely disadvantageous to those born right before. USA Swimming should take a look at this and consider moving away from the “championship season” for age groupers, instead spreading meets of equal value throughout the year.

Practice starts in September; there are winter champs meets in December with QTs and prelim/final formats (and if your club doesn’t do those and this is important to you and/or your swimmer you maybe should explore other club options); there is IMX at the end of January where you need a certain number of points to qualify; the SC champ meets are in March; lots of clubs give swimmers some time off after that as everyone transitions to long course; LC champs meets are in July. So where exactly should more champs level meets be fit in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

It can't be anymore fair than that.

I think what OP doesn't like is that it's TOO fair - no potential ambiguity by which one could gain an unfair advantage.

Lol, what?

What could be more fair than competing the age you are at the time of competition, not the age you may have been at some point in the past?

No wiggle room, no ambiguity - you compete at your age.

It's so fair, it just may be too fair for OP because she is used to the the less fair ways that other sports determine age eligibility.

Let me guess - you have an April birthday swimmer?
The point here is that while it may be very, very fair to age up on your birthday, it is a disservice to the sport that there are only a few “big meets,” around which an entire training season is structured, that are extremely advantageous to those born right after and extremely disadvantageous to those born right before. USA Swimming should take a look at this and consider moving away from the “championship season” for age groupers, instead spreading meets of equal value throughout the year.

This is always going to be true no matter what date you pick - it will favor some and for some, it will be at a disadvantage. So rather than some random date, it's the persons actual birthday.

Doing it by actual birthday is the "fairest" way to do it which is exactly why it's done that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

This.

Since everyone isn't born the same day, there would still be an advantage to a consistent select group of swimmers based on where their birthday falls in relation to the cutoff date. At least w/ actual birthday, you are your age and you compete at that age, not some age you were in the past.

Did you even read what you quoted? It doesn’t say what you apparently think it says.

I read it and standby what I wrote. No matter what date you select, there will be some where it's an advantage and some where it is not. Recognizing that this will always be the case, using the actual birthday removes all arbitrary age dates and is the most fair way to do it, which is why they do it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

It can't be anymore fair than that.

I think what OP doesn't like is that it's TOO fair - no potential ambiguity by which one could gain an unfair advantage.

Lol, what?

What could be more fair than competing the age you are at the time of competition, not the age you may have been at some point in the past?

No wiggle room, no ambiguity - you compete at your age.

It's so fair, it just may be too fair for OP because she is used to the the less fair ways that other sports determine age eligibility.

Let me guess - you have an April birthday swimmer?
The point here is that while it may be very, very fair to age up on your birthday, it is a disservice to the sport that there are only a few “big meets,” around which an entire training season is structured, that are extremely advantageous to those born right after and extremely disadvantageous to those born right before. USA Swimming should take a look at this and consider moving away from the “championship season” for age groupers, instead spreading meets of equal value throughout the year.

Practice starts in September; there are winter champs meets in December with QTs and prelim/final formats (and if your club doesn’t do those and this is important to you and/or your swimmer you maybe should explore other club options); there is IMX at the end of January where you need a certain number of points to qualify; the SC champ meets are in March; lots of clubs give swimmers some time off after that as everyone transitions to long course; LC champs meets are in July. So where exactly should more champs level meets be fit in?

Well, they would obviously be held they weekend before their child ages up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

Nothing is fair. Summer birthdays benefit greatly in summer league. Not fair to others. There are three championship times of year that a kid can excel. We have a kid that is 10 and ages up at the end of February and was able to make the 11-12 cuts for championships. That was the goal and she accomplished it.

New poster: that’s great but it doesn’t change the fact that the worst birthdays for most of swim is feb to mid March. This is especially true once you’re swimming against kids undergoing early puberty or who have a late birthday.

[Anonymous]

Not like it matters after they turn 15. So you’re arguing a point that impacts younger swimmers.

I agree the current protocol of swimming your age the first day of a meet is most fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not like it matters after they turn 15. So you’re arguing a point that impacts younger swimmers.

I agree the current protocol of swimming your age the first day of a meet is most fair.

interesting - when are your kids’ birthdays?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think aging up on your birthday makes swimming the fairest sport out there.

I think it’s fair in theory, but then the swim season shouldn’t be structured around very few championships where the same swimmers benefit from a fortunate birthday year after year.

Nothing is fair. Summer birthdays benefit greatly in summer league. Not fair to others. There are three championship times of year that a kid can excel. We have a kid that is 10 and ages up at the end of February and was able to make the 11-12 cuts for championships. That was the goal and she accomplished it.

New poster: that’s great but it doesn’t change the fact that the worst birthdays for most of swim is feb to mid March. This is especially true once you’re swimming against kids undergoing early puberty or who have a late birthday.

Just popping in to say that Katie Ledecky's birthday if March 17, and a she swam as the same age in JOs at least twice. (Like one year they started on the 16th and the following year the 18th)