Summer swim kids swimming in “wrong” age group

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You swim mommies are annoying AF. Such whiners. It is a sport where they swim the length of a pool and back. Who gives a crap about the birthdays. Can you not make anything fun? Is everything a competition in your poor kids life? Swim team is supposed to be enjoyable. Parents ruin everything

+1 and I’m a swim mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

Do these people not realize no matter when the cutoff is, it’s still the same? There will always be one kid who is the youngest and one kid who is the youngest. It’s like they can’t do math.

[Anonymous]

Holy cow! It is not a big deal. Let the summer kids NOT be the youngest for once.

For perspective (and, yes, I had a summer bday swimmer), be glad it's constant. For gymnastics, age groups vary by meet. It's dependent upon who is registered at each meet. So, your 14 yo could be in an age group with people within only 6 months or with 2 years. It's extremely common for a gymnast who is on the younger side, but not the youngest to be disadvantaged. They may get an all-around of 37 and not make the podium b/c the even younger kids are super stars, while someone two months older in another age group gets first with a 36. There is no reason a 14 yo should be with the 12 year old and not the 14.5 yo, but that's what happens. It sucks and makes no sense, but it's how the sport is set up. A constant age delineation is amazing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

That’s not how swim works. It’s 8&U. So yes, a 9 year old will be swimming against 6 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

Do these people not realize no matter when the cutoff is, it’s still the same? There will always be one kid who is the youngest and one kid who is the youngest. It’s like they can’t do math.

Right except if you use actual birthdays, you don’t have a situation where a kid doesn’t belong in that age bracket at all, but is swimming it because a bunch of team reps got together and decided to change the rules from the way the rest of competitive swimming works in order to advantage their own kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

Do these people not realize no matter when the cutoff is, it’s still the same? There will always be one kid who is the youngest and one kid who is the youngest. It’s like they can’t do math.

Right except if you use actual birthdays, you don’t have a situation where a kid doesn’t belong in that age bracket at all, but is swimming it because a bunch of team reps got together and decided to change the rules from the way the rest of competitive swimming works in order to advantage their own kids.

Not to mention the people in this very thread who are arguing in favor of this because, wait for it, it advantages their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

That’s not how swim works. It’s 8&U. So yes, a 9 year old will be swimming against 6 year olds.

And the 6-year-old also has to compete against the 8-year-olds, and the 7-year-olds and the kids a week older and their twin born 5 minutes before them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

That’s not how swim works. It’s 8&U. So yes, a 9 year old will be swimming against 6 year olds.

Our club actually has 6U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

That’s not how swim works. It’s 8&U. So yes, a 9 year old will be swimming against 6 year olds.

Our club actually has 6U.

What league? NVSL doesnt have that category

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

Do these people not realize no matter when the cutoff is, it’s still the same? There will always be one kid who is the youngest and one kid who is the youngest. It’s like they can’t do math.

Right except if you use actual birthdays, you don’t have a situation where a kid doesn’t belong in that age bracket at all, but is swimming it because a bunch of team reps got together and decided to change the rules from the way the rest of competitive swimming works in order to advantage their own kids.

Not to mention the people in this very thread who are arguing in favor of this because, wait for it, it advantages their kids.

Bwahahaha! The only way someone doesn’t have an advantage is if you they compete against kids born the same day as you. Haha! There isn’t a conspiracy to help summer bday kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the interesting age cutoff history. I enjoy parent rep drama as a parent rep myself!

Our club has a lot of really successful summer birthday swimmers. It definitely helps to turning 9 and competing against a group with a lot of 6-7 year olds, or turning 13 and competing against just-turned 11 year olds. Those are some big jumps physically and developmentally. I have a spring birthday kid so she is young for most activities that she does and the youngest in her grade because of pandemic redshirting. It is what it is so all you can do is observe it and shrug it off. When it gets my kid down, I gently remind her that she is being compared to kids who were in preschool when she was born. That helps give her some perspective.

A “turning 9” won’t compete against a 6 year old. They will be competing against 7-8 year olds. The max age difference remains 24 months.
Example: youngest kid in 7-8 bracket turned 7 on June 1st. Oldest kid was 8 on June 1st, turned 9 on June 2. 24 months.

Do these people not realize no matter when the cutoff is, it’s still the same? There will always be one kid who is the youngest and one kid who is the youngest. It’s like they can’t do math.

Right except if you use actual birthdays, you don’t have a situation where a kid doesn’t belong in that age bracket at all, but is swimming it because a bunch of team reps got together and decided to change the rules from the way the rest of competitive swimming works in order to advantage their own kids.

So your theory is that all the people whose kids have July birthdays created a conspiracy to game summer swim competitions to benefit for their kids. Ok.

The point is that even if you use actual birthdays, it disadvantages some kids and advantages others, because kids do not suddenly level up in size and maturity on the day of their birthday. It just means kids who have birthdays during the season will start the season as the oldest in their cohort and then have to switch midseason to become the youngest in a new cohort. They are the same child, the same size, the same ability. Can you not see how that creates all kinds of weird issues for these kids, as well as the kids they swim against?

What if, and I know this will sound crazy, but what if we just let kids swim and impressed upon them that the important thing is that they have fun and try their best, and that coming in first or dominating the competition, or coming in last for that matter, is not really the point?

[Anonymous]

My kid has an August birthday. Maybe this is all part of MY evil plan for her to dominate summer swim forEVER [evil laugh]. Or, you know, for 2-3 years until she stops doing it. Oh, and she doesn't dominate despite being among the oldest in her cohort because she's small for her age anyway and not that great of a swimmer -- she just likes it and it's fun.

Nevermind that, though -- this is about WORLD DOMINATION.

[Anonymous]

So if you use actual birthdays, kids who have a birthday between divisional and all stars are just SOL in the years that they move from 25s to 50s? Do those kids not compete in relay carnivals or will they just forfeit if they make all stars? The current system works fine, kids advantaged by it are disadvantaged in other sports and vice versa. There are enough sports with enough different cut offs that you should be able to find one that works for your kid if you care that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone always has to be the oldest and someone always has to be the youngest. There will be winners and losers no matter where you make the birthday cut. Go read Outliers by Malcom Gladwell.

+1

If you move the date there will still be kids who are older and kids who are younger for their age group. It is what it is.

FWIW I have one kid who benefits/summer birthday and one kid who does not. spring birthday.

As a team rep I also can't imagine having to shuffle kids around throughout the season. It would impact distances they swim and even practice times.

[Anonymous]

I am a team rep and would be fine with it either way. It would not be that tough to manage from a team/coach perspective.

I do hate 19 year olds swimming in a kid league.