Age classification

[Softballmama14]

We are starting a 14u team and most of our girls are 14, but we have one that will be 15 before Jan. 1 Can she still play the 14u age?

 

[FastBat]

No. The age she is on New Year's Day is the age she is all year. If her 15th birthday was January 2, then she would be 14 all year. Since she is 15 on January 1, she is 15 all year. Good luck!

 

[buck43055]

FastBat. I think you are off a day and need to look at birth year instead. January 1, 2003 daughters can play on a 14u team for the upcoming year. 2003 - 2017 birth years are eligible for 14u for the upcoming season.

 

[tjsmize3]

We are starting a 14u team and most of our girls are 14, but we have one that will be 15 before Jan. 1 Can she still play the 14u age?

Mama, I'm not sure where all the Jan 1st dates are coming into play, but a player's age as of December 31 determines the age in which the player is eligible to play the following year. In other words you ask how old the player is as of Dec 31st BEFORE the season starts. In your case you said the girl will be 15 yrs as of Dec 31st which would make her ineligible to play at the 14u level. This is essentially the same thing buck said, just with less math lol.

Junior Olympic Age Qualifications - A player's age as of December 31 determines the age in which the player is eligible to play the following year.
Players of younger age classification may play in older age classifications, but an older age classification player may not play in the younger age classification.
Once a player participates in an intercollegiate softball program for a university, college, or junior/community college, she is ineligible to play in the ASA/USA Junior Olympic Gold or Class A/B programs.

 

[wpaguy]

I always looked at the age cut off date of 12/31 as a little off. If you look at most elite 12 year old teams ...I would bet a high % of them turned 13 in Jan-March ...same with the elite 14u teams ...How many of them are actually 15 by March before the spring season starts. I know this would never happen but , 9/1 would be a better cut off date...Most schools use that date to determine when you enroll kids in kindergarten. If your 5 before 9/1 you start school , if you turn 5 after 9/1 you wait a year. if you used 9/1 as the age cut off date you would teams more by grad year instead.

By the way did anyone read the Flo article about one of the top PGF teams out of Texas. Most of the team has grad year of 2022. One pitcher was 6 foot tall , the other was 5"10 ...This is a 12 year old team and favorite to win the PGF championship this summer ? ????

 

[wpaguy]

If she is 14 on 12/31/17 , she can play 14u next year ....If she turns 15 on 1/1/2018 or later ...she moves up to 16u...

 

[Heavy Hitter]

Here are the birth years for the 2018 age groups

10U - 2007 & 2008
12U - 2005 & 2006
14U - 2003 & 2004
16U - 2001 & 2002
18U - 1999 & 2000
18O - 1998+

If a player was born Dec. 31. of 2002 she would have to move up and play 16U in 2018
If a player was born Jan 1 of 2003 she can play 14U in 2018