During tryouts, athletes are placed on teams according to age and all-around skill. Some athletes could move up in team levels due to skill or they might have to stay on their current team due to either skills needing to be mastered or they might need to mature a little more before getting stuck with either an older squad or a more intense group. Sometimes an athlete will be moved up in level due to them “aging out” this is when they are too old to be on a youth team for example and must be moved to a junior or senior team.
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What’s the difference between a Senior Level 2 and Youth Level 2? Actually, it is the same level, just older athletes. In fact, being the oldest in a division usually is an advantage. For example, a Senior team comprised of mostly athletes ages 14-18 will have a competitive advantage over a Youth team with most cheerleaders ages 9-12. While age isn’t the sole factor of success, being in a developmentally appropriate age level does make a huge difference. Competing is more fun when you’re on a team with friends who have common interests and the same maturity level. Many times, it’s a frustration for the older athletes to deal with the younger athletes and the younger athletes struggle not understanding the older athletes.