Choose age groups vs subdivisions

Choose the right structure for grouping gymnasts within a level.

Visual guide: View the decision tree in Figma

Prerequisites: Create a level first.

The Decision

When setting up a level, you need to decide between two structures:

1. Subdivisions only (2-layer) — All gymnasts compete together, split into groups only for scheduling

2. Age groups + subdivisions (3-layer) — Gymnasts are separated by birth date for ranking, then optionally split into subdivisions

Decision Tree

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do gymnasts of different ages need separate rankings?

Yes → Use age groups. A 7-year-old and a 12-year-old in the same level will be ranked against others in their age range, not against each other.

No → Use subdivisions only. All gymnasts in the level compete head-to-head regardless of age.

2. Do you have more gymnasts than can fit in one session?

Yes → Add subdivisions to split them across sessions. This applies to both structures.

No → A single subdivision (the default) is fine.

3. Should each session group have its own awards ceremony?

Yes → Enable "treat subdivisions as award groups" in score settings. Each subdivision gets its own 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

No → Leave it disabled. All subdivisions are ranked together for a single set of awards.

Quick Reference

Scenario	Structure	Award Groups?
Small meet, all ages together	Subdivisions only, 1 subdivision	No
Large meet, all ages together, multiple sessions	Subdivisions only, multiple subdivisions	Optional
Age-specific awards (8-9, 10-11, 12+)	Age groups + subdivisions	Yes (usually)
Age-specific awards, large level, multiple sessions per age group	Age groups + multiple subdivisions per age group	Yes

Examples

Example 1: Small recreational meet

Level 5 has 20 gymnasts ages 7-12. They all compete in one session and are ranked together.

→ Subdivisions only, 1 subdivision, award groups off.

Example 2: Large state meet

Level 5 has 80 gymnasts. You want ages 8-9 and 10-11 ranked separately. Each age group has 40 gymnasts split across two sessions.

→ Age groups (8-9 and 10-11), 2 subdivisions per age group, award groups on.

Example 3: Split sessions, same rankings

Level 7 has 50 gymnasts. You need two sessions (Saturday AM and PM) but want all 50 ranked together for awards.

→ Subdivisions only, 2 subdivisions, award groups off.

What's Next?

• How to create subdivisions — For the 2-layer approach

• How to create age groups — For the 3-layer approach

Related

• How do competitions, age groups, and subdivisions work?

• How to configure individual score settings