# Create age groups

> Define birth date ranges to group gymnasts by age within a level.

> **Visual guide:** [View the age group structure diagram in Figma](https://www.figma.com/board/G6IsAsyvBbqDHnIR51UgGN/)

## Prerequisites

* [Create a level](https://docs.gymart.org/levels/create-a-level)
* Decide your structure: see [Age groups vs subdivisions](https://docs.gymart.org/competitions/choose-age-groups-vs-subdivisions)

## Steps

You want gymnasts ranked by age within a level. Here's how to set that up.

1. From the meet admin, go to **Levels** and select your level.
2. Navigate to the **Competitions** section.
3. Click **Add Age Group**.
4. Set the birth date range:
   * **Earliest birth date** - The oldest gymnasts allowed (e.g., January 1, 2012)
   * **Latest birth date** - The youngest gymnasts allowed (e.g., December 31, 2013)
5. Click **Save**.
6. A new **competition** is automatically created for this age group.
7. Repeat to create additional age groups for the same level.

## How birth dates work

Age groups are defined by **birth date boundaries**, not by age number. This avoids confusion about cutoff dates.

| Field               | Meaning                                      | Example      |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------ |
| Earliest birth date | Oldest gymnast born on or after this date    | Jan 1, 2012  |
| Latest birth date   | Youngest gymnast born on or before this date | Dec 31, 2013 |

A gymnast born March 15, 2012 would qualify because their birth date falls between Jan 1, 2012 and Dec 31, 2013.

### Open-ended ranges

You can leave one boundary empty:

* No earliest date means no upper age limit (oldest gymnasts in the level qualify).
* No latest date means no lower age limit (youngest gymnasts qualify).
* Both empty means "All Ages" (no age restriction).

## What happens after creating an age group

* A new **competition** is created: Level + Age Group.
* The competition starts with **one subdivision** (all gymnasts in that age group).
* You can [create additional subdivisions](https://docs.gymart.org/competitions/create-subdivisions) within the age group.
* Each competition can optionally **override** the level's score settings.

## Example setup

Level 5 with three age groups:

| Age Group | Earliest Birth | Latest Birth | Result                             |
| --------- | -------------- | ------------ | ---------------------------------- |
| Ages 7-8  | Jan 1, 2018    | Dec 31, 2019 | Competition: "Level 5 - Ages 7-8"  |
| Ages 9-10 | Jan 1, 2016    | Dec 31, 2017 | Competition: "Level 5 - Ages 9-10" |
| Ages 11+  | Jan 1, 2011    | Dec 31, 2015 | Competition: "Level 5 - Ages 11+"  |

Each age group gets its own rankings, awards, and optional subdivisions.

Make sure age groups **don't overlap**. A gymnast should qualify for exactly one age group. Use your governing body's age cutoff conventions to set the boundaries.

You can edit or delete age groups later, but doing so affects competition assignments.

## What's next

* [Create subdivisions](https://docs.gymart.org/competitions/create-subdivisions) within each age group
* [Assign subdivisions to sessions](https://docs.gymart.org/competitions/assign-subdivisions-to-sessions)

## Related

* [How do competitions, age groups, and subdivisions work?](https://docs.gymart.org/competitions/index)
* [How to decide: age groups vs subdivisions](https://docs.gymart.org/competitions/choose-age-groups-vs-subdivisions)
* [How to configure individual score settings](https://docs.gymart.org/levels/individual-score-settings)