Age divisions for the 2008-2009 season

Within the OVR, teams are classified as National, American (14s only) and Regional. National teams should consist of highly skilled athletes that compete at the highest levels of competition within and outside of the Ohio Valley Region. Regional teams consist of athletes from the beginner to the highly skilled and compete at various levels of competition based on their teams' composition. Regional teams do not participate in the OVR National Power Challenge, Power League, or Bid Tournament. The American division for 14s is new this season. Teams in the division do not desire the travel associated with the National division, but want a stronger level of competition than the Regional division.

Note: The document www.ovr.org/forms/Age_Definitions.pdf contains additional information on age definitions, including a table that further clarifies eligibility based on year and month of birth.

For eligibility purposes, a player who has just completed a grade in the spring of 2009 will be considered in that grade just completed. Players need not be currently enrolled in high school except as noted below.

Once a player participates in a club or varsity program for any university, college, community college, or junior college, he/she is ineligible to play in any regional or national JOVC qualifying and championship events.

Regulations

1. National division teams must use the "traditional" USAV age definitions
2. Regional and American division teams may classify themselves based on the OVR "grade-level" age definitions, subject to the following conditions:
   1. valid for Regional-level competition at OVR-sanctioned tournaments only
   2. for any out-of-region sanctioned tournament, teams must use the "traditional" USAV age definitions

Age Divisions for Girls' and Boys' Teams

Special 14U Provision for Boys' Teams Only

Note: These age definitions are used for used by domestic club programs and are not the same as the age definitions for the International and Domestic High Performance programs for 2009.

Grade-Level Team Criteria

The Ohio Valley Region permits clubs with athletes that are in a grade of school, but do not conform to the USA Volleyball age definition for that grade, to form grade-level teams in the Regional division of competition that include these athletes. This designation will replace waivers for athletes in grades 8 and below, and will include athletes and teams in all grades. It will no longer be necessary to apply for a waiver, nor will there be any other extra paperwork. There will be additional boxes to check in the electronic registration of teams. The rosters of National teams, 13-and-Under, and 12-and-Under teams competing in national qualifying events may not include grade-level athletes for any reason.

Registering teams and including information for rosters:
Athletes that fail to comply with the age definitions defined by USA Volleyball can be included on Regional teams of their grade in school. The club director must register the team as a grade-level Regional team. The grade of all athletes, regardless of age, must be included with each registration. Under no circumstances, may grade-level athletes be placed on an National roster or the roster of a team that is competing in a national qualifying event (12s and 13s).

Grade level Regional teams will be considered as Regional teams for all in-region competition. There will be no restrictions placed on these teams for any Regional events. There will not be a third level of championships at the OVR-Kaepa® Girls' Volleyball Championships or the OVR Boys' Volleyball Championships. For example, a team that is registered as a girls' 14-and-Under grade-level Regional team will play in the 14 Regional level of the OVR-Kaepa® Girls' Volleyball Championships.

Other regions are not permitted to waive a grade-level team into a Regional event for their primary age definition. A grade-level team that competes in an out-of-region Regional event must comply with the USA Volleyball age definitions for the oldest member of the team. Grade level teams may not drop grade-level athletes to compete out of region.

Levels of Competition

Juniors' teams competing in 14-, 15-, 16-, 17-, and 18-and-Under age divisions are registered as either National or Regional. There is no distinction for 10s, 12s, and 13s. National teams are intended to consist of more talented players who wish to play at a higher skill and tactical level, occasionally competing out-of-region or at the national level. Regional teams generally compete only within the Ohio Valley Region.

Tournaments for 10s, 11s, and 12s teams are Regional tournaments. Tournaments for 13s-18s can be for National, American (girls' 14s only), or Regional. Prior to the OVR Bid Tournament, National teams may play only in National tournaments, American teams (girls' 14s only) may play only in American tournaments or next age group or higher Regional tournaments, and Regional teams may play only in Regional tournaments.

A team may play in a higher age group of the same classification; e.g. a 14 Regional team may play in a 15 Regional tournament, and a 17 National team may play in an 18 National tournament. An exception for 2009 season is that 14 American teams can play in higher age group Regional tournaments. Tournament hosts not adhering to this policy will forfeit their tournament bonds.

Other restrictions include:

1. Only teams registered as National are eligible for OVR Power Challenge tournaments, OVR Power Tournaments, and the OVR-Molten® National Bid Qualifier.

2. National teams can only play in National events within the OVR. Regional teams can only play in Regional events within the OVR.
   Example: Teams may play up in age; e.g., a 16 Regional team may enter a 17 Regional tournament.

3. Grade-level Regional teams must play at the age-appropriate level of their oldest player outside the OVR.

USA Volleyball Age Falsification Policy

(Adopted By USA Volleyball Board of Directors, January 19, 2002)

For all USA Volleyball corporate events, any person who alters any document that certifies the age of a participant, or falsifies any statement which lists the age of a participant, will be sanctioned as follows:

Any team representative, coach, program director or responsible adult found to be party to such action shall:

1. Be immediately suspended from registration with USA Volleyball and barred from further participation in the event; and
2. Be barred from participation in any USAV Corporate events in any capacity, for a minimum of two (2) years; and
3. Have a minimum probation of one additional year, to run consecutively to the suspension.

A junior player who knowingly plays in a lower age classification than he or she is actually eligible for, or an adult player who knowingly plays in a higher age classification than he or she is actually eligible for shall:

1. Be immediately suspended from registration with USA Volleyball and barred from further participation in the event;
2. Be barred from participation in any USAV Corporate events in any capacity, for a minimum of two (2) years; and
3. Have a minimum probation of one additional year, to run consecutively to the suspension.

When discovered and confirmed during an event, these penalties shall be the required minimum penalty imposed by the Event Arbitrator or the Event Ethics and Eligibility Appeals Committee.

The Event Arbitrator or the Event Ethics and Eligibility Appeals Committee may recommend a more severe penalty. The Event Arbitrator or the Event Ethics and Eligibility Appeals Committee shall file a report of any age violation with the Corporation's Ethics and Eligibility Committee and with the registering Member Organization with its recommendation.