Everything Youth Athletics Related
Youth competitions typically take place in two-year age divisions. These age divisions provide young athletes the opportunity to compete with other athletes of similar ability. The age divisions for competition year 2023 are as follows:
* Per USATF Rule 300.1 (c) “Athletes must be at least seven (7) years of age on December 31 of the current year to compete at the Youth Athletics or Junior Olympic National Championships.” ** Athletes who are still 18 through the final day of the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships are eligible to compete in the 17-18 age division through that meet. This extended eligibility does not apply to cross country events.
USATF National Championships require that event registrants shall be date-of-birth verified. Members are required to upload/submit their birthdate verification documents while completing their membership profile on the USATF Connect system. There may be other competitions that require birthdate verification. Check event eligibility requirements carefully when registering for an event.
Documents submitted for birthdate verification will be processed within five (5) business days of submission (excluding holidays). It is the responsibility of the registrant to assure submission in a timely manner to meet entry deadlines.
Birthdate verification documents must be uploaded through USATF Connect. If you are experiencing trouble uploading these documents, please contact the USATF National Office for assistance. Be advised that birthdate verification documents will not be accepted or uploaded by the National Office. Procedures for uploading these documents in the USATF Connect system must be adhered to and there will be no exceptions. Documents sent to the National Office will be returned and the verification will not be processed. If a document is illegible it will be invalidated and will not be processed. Invalidated documents will not result in an extension of the submission deadline. No extension will be granted for invalidated documents that require re-submission. The processing period will remain in effect. Birthdate verification documents will remain a permanent part of the member profile and will not require re-submission.
Documents/data provided to USATF will be hosted on a secure platform in the USATF Connect system. Association Officers/Employees that are permitted to view membership information within the system are required to submit the mandated USATF Data Protection Policy Agreement or will be denied access.
Accepted verification documents include copy of Birth Certificate, Passport, Certified Baptismal Record, Driver's License, or U.S. Government Issued Identification.