Junior Age Waiver for Senior Nationals, Fall Classic and Certain Other Events

Age Waiver Documentation Form

This program is intended to be a waiver of the minimum age requirement and NOT a waiver or compromise of the qualification standards that are imposed on athletes who already meet the age standard.

The eligibility standard for age-qualified athletes 15 years and older to compete in the USA Judo Senior National Championships, Fall Classic and certain other events, calls for a person to be a current or prior USA Judo Senior Elite Athlete OR to have competed in their State Body’s most recent Senior State Judo Championship.

USA Judo additionally has a provision for athletes who have not yet reached the age of 15 to apply for a waiver of the age requirement. This initiative, however, is not a waiver of the performance requirement imposed on athletes who are age 15 or older. Instead, it is a vehicle to enable exceptional young competitors to document Senior level successes in order to validate their request for consideration for an age waiver. Under NO circumstances will an age waiver be approved if an athlete has not proven successful prior competition at the Senior level and in NO instance will Senior Nationals, or any of these events, be anyone’s FIRST Senior event.

The waiver is intended to provide a means whereby young athletes who have demonstrated an ability to compete successfully at Senior Black Belt levels may be enabled to compete in the Senior National Championships, the Fall Classic and certain other events.

The applicant MUST have been listed on a USA Judo Junior Elite roster within the past twelve months.

AND

Throughout the twelve (12) months before any, or each, of the Senior Nationals, the Fall Classic, and certain other events, there are NINE E level point events. These are the San Jose Sensei Tournament (California/West Coast), Liberty Bell (Philadelphia/East Coast, Midwest Invitational (Chicago/Central US) and Swamp Classic (Louisiana/South US), the AmCan (New York/North East), the Continental Crown (Washington/Northwest), the

Golden State Open (California/West Coast), the Dallas Invitational (Texas/South Central) and the Northglenn Championships (Colorado/Rocky Mountain). Applicants for the Junior age waiver may present evidence that they competed in one or more of these events IN the highest Senior division and won at least one match (other than by forfeit). These are double elimination events so everyone has TWO chances to win a match.

OR

Athletes who are not able to demonstrate that they have competed in one of the E level events, as described above, can alternatively present documentation that they have competed and placed in the Senior Black Belt division in three or more events in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for waiver. NOTE: It is mandatory to have won at least ONE match against opponents of Senior rank in each of the above events and to provide the names of opponents. Uncontested wins cannot apply.

OR

Athletes may present evidence of having, within the twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for waiver, defeated an athlete (or athletes) currently listed on the USA Judo Senior Men’s or Senior Women’s National Roster. NOTE: the win MUST be recorded in a Senior event, under Senior rules. Defeating a Junior who is on the Senior roster ONLY counts for waiver consideration if it is done in Senior competition.

FOR the Men’s 55kg and Women’s 44kg categories ONLY - For Senior Nationals, Fall Classic and certain other events.

The following Age Waiver Standard applies to the Women's 44 and Men's 55kg categories ONLY - for Senior Nationals, Fall Classic and certain other events, and it is constructed in acknowledgement of the often limited opportunities for these weight divisions to compete at local and regional and even some Pointable events.

It lets stand the following segment from the Senior National standard:

The applicant MUST have been listed on a USA Judo Junior Elite roster within the past twelve months.

From the Ladder Standard:

AND

Throughout the twelve (12) months before the Ladder Tournament, there are NINE E level point events. These are the San Jose Sensei Tournament (California/West Coast), Liberty Bell (Philadelphia/East Coast, Midwest Invitational (Chicago/Central US) and Swamp Classic (Louisiana/South US), the AmCan (New York/North East), the Continental Crown (Washington/Northwest), the Golden State Open (California/West Coast) ), the Dallas Invitational (Texas/South Central) and the Northglenn Championships (Colorado/Rocky Mountain). Applicants for the Junior age waiver may present evidence that they competed in one or more of these events IN the highest Senior division. There is not a requirement to win any matches. These are double elimination events so everyone has an opportunity to get two matches.

From the Senior National Standard:

FOR THE LADDER TOURNAMENT ONLY:

The applicant MUST have been listed on a USA Judo Junior Elite roster within the past twelve months.

AND

OR

Athletes who are not able to demonstrate that they have competed in one of the E level events, as described above, can alternatively present documentation that they have competed in the Senior Black Belt division in three or more events in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for waiver. NOTE: It is mandatory to have won at least ONE match against opponents of Senior rank in each of the above events and to provide the names of opponents. Uncontested wins cannot apply.

OR

Athletes may present evidence of having, within the twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for waiver, defeated an athlete (or athletes) currently listed on the USJI Sr Men’s or Sr Women’s National Roster. NOTE: the win MUST be recorded in a Senior event, under Senior rules. Defeating a Junior who is on the Senior roster ONLY counts for waiver consideration if it is done in Senior competition.

FOR the Men’s 55kg and Women’s 44kg categories ONLYY.

The following Age Waiver Standard applies to the Women's 44 and Men's 55kg categories ONLY and is constructed in acknowledgement of the often limited opportunities for these weight divisions to compete at local and regional and even some Pointable events.

It lets stand the following segment from the Senior National standard:

The applicant MUST have been listed on a USJI Jr Elite roster within the past twelve months.

From the Ladder Standard:

AND

From the Senior National Standard:

Athletes may present evidence of having, within the twelve months immediately preceding the date of application for waiver, defeated an athlete (or athletes) currently listed on the USJI Sr Men’s or Sr Women’s National Roster. NOTE: the win MUST be recorded in a Senior event, under Senior rules. Defeating a Junior who is on the Senior roster ONLY counts for waiver consideration if it is done in Senior rules competition.