On Wednesday, July 1^st, USA Volleyball (USAV) announced it has made changes to the age definitions set out for junior-level athletes to follow when deciding which age division an athlete could compete in. The date, previously beginning September 1^st, was moved back to July 1^st and will go into effect in the 2020-21 club season.

The adjustment was passed by both the Regional Volleyball Association Assembly (RVAA) as well as the USAV Junior Assembly (JA).

USAV’s release on Wednesday stated:

In other non-board related items, USA Volleyball, in consultation with both the RVAA and JA, approved the following:

• The junior age definition for each age group was adjusted to a start date of July 1 (the date had previously been September 1).
• A national waiver was added allowing girls 18s in their junior year of high school to compete on girls 17s teams. This was previously communicated as a regional waiver, but further review of the motion and discussion by the RVAA and JA Chairs lead USA Volleyball to institute this waiver nationally (it will automatically be allowed on rosters in the member management system).

To simplify it, athletes with a July or August birthday and are “old” for their grade in school have had to play up an age group in club volleyball (to then become “young” in the division) until their 18s year, when they could play 18s twice.