Taking baseball as an example, according to China's "Athlete Technical Rating Standards" and the specific requirements of baseball, the age of baseball first-class athletes needs to be comprehensively judged based on the level of the event, participation qualifications and performance requirements.

First, the core conditions

Scope of the event

A required ranking in a national competition is required, such as:

The top three main players of the National Youth Championship (U18 group);

The top eight main players of the National Championship/Championship;

The top three main players of the National Student Games/Middle School Championships.

Age relevance

The age limit for the event group directly determines the minimum age possibility:

U18 Tournament: Participants must be ≤ 18 years old, if a 12-year-old player participates and the team finishes in the top three, theoretically can apply;

U15 Events: Results do not meet the criteria for Level 1 athletes (Level 2/Level 3 assessment only).

2. Actual minimum age cases

Typical Scenario:

If an athlete is selected for the provincial team at the age of 14, participates in the National U18 Youth Championships and achieves the top three results, he or she can be awarded the title of Tier 1 athlete at the age of 14.

Policy Restrictions:

There is no national minimum age threshold, but it is actually limited by the age of entry for youth events (for example, the minimum age for participation is usually 12 years old).

3. Precautions for declaration

Timeliness of results: The results of the competition must be submitted within 2 years, and they will be invalid after the deadline;

Material requirements: official documents such as competition order book, score certificate, and participation records must be provided;

Approval process: After passing the preliminary review by the local sports bureau, the provincial sports department will finally approve it.

4. Baseball

Pay attention to the "List of Athletes' Technical Level Events" updated by the General Administration of Sports of China every year;

Young players can have priority to participate in U18 national competitions to accumulate opportunities to meet the standards;

In the early stage, it is necessary to focus on basic skills and avoid excessive participation for "leveling".

Note: From 2023 onwards, U12 categories will be allowed in some competitions, but the results will only be used for talent selection and will not be included in the grading assessment.