How much head contact is allowed in each youth and cadet division?

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Accepted Answer

This is set by USA Taekwondo's Modified Head Contact Rules, and no event may allow more head contact than they permit: Age group Belt Head contact Dragon (6-7) All belts None Tiger (8-9) Color belts None Tiger (8-9) Black belts Light Youth (10-11) Color belts None Youth (10-11) Black belts Light Cadet (12-14) Color belts Light Cadet (12-14) Grass Roots black belts Light Cadet (12-14) World Class black belts Full USATKD Grand Prix events and State and National Championships offer both Grass Roots and World Class Cadet black belt divisions. Cadet Team Trials always use full head contact. No Head Contact: any kick that touches the head (anything above the collarbone, including the neck) draws a Gam-jeom. Light Head Contact: A light head kick scores 3 points. "Light" means a touch to a tap, about 0.1 to 3 on a scale of 10, and that doesn't change with the athletes' age, size or rank. Signs of too much contact include the head snapping back or twisting, an audible thump, or injury. A kick like that draws a Gam-jeom and scores no points. In both: if medical staff decide an athlete can't continue because of a head kick, the attacker is disqualified. Repeated careless or forceful attempts at the head, even without contact, can bring warnings, Gam-jeoms and disqualification.

Age group	Belt	Head contact
Dragon (6-7)	All belts	None
Tiger (8-9)	Color belts	None
Tiger (8-9)	Black belts	Light
Youth (10-11)	Color belts	None
Youth (10-11)	Black belts	Light
Cadet (12-14)	Color belts	Light
Cadet (12-14)	Grass Roots black belts	Light
Cadet (12-14)	World Class black belts	Full