County Competitions

[Iwannabemargo]

Well as we live in the land that time forgot, we still run a system pretty much like @Faith has described. We have no elite gymnasts and, up till 2 years ago we didn't compete out of county either. So now we have county 2 piece and county 4 piece, open to all, in levels and ages, with team shields for the top (usually only) team. They go from level 7 - level 3 but the level 7 and level 6 are held separately as they have a much bigger entrant and then 5-3 is held as one comp.

We also have county trials and squad training, although Pink wont go as she has done it already and it doesn't lead anywhere ( she went to Sapphire the time they did it).

 

[marie83]

I know back in the day west mids had county and regional squads. It was by trial- two day testing IIRC, one day of strength and flexibility, one day of skills. Suppose a bit like TOPS come to think of it.

It was back before HPC centres and all the clubs ran out of school halls or leisure centres, no national co-ordination for youngsters or elite track. So they picked the top x amount of kids and they went to squad training once a month. Meant clubs, coaches and kids could work together and share ideas. County was county squad, so each county had its own, then regional was the top kids in the entire w. mids. It was a fairly big deal to get in a squad.

County championships were basically voluntaries, grades were compulsories. No elite track and no progression by age.

Maybe they still have that set up as a sort of legacy, or as a pathway for the non-elite track kids?

We still have county and regional squads, however, you don't have to qualify to regional via a county trial. Our county just decided it would be a good idea because west mids regional comps are so huge. The numbers have dropped recently though with the increase in better coaching around the region, the lower level clubs seem to have either upped their games/become more picky with who they enter or just stopped competing at that level and dropped to novice and floor and vault. Regional champs is an individual comp, then there is also a regional team comp for clubs to enter and finally an inter county team comp. Junior team is level 5 and 4 and senior team is level 3 and 2. Members of the teams have to be in the county squad. No British team members or regional squad members are allowed on the teams for this comp

There used to be a programme called YDS (young development squad) for those competing compulsory grades. I can't quite remember what age they went to but we certainly had a few comp 3 gymnasts in it. They trained at Lilleshall once a month. That doesn't exist any more.

I'm pretty sure regional squad does still exist. Despite having had top 3 gymnasts regionally ours haven't been invited for a while so not sure what the requirements are! (To be honest I'm not too sure what the benefits are other than the status of being in regional squad!)

 

[Frase]

We have a county squad -dd and 2 teammates are in it. They were selected by the county's gymnastics association based on their competition results the year before. It's all a bit of a waste of time really - they meet once a month for training but it is (all bar once) miles and miles away and when they get there they just train normally with their coach. There are no competitions and there's not a county tracksuit, leo or even t-shirt to be seen!

There is also regional performance pathway training and that is reserved for in age compulsory level girls.

As far as I am aware in our area there are only regional 'squads' for national finals - national and compulsory levels at compsulories and in age (compsulory)
levels for voluntary national finals. Complete with tracksuit

 

[Faith]

Flossy, does yours do performance pathway clinics then for those on the elite track?

We have started doing regional squads for non- elites, I'm not sure whether there are clinics for elite track. But elite track tend to come from the big clubs anyway so don't need (or think they need!) help from the region.

 

[Flossyduck]

Flossy, does yours do performance pathway clinics then for those on the elite track?

We have started doing regional squads for non- elites, I'm not sure whether there are clinics for elite track. But elite track tend to come from the big clubs anyway so don't need (or think they need!) help from the region.

I have heard about this. If it's what I think, it's an attempt to bring some standardisation in to the way the different regions train elite track and to make sure they are all working at a similar level. It's partly for coaches to share. It's relatively new I think.

I'm not sure if they don't have them in our region or, if they do, our club doesn't get involved. I've not heard of anyone going to any. Some of the girls go off to national squad training, but not heard of regional. Even if she wasn't invited, dd's two closest friends at gym did very well at nationals this year and I'm sure she/we would know if they went.

 

[Frase]

Dd went to the first one that was held in our region earlier this year (there have only been 2 so far). She wasn't invited to the second one as she didn't do comp 3 in this year's grades. I believe the next one in our region is next weekend.

It was organised by BG and run by Rochelle Douglas. I heard Rochelle also runs the
ones in South Region.

 

[Jenny]

They have been rolling them out in most regions this year I think. Try and get everyone on the same page and give support to smaller clubs to raise standards.

 

[Tally Ho]

We've just had our little level 6 county comp, I say little I guess 125 girls isn't little!

DD went to the last 2 performance pathway squads, she loved them her coach also said they were great, I think it's great to see smaller clubs can get mentored to bring more in age kids into competiton