Deduction for?

[bogwoppit]

0.1 in Quebec too.

[skfleming255]

Our coach/gym owner is, also, a judge for our state, region 8 and nationally for USAG. She tells our girls to get off the floor as quickly as possible after they salute the judge at the end of a routine. I don't know the reasoning. I guess maybe to keep the meets moving faster. I don't think the Elites walk on and off any certain way, either. I think they run off after a good routine from excitement.

[hammy]

skfleming255--it's funny that you mention running off after a routine because as an upper level gymnast we usually ran off at saluting, but as a compul. gymnast we walked off.

[coachamyamerican]

ok... laugh if you will... this comes from the dancer and choreographer in me... My LV 4's salute (this is on floor mind you) step on the floor and jazz run to their spot then have a curtsy type finish with their arms in a presentation position... I have had several judges comment how polished and confident they look for the beginning of their routines! They walk off with pointed toes and arms back.... just helps them look ready and confident!

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Honestly, I've always found the "gymnast walk" on and off the floor to be a bit pretentious; I'd rather my girls just walk on, do their routine, and walk off.

But then many of my girls learned from a past coach to do that high-kick pointed-toe walk onto and off of the floor, and I don't really bother stopping them; it's more of a slight personal annoyance than any real philosophical objection.

[bogwoppit]

There seems to be more, hmm how shall I put it nicely, pretention in the US than here in Canada.

I have laughed out loud at some youtube videos. Little girls doing all sorts of funny walks/dances onto the floor. On the podium, medals out to 10th place followed by a group salute/photo opp. These "ceremonies" must take hours. Here it's a lot more wham bam, if you know what I mean, medals to third place, ribbons to eighth if there are more than 12 if the group. Our girls are told to walk nicely onto the floor with their heads up and salute, that's it that's all.

My little DD spends hours doing "walks" that she laughingly says she'll do at her first comp next week. Ain't gonna happen...

I think I prefer my DD's to spend their time at the gym working on skills, not how to walk. Though I think a nice walk is valuable, dancing on , would not go down well here. I almost think the judges would give you a deduction for it.

But, it takes all kinds to make the world go around. I know for sure that many coaches and parents love these little flourishes.

[coachamyamerican]

well... I guess you must have mis-interpreted my last comment. basically a jazz run is a quick "nice" run onto the floor (not the "Russian" soldier of the past look) and the presentation is in natural 1st position which by USAG LV 4 standards is the opening pose. Not really that "dancy" at all. It does however match the dance that is in the level 4 routines... (my opinion is to dancy for compulsaries too but we are stuck with these)

and yes it takes all kinds.... thank goodness!

[bogwoppit]

Quote:
Originally Posted by coachamyamerican well... I guess you must have mis-interpreted my last comment. basically a jazz run is a quick "nice" run onto the floor (not the "Russian" soldier of the past look) and the presentation is in natural 1st position which by USAG LV 4 standards is the opening pose. Not really that "dancy" at all. It does however match the dance that is in the level 4 routines... (my opinion is to dancy for compulsaries too but we are stuck with these) and yes it takes all kinds.... thank goodness!

I wasn't really writing about your "walk" I would never criticize something I have not seen. I was commenting on some of the really way out there stuff I have seen of Youtube. Yours just sounds dignified and in keeping with the USAG compulsory routines.

Hope no offense was taken, I think I need to use more emoticons, so much meaning is lost in writing. How did people cope when all they had was the telephone or morse code!!!

[bogwoppit]

Something else just dawned on me... Here in Quebec, our girls stand at the edge of the floor with their coach, when the judge raises her arm the gymnast salutes, then walks onto the floor to her start position. Therefore, I suppose, the sctual walk on could be considered part of the routine.

I have noticed on Youtube that in the US, gymnasts salute from the place where they will begin their routine.

Odd the difference . Does it make any difference?

[gymdog]

It kind of depends but it's actually pretty standard to stay outside of the boundary lines for floor before saluting in the US as well. Usually for compulsories, they stand at one corner, salute, and then walk directly forward a few steps to the starting pose. It might be confusing because they start in a basic first position, rather than any sort of optional pose. Optionals go stand near to wherever they plan to start, salute, and then take their place. I've really never seen an optional walk onto the floor before saluting, but I've working multi level compulsory sectionals and occasionally you'll see one of the younger kids forgetting.

I don't really know what is the reason exactly, but I figure at the bigger meets or meets with multiple sessions running in the same arena where the music is usually in another area, it could get confusing for whoever is playing the music if they can't easily tell if a gymnast has saluted or not unless they watch every second (i.e. if she was waiting to salute inside the lines).

As far as not saluting, I've seen an event head judge get a gymnast (L4, about 7 or 8) down for not saluting him, but he didn't deduct, just had her start over (even though the other judge had seen the start and started judging). That was bars though. The last weeks I worked a couple meets ago, for hours and hours and hours I didn't see anyone not salute.