WAG Xcel-What are the "A" VP and "B" VP, etc?

[gpgirl]

My DD is currently competing Bronze. However, I think that she possibly could compete Silver.

I have reviewed the updated skills charts on the usag website, however, I am a bit confused. If you read the chart there is not much difference as they only list the minimum skills. Then when you read another sections it has the minimum amount of skills but it is not specific enough.

Does anyone know what skills are required and are typical for the Xcel program? Furthermore, does Bronze only compete "A" skill with no "B" skills? What about other levels.

I remember reading something online few months back that had a breakdown of what skills would be considered Bronze, Silver, etc. For example, can you compete a backwalkover in Bronze and in Silver? Would this backwalkover be considered a "lower" level skill and will more points be awarded for a "higher" level skill?

Help!!!!! Thank you

 

[fuzi]

Big differences:

Vault: Bronze vault is a straight jump onto a mat stack or a handstand fall to flat back on a mat stack. For Silver, the gymnast must do a HS over the table with repulsion to land on stacked mats behind the table. If your gymnast can't go over the table, she is not a silver gymnast, plain and simple.

Bars: Bronze needs 4 skills, Silver needs 5 skills. Both levels need a cast, a circling skill, and a dismount. Both levels are only allowed to do "A" level (basic) skills, though silver can use the high bar and bronze can only use the low bar.

Beam: Bronze can only do A skills with no walkovers, but Silver can do A skills and B dance skills. Both levels require a 1/2 turn, an acro skill, and a dismount. Silver requires a jump or leap with 90* split, while for bronze any jump or leap will do.

Floor: Bronze can only do A skills, but Silver can do A skills and B dance skills. The tumbling requirements are different. For bronze, the gymnast needs one directly connected series with or without flight and another acro skill with or without flight. Last year, for example, I saw bronze gymnast do a handstand forward roll and then a round off-back roll. For silver, they must have a series with at least one flight skill (i.e. round off- back roll or round off-BHS) AND another flight skill (front hand spring) or another series with or without flight (handstand forward roll step out to cartwheel, front handspring + front handspring). There are lots of tumbling possibilities so these are just examples. Bronze requires a 1/2 turn, silver requires a 1/1 turn. Bronze requires a 60* split in a leap, silver requires a 90* split leap.

Hope that helps. A lot of Xcel gymnast will compete more than the minimum. I know we have all of our gymnast compete a level below where they are actually training, so competition for them is fun and easy, rather than stressful and/or dangerous.

 

[gpgirl]

This helps a lot, thank you.

Vault Question: The Handstand fall to flat back....is that using a springboard to jump and handstand onto mat and then flatback? My DD is practicing her vault by jumping onto springboard, landing on her hands on the mats and falling to flat back. She used to compete AAU Level 2 and they would only "walk" on the springboard and fall to flatback.

Floor: So now in Bronze they need 1/2 turn on floor and in Silver they need 1 full turn on Floor? And in Silver they only need a series with one flight skill (i.e. round-off back ward roll) or another series without flight (cartwheel, backwalkover)?

Bars: In Silver you need 5 skills....would a pullover, cast back hip circle, cast backhip circle, straddle dismount qualify for having 5 skills? No need for front hip circles or shoot thru mill circles?

Can you give some examples of "b" level dance skills on floor and beam?

Thank you so much....this helps tremendously!

 

[fuzi]

This helps a lot, thank you.

Vault Question: The Handstand fall to flat back....is that using a springboard to jump and handstand onto mat and then flatback? My DD is practicing her vault by jumping onto springboard, landing on her hands on the mats and falling to flat back.

Yes, what you describe her doing now is the bronze vault.

Floor: So now in Bronze they need 1/2 turn on floor and in Silver they need 1 full turn on Floor?

Yes.

And in Silver they only need a series with one flight skill (i.e. round-off back ward roll) or another series without flight (cartwheel, backwalkover)?

In silver, they must have a series where at least one skill has flight. Then they need either another flight skill or another series (flight optional). Round off + back roll and CW + BWO would fill the minimum acro requirements.

Bars: In Silver you need 5 skills....would a pullover, cast back hip circle, cast backhip circle, straddle dismount qualify for having 5 skills? No need for front hip circles or shoot thru mill circles?

No, you can't get credit for doing the same series of skills (Cast, Back hip circle) twice on the same bar. Also, a "straddle dismount" is not an A skill in the Junior Olympic code of points, nor is it approved to count as an A skill on the approved skills chart (http://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/xcel/2013Skills.pdf). A basic routine that would work for silver would be pullover (1), cast (2), back hip circle (3), cast (4), underswing dismount (5). Many silver gymnasts will have a front hip circle or mill circle, or jump to the high bar.

Can you give some examples of "b" level dance skills on floor and beam?

Thank you so much....this helps tremendously!

Switch leap, 1 1/2 turn, straddle jump, most jumps with 1/2 turn in the air, tour jete. There are a lot, but these are the most common.

 

[CreateMagic]

You've got some great info in this thread, but I just want to add---leave her level up to the coach. Trust that her coach knows the requirements, and will place her appropriately.

Also, "Having" a skill and having a skill well are very different things. Many of my girls "have" a front hip circle. As of right now, I would only consider putting it in a routine for one girl.

It's great to know the rules and understand what you are watching, but telling the coach how to coach generally doesn't go over well...

Just my thoughts, fwiw.

 

[gpgirl]

You've got some great info in this thread, but I just want to add---leave her level up to the coach. Trust that her coach knows the requirements, and will place her appropriately.

Also, "Having" a skill and having a skill well are very different things. Many of my girls "have" a front hip circle. As of right now, I would only consider putting it in a routine for one girl.

It's great to know the rules and understand what you are watching, but telling the coach how to coach generally doesn't go over well...

Just my thoughts, fwiw.

Thanks so much for posting. We just switched gyms and also switched to the Xcel program as well....so I am trying to better understand the Xcel program. The new code of points for 2013-2021 is not helping either. LOL

We have only been at this gym for one week and 2 parents on 2 separate occasions mentioned to me that they were not sure my daughter should be competing Bronze and should be in Silver. One parent is a former coach.

I did not want to bring it up to coaches either since I am new.....but if I need to bring up the topic in the future I want to be educated about what the different requirements are.

Thank you!

 

[raenndrops]

Another idea for a Silver bar routine would be: Glide swing return to stand (1), pullover(2)-old Level 4 mount - counts as 2 skills, cast (3), back hip circle (4), underswing dismount (5). I only recommend this if the gymnast has a pretty glide.... if not, then throw in the extra cast and leave out the glide.