Parents AAU vs. USAG - What's the Difference???

[billise]

Our gym competes only AAU at the compulsory levels and then offers the opportunity to go USAG at the optional level for those who want/are able to go that route. Most of our large, very "successful" optional gymnasts come up "in-house" through our compulsory levels. Recently we've had several compulsory girls leave for gyms that only compete USAG. Personally I absolutely LOVE our gym, our AAU experience has been fantastic and I couldn't imagine doing anything else but I'm curious... what's the difference? What are the advantages/disadvantages of both particularly at those lower compulsory levels?

 

[raenndrops]

The difference between AAU compulsories and USAG compulsories is that in AAU, they compete USAG routines BUT there are some different options that can be substituted.

AAU Districts can use any or all of the modifications listed on pages 5-6 of the following:
http://image.aausports.org/dnn/gymnastics/2014/Handbook/QuickLinks/GirlsGymnasticsNationalRules.pdf

The advantages to AAU at the lower compulsory levels is that there are options.
For Example:
Level 2 Beam Dismount - can be done as written, can do the Level 3 dismount instead, or can do a tuck jump off the side of the beam.
Level 3 Beam Handstand - can be done as written or can be the 3/4 handstand from old L4.
Level 4 Bars - After jump to high bar, can do a kip OR a long hang pullover.

 

[billise]

Thanks for the info. With that being the case, it would seem to me that the flexibility of AAU would be preferred for girls who are just beginning their journey into the world of competitive gymnastics wouldn't it?

 

[raenndrops]

Thanks for the info. With that being the case, it would seem to me that the flexibility of AAU would be preferred for girls who are just beginning their journey into the world of competitive gymnastics wouldn't it?

That is how I would view it. They give girls the flexibility to compete skills they have (and there isn't as big a deduction for reversing skills or omitting a skill). Our gym does USAG. We had a gymnast that had all of her Old L4 skills EXCEPT the bridge kickover on floor. She was deducted big time whether she just skipped it or attempted it and fell out of it. She competed L4 for 3 years and only got it in 2 meets her last season... neither was pretty. If she had competed AAU, she could have done a front handspring instead (which she has had for 3 years and is pretty). This year, she is competing USAG Xcel Gold and is thriving.

And, fyi, AAU DOES go into Optionals (Levels 6-8 and Xcel Divisions), but most gyms do switch over to USAG at that point.
As I was reading the rules (that I linked above), I noticed that at L3, they allow gymnasts to do the Xcel Silver Vault (but with a sting mat on the vault table) and they give Xcel Silver gymnasts the option of doing the L3 vault instead... it was kind of funny.

 

[2G1B]

I don't really know the differences, especially this year. My girls competed AAU last year (different gym). I know that for old level 3 (last year) the girls did a back walk over in their floor routines, which they don't do until 2 levels later in USAG. there also seemed to be a few other differences like that. Like for older did in AAU old level 3, she had to do a shoot through on bars; but no mill circle. Our current gym is all usag and from talking to the moms this year, I understand that for usage the girls had a mill circle for old level 3;but they didn't do the shoot through.

 

[MaryA]

I suppose one disadvantage would be that the girls would presumably have to score out of levels 4 and 5 USAG in order to compete USAG optionals. Unless they are older (14 I think?) and can petition into optionals. If the routines are the same, though, I wouldn't think that would be too much of an obstacle. In our area there are not a lot of AAU teams/meets... we have a lot more options as USAG. But if that is not the case in your area and if your gym is using AAU successfully, that's great!

 

[raenndrops]

I suppose one disadvantage would be that the girls would presumably have to score out of levels 4 and 5 USAG in order to compete USAG optionals. Unless they are older (14 I think?) and can petition into optionals. If the routines are the same, though, I wouldn't think that would be too much of an obstacle. In our area there are not a lot of AAU teams/meets... we have a lot more options as USAG. But if that is not the case in your area and if your gym is using AAU successfully, that's great!

There isn't much AAU around here either, but this is the information I have found:
At AAU Level 4, there is only 1 modification (on Bars, they can do a Long Hang Pullover instead of Long Hang kip), then at Level 5, they do the USAG routines without modifications... and according to USAG, "Athletes whose competitive experience has been outside of the USA Gymnastics structure may petition the State Administrative Committee for entry into Level 5 or below and must prove their proficiency at that level." Since they would have competed USAG routines, they can move directly into Optionals as long as they were proficient in L5 first

 

[MaryA]

That quote makes it sound to me as if you can only petition to get into level 5 or below... not that you can petition to get into optionals. But if you petitioned into level 5, you would only have to do one level 5 meet to qualify for optionals. Regardless, if the OP's gym is successfully transitioning girls from AAU to USAG optionals, then they must have the logistics of it worked out one way or another.

 

[clrmom]

I think it depends on where you are also. In our state those options you listed aren't allowed in AAU (we compete state rules, not national rules--not sure if every state has their own AAU rules or not). My daughter is L4 and does the same routines as USAG except beam is not timed and they can vault with the airboard? (little trampoline thing--not sure if airboard is the right term) instead of the regular springboard.

The big difference to me is that AAU breaks down their awards more so that there is more opportunity to receive an award than in USAG where the age groups are bigger. Our gym does AAU in the compulsories for this reason. Our HC feels this keeps girls in the sport longer and doesn't hinder their move to optionals as long as the training is consistent in the gym.

We do one or two USAG meets in the spring to get our move-up score. Then in the optional level it is all USAG.

 

[raenndrops]

I think it depends on where you are also. In our state those options you listed aren't allowed in AAU (we compete state rules, not national rules--not sure if every state has their own AAU rules or not). My daughter is L4 and does the same routines as USAG except beam is not timed and they can vault with the airboard? (little trampoline thing--not sure if airboard is the right term) instead of the regular springboard.

The big difference to me is that AAU breaks down their awards more so that there is more opportunity to receive an award than in USAG where the age groups are bigger. Our gym does AAU in the compulsories for this reason. Our HC feels this keeps girls in the sport longer and doesn't hinder their move to optionals as long as the training is consistent in the gym.

We do one or two USAG meets in the spring to get our move-up score. Then in the optional level it is all USAG.

That is basically what I was talking about. Technically AAU does not have to Petition... they just compete their same routines in a USAG meet since the routines are the same. BUT for girls coming from completely outside USAG, they would be able to petition into L4 or L5... and show proficiency (by getting the move-up score), UNLESS they are 14 and in high school, in which case, they can petition into L6 or L7.

 

[billise]

I believe our gym's philosophy is a lot that of clrmom's gym. My DD's lvl 3 routines looked just like the USAG lvl 3 routines. I think our owners really want the new and specifically the really young gymnasts to focus on having fun and it seems AAU's flexibility may better allow for that. Our gym has been around for a LONG time and our optionals are very strong so I guess AAU works well the way our owners/coaches use it