UK competition structure questions again..

[xxStumpyxx]

In the vague hope of trying to understand a little of the UK competition structure for my daughters level I have a question (or two )

My daughter has her first 4 piece competition tomorrow, she will be competing as a novice, it the the level they generally stay for a while or do they move up to the next level if they got a certain score, I think the next level for these local competitions is intermediate. My daughter has no completion experience and hasn't even done any sort of grading, she should be doing grades next year around end of February beginning of March time.

Also what is the deal with designing your competition number? We had this sprung on us yesterday that she needed to design her competition number in a theme. I have never come across this before, will she take her number around with her during the competition for the coach hold up, also does she need to have her name and club on the back?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

the designations novice, intermediate, etc have no meaning, the only system that is universally accepted is the Grades/levels system, and until she is competing under that system it is impossible to compare.

The design your own number thing is quite popular, unless its completely OTT there is no chance of winning - I think the one that won at Alpha Factor when we went was a Cake with a gymnast and number on it - its fun and all that but to me just another thing to remember to do.

Hope she has fun

 

[xxStumpyxx]

the designations novice, intermediate, etc have no meaning, the only system that is universally accepted is the Grades/levels system, and until she is competing under that system it is impossible to compare.

The design your own number thing is quite popular, unless its completely OTT there is no chance of winning - I think the one that won at Alpha Factor when we went was a Cake with a gymnast and number on it - its fun and all that but to me just another thing to remember to do.

Hope she has fun

She will have fun, that is all tomorrow is about for us and to get some experience. This number thing was kind of thrust upon us at the last minuet and as we had no idea what was expected we just used a bit of A4 paper and designed something that incorporated her number, both my daughter and I was under the impression that it would be held up in front of the judges by the coach at each apparatus, I guess we was wrong lol

 

[coach1234]

Here are some examples of numbers

 

[coach1234]

This is what they do at alpha factor competitions, I'm guessing if they are asking for numbers to be made its like this?

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I haven't got a clue to be honest, all those are fantastic, the gymnasts and parents are so talented, if the numbers for tomorrow do look a bit like those then my daughters will stand out (lol) as hers are on a piece of paper.

Is there anything else I need to watch out for tomorrow? What are these competitions "really" like, what is the nitty gritty? Any do's and don'ts ? What are your experiences of the UK 4 piece competitions (any level)?

 

[Faith]

In the vague hope of trying to understand a little of the UK competition structure

I wouldn't even try. Your coaches will know the appropriate level to enter your DD. that's all you need to know.

Each competition is different. Unless you can get hold of a copy of the rules for each competition (coaches only usually, pretty much impossible), study and understand them, you don't stand a chance.

4-piece comps can be anything from 8 year olds doing BWO-BHS on beam in "novice", to 12 year olds doing star jumps on floor. It is impossible to tell until you get there.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

That is actually helpful is a small way. My daughter is one of those novices that are doing backwards rolls and dive forwards rolls for her floor routine, 3 months into her group her back walk overs and tic tocs are not competition ready(they barely even started on back handsprings, and she isn't confident enough to perform them yet.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Take a good cushion

 

[xrachx]

The world of competitive gymnastics in the UK is a funny one. I've only got enough of an understanding to get me by where DD is now and what's ahead for next 12 months, and that's still bound to change lol.

Definitely take a cushion, drinks, snacks, and spare batteries if you take a camera. We've got one mum on team who takes knitting to occupy the quiet times, I just go on Facebook personally


Good luck today, have fun and let us know how she gets on!

 

[xxStumpyxx]

It was a fun day, very hot, my daughter did well, she got huge deductions on beam despite only one fall (score 5.900 and the top score was 11.700, I would love to know the deductions were for her score), my daughter score well despite her inexperience, lack of training in the week before the comp and being in a new group with an inexperienced young coach. My daughter felt really good despite coming near bottome and wasn't at all bothered that she didn't get a medal.

One bit of advice that I would have given myself was have loss of cool packs or a fan, it was like a sauna and the cool pack we had melted within mins lol

 

[T-bean]

I'm glad she found it a good experience.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I am kind of curious as to why my daughters beam score was so low, (not too bothered just curious), she fell doing her forwards roll, so did a few others, had no other falls and a messy tuck jump and the difference in score was huge.

Any ideas?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

She might have missed a required element or connection, that can be quite a penalty. Her coach will know why and hopefully address any issues before the next comp

 

[xxStumpyxx]

I will ask her coach, she might have muddled something, I don't know as I haven't seen her routine bofore, as you said her coach will know. Just out of curiosity, how much of a deduction is it for a fall of beam?

 

[coach1234]

I am kind of curious as to why my daughters beam score was so low, (not too bothered just curious), she fell doing her forwards roll, so did a few others, had no other falls and a messy tuck jump and the difference in score was huge.

Any ideas?

Almost impossible to say without seeing the routine and knowing the rules, it's likely that if she had a messy tuck jump then her leaps didn't count meaning she would have lost the 0.5 CR and the only thing I can think is that maybe she had a short routine (not enough moves) but like I said almost impossible without seeing the routine and knowing the rules. In all honesty I wouldn't worry about it, if the coach didn't question it there and then then they probably agree the the score is right. Parents trying to get their head around scores is near impossible unless they have coached or done a judging course as they don't have the 'eye' of the judge and don't see what judges or coaches see

 

[Faith]

A very low score like that I have only seen with a short routine- 4.0 deduction here. It's usually a missed element, or one didn't count- so if her tuck jump wasn't a tucked jump, it might not have counted, leaving her one element short. Forward roll too, if she didn't get her feet on before the fall.

 

[Jenny]

A very low score like that I have only seen with a short routine- 4.0 deduction here. It's usually a missed element, or one didn't count- so if her tuck jump wasn't a tucked jump, it might not have counted, leaving her one element short. Forward roll too, if she didn't get her feet on before the fall.

Agreed. Sounds like a short routine (usually less than 7 elements) If she didn't get her feet on for her roll and the tuck jump wasn't high enough (or another skill didn't count) then she might be down to 6 elements and a 4 mark deduction for a short routine. It does happen. I wouldn't worry about it. Glad she enjoyed herself anyway. Sounds like she made a good start at competing 4 pieces.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Looking back at the video footage that I took, she did do a tuck jump, her legs were a little bit seperated though, and I noticed she had a really long run (near enough the full length if the beam) for her dismount, I asked my daughter if she had forgotten anything and she said no but when she did her beam mount the spring board was not in the right place, it migh have been further down then it needed to be I am not sure.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Agreed. Sounds like a short routine (usually less than 7 elements) If she didn't get her feet on for her roll and the tuck jump wasn't high enough (or another skill didn't count) then she might be down to 6 elements and a 4 mark deduction for a short routine. It does happen. I wouldn't worry about it. Glad she enjoyed herself anyway. Sounds like she made a good start at competing 4 pieces.

It was a great competition, just a little too hot for my liking, more like a sauna lol. It might have been the forward roll, she didn't get her feet on at all, kind of just fell off the side, but overall she did great, hope she does another 4 piece competition this year before grades next year at end of February beginning of March.