WAG Will I ever understand deductions and scoring?

[Georgiapeach]

I know I shouldn't focus on scores however, it baffles the heck out of me. This is DDs first competitive season on level 1 so I really need to chill, I know. But after today's meet I'm so lost. She did great. Her beam was beautiful and she got a 9.30. The girl after her wobbled and almost fell off but saved it and finished. She got a 9.350. What am I missing? And DD wants to know why her floor score was so low, 9.100, but I told her she needs to ask the coach. So many routines (her and other girls) look amazing to me but yet the scores are low. And then I notice some routines with little mess ups and the scores are high. Not sure I'll ever understand.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My daughter fell off the beam today, she scored a 9.3 and took 2nd. Her dismount and handstand were awesome though.

Wobble is not necessarily a deduction. And as she progresses you will understand more. And I still don't quite get it but husband and I are getting better. We are on our third year of meets.

 

[Georgiapeach]

Ugh I try not to focus on scores. Especially around DD. She did her best all around today, 37.125 but it's so confusing to me.

Oh my husband, the most laid back man on earth, gets his panties in a bunch when her scores are great. He can't grasp it when it looks perfect to daddy!

 

[my4buffaloes]

Well different problems are worth different deductions. I don't even know the level 1 routines, but if they are supposed to raise their leg to a certain height and they don't that might be a .2 deduction. For a flexed foot maybe a .1. So while a girl might stay on the beam, she might have a lot of little things that a parent wouldn't notice. But the girl with the fall might have done just about everything else right so can take the .5 deduction and still beat a girl that took a lot of of little deductions.

You are going to drive yourself crazy trying to figure out all the little deductions and differences in your child's routines and another child's. I would not worry about it at this stage in the game.

ETA, I remember the first year my dd competed and thinking she looked just great to me - and then she got a 7 something. I honestly had NO IDEA what I was looking at. They really all looked the same to me from the bleachers LOL

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I don't claim to be an expert, and am equally as baffled, but I do know this: clean, easier routines score better. DD was the only kid to hit her BHS on beam and scored a 6.75. Maybe this is more true in Xcel since there is such a broad range of skills in each level? I'm still pretty new at all this too! Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Again, no expert here. But it seems a clean lesser skill will beat a harder not so clean score, when a level is has optionals.

Again, there is so much. Compulsories, they are looking for very specific skills.

Level 1 don't stress, JMO Level 1 and 2 are more about just getting used to competing when it come to meets.

 

[tarheel618]

I know I shouldn't focus on scores however, it baffles the heck out of me. This is DDs first competitive season on level 1 so I really need to chill, I know. But after today's meet I'm so lost. She did great. Her beam was beautiful and she got a 9.30. The girl after her wobbled and almost fell off but saved it and finished. She got a 9.350. What am I missing? And DD wants to know why her floor score was so low, 9.100, but I told her she needs to ask the coach. So many routines (her and other girls) look amazing to me but yet the scores are low. And then I notice some routines with little mess ups and the scores are high. Not sure I'll ever understand.

No LOL. I feel exactly the same. What I think looks good scores low and what I think looks bad scores high. Guess Id never cut it as a judge.

 

[Georgiapeach]

I would never cut it as a judge either and I admire the coaches when I think about all they have to "tweak". And when you have an 11 year old on level one in her very first year of gymnastics ever, she realizes what scores are good and what's not so good. She notices when somebody wobbles and she doesn't but the score higher. And she asks me if I know why. I know it's frustrating for her so it's not so much that I'm obsessing over level one scores but SHE notices. And knows she started at a "late" age. I just tell her to ask the coaches. I don't even pretend I know or understand. And I never ever let on to her that I even "keep" score. I'm sure as she progresses I'll get better at understanding. But I'm hoping she will so I don't have to. Then she can explain it to me.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

as she is older it might be interesting for her to learn about what deductions are what. The info should be available somewhere. I know mine likes to critique her routines after a competition and see where she got deducted, then she knows where she has to tighten things up. However we use a different system here and our deductions are quite different.

 

[Georgiapeach]

as she is older it might be interesting for her to learn about what deductions are what. The info should be available somewhere. I know mine likes to critique her routines after a competition and see where she got deducted, then she knows where she has to tighten things up. However we use a different system here and our deductions are quite different.

Good point. Maybe I'll research deductions for AAU or is it UAA....still so much to learn.

 

[my4buffaloes]

She is definitely old enough to know what the deductions are for each thing. This will help her understand and know exactly the "big stuff" that she should fix to up her score. Although that is a very good score and she should be proud.

 

[Natasha]

As 'beginner" parents we all notice the easy to spot deductions- wobbles, falls, major bent legs, steps on landings….but there are so many other deductions that takes years to learn to recognize. My dd's first year of competing (6 seasons ago now) her whole team was getting deducted .3 on beam on their turns for using a different turn technique that I still couldn't spot the difference on today, even though the coach tried to explain it. Their coach fixed their turns and their scores immediately all went up. At another meet that first year, a teammate dropped her heel during her turn because of a slight balance check and the judges did not give her credit for the skill. Coach said it was a .6 deduction…that's more than a fall and something a parent would likely never notice.

 

[Georgiapeach]

She is definitely old enough to know what the deductions are for each thing. This will help her understand and know exactly the "big stuff" that she should fix to up her score. Although that is a very good score and she should be proud.

Thanks! She is proud. She's more competitive with herself than she is with others. She wants to beat her own scores, which I think is an awesome goal right now. But she does notice the other girls scores. I just hope she continues to have fun and not stress it.

 

[Georgiapeach]

As 'beginner" parents we all notice the easy to spot deductions- wobbles, falls, major bent legs, steps on landings….but there are so many other deductions that takes years to learn to recognize. My dd's first year of competing (6 seasons ago now) her whole team was getting deducted .3 on beam on their turns for using a different turn technique that I still couldn't spot the difference on today, even though the coach tried to explain it. Their coach fixed their turns and their scores immediately all went up. At another meet that first year, a teammate dropped her heel during her turn because of a slight balance check and the judges did not give her credit for the skill. Coach said it was a .6 deduction…that's more than a fall and something a parent would likely never notice.

Omg...see this deduction thing is just too stressful. Even when we watch the Ga Gymdogs I'm baffled at the lower scores when to me they look outstanding. It's crazy.

 

[flippinam]

You'll eventually understand it. If you want the best resource, you could buy the USAG compulsory book. It has all of the routines levels 1-5 with pictures & the deductions written out, but it is kind of pricey. I got it for judging, but it was very helpful to me when I was competing the routines. There were some big things I didn't even know I was being deducted for. A 37 all around is great! Congratulations! Trust me, by next season, you won't even remember the scores or why you were upset about them. My first season, I didn't understand the scoring & my parents definitely didn't either. Heck 5 seasons later they still don't Stuck landings still = perfect 10.
It sounds like she's doing very well! Welcome to the world of competitive gymnastics!

 

[Georgiapeach]

You'll eventually understand it. If you want the best resource, you could buy the USAG compulsory book. It has all of the routines levels 1-5 with pictures & the deductions written out, but it is kind of pricey. I got it for judging, but it was very helpful to me when I was competing the routines. There were some big things I didn't even know I was being deducted for. A 37 all around is great! Congratulations! Trust me, by next season, you won't even remember the scores or why you were upset about them. My first season, I didn't understand the scoring & my parents definitely didn't either. Heck 5 seasons later they still don't Stuck landings still = perfect 10.
It sounds like she's doing very well! Welcome to the world of competitive gymnastics!

Ok you brought up something else that I forgot I was confused about....at our gym we are AAU Compulsory until level 4 or 5 and then it changes to USAG Optionals. Or at least that's what it sounds like to me. Is this how it usually is? And if we look at the USAG compulsory book it will be the same as the AAU? Technically, this really doesn't matter so early in our game but I'm just curious. Thanks. I thought a 37.125 was pretty good too! But I only knew that because our gym has a 37+ club.

 

[flippinam]

Ok you brought up something else that I forgot I was confused about....at our gym we are AAU Compulsory until level 4 or 5 and then it changes to USAG Optionals. Or at least that's what it sounds like to me. Is this how it usually is? And if we look at the USAG compulsory book it will be the same as the AAU? Technically, this really doesn't matter so early in our game but I'm just curious. Thanks. I thought a 37.125 was pretty good too! But I only knew that because our gym has a 37+ club.

I don't know a lot about AAU, but I believe it is the same requirements, with a few minor differences. I think there are more or different options in AAU in the routines? But, I think the USAG book should work for that. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Most gyms (at least in my area) don't compete until level 3 or 4, and all level 1-2 meets here are achievement. So, the girls get colored ribbons based on their scores but they don't do places. In AAU (once again, a generalization based on what I've seen. I could be completely wrong), the scoring is a bit more generous & the competition a little less "fierce". There are a lot of "sand baggers" in compulsories, especially in the older groups. Some gyms have their gymnasts repeat levels year after year to rack up state titles. Yes it's wrong, but it happens with unfortunate frequency. I don't know if this is as common in AAU. So the way your club does it may be to allow the girls to gain competitive experience in a slightly lower pressure environment to build up their confidence, which is very important in this crazy sport This isn't very common, but I see the purpose of it. However, I think that they have to score out of USAG 4 & 5 once moving from AAU before competing USAG optionals? Once again, somebody correct me on this if I'm wrong.

 

[mobeans]

What I have found to "help" after a meet when I think Dd had a beautiful routine is watch the video. I then see she had left out a plié or had her arm/foot in the wrong position etc. I especially find that helpful if I watch it a week or two later. We are often so blinded by what looks like a beautiful routine (and no doubt it is!) that we as parents miss some technical aspects when we see it "live".

 

[sce]

Wobble is not necessarily a deduction.

Uh, what?!? Wobbles ARE deductions. Sometimes, though, some kids have a few big deductions and a lot of amazing stuff while other kids have lots of small deductions without any large mistakes yet they add up.

GeorgiaPeach, the answer to your question is yeas and no. You will come to understand scoring more yet sometimes scores will still baffle you. Part of understanding scores, is knowing what the routine is supposed to look like. There are a lot of specific requirements.

 

[sce]

as she is older it might be interesting for her to learn about what deductions are what. The info should be available somewhere. I know mine likes to critique her routines after a competition and see where she got deducted, then she knows where she has to tighten things up. However we use a different system here and our deductions are quite different.

This is great advice. This also takes the focus of how she did vs other routines, but on what she can improve to score higher. Also a 37+ is fantastic. Please tell her that!