New Club Grades

[crazygym]

Does anyone know when we are likely to be advised of the new club grade routines for next year?

 

[Faith]

We won't be, unless you have access to the super secret world of BG behind the coaches firewall

Us mere mortals/parents shouldn't know this stuff

 

[Jenny]

Probably about November. Thought it was the national grades changing not club grades. Mind you I think they would be better dropping grade 8 all together and letting the other just run thought from 14 to 6 with a few minor changes. Just bump 765 up in number to 876. Then comp 5 would fit in the gap. Grade 8 isn't really working as a progression. It is too like 11 and people mostly wait til kids can giant before doing it so they don't get locked into national grades. Just making them a continuous progressive run of grades would be far better. With a few changes to 9 you could just have a national final for the last 4 grades - 9876. I personally think all grades should have a range and conditioning set. Maintaining basic strength and flexibility is more important as you get older and heavier not less important. It could be as basic as the grade 14 one and doesn't need a pass mark but it would encourage people to keep working at it.

 

[Kit Kat]

@Jenny just a thought but wouldn't getting rid of national grade 8 be really sad for some club gymnasts who find 12 far to easy but don't have the ability for elite. What would they compete next year I am talking about the ones who are only 10 this year and not old an old for grade 11 that is? I do like the idea of having range and conditioning for all grades.

 

[Kit Kat]

Edit not yet old enough for grade 11 that is lol I don't even know what is in grade 11 lol but you say it's similar skill wise? For example say my 9 year old dd has her national grade 8 moves ready to compete in one years time she just needs to polish them and up train for harder skills over the next year what grade do you think she would take if there wasn't a grade 8 ? Or do you think all the grades should be open to any age maybe?? These grades are so confusing

 

[Kit Kat]

Or can you already take grade 11 at age 10? Duh silly me I do see your point the main difference at the moment is that they maybe able to qualify for a national final grade 8 but if is open age it would really hard for little ones anyway to qualify anyway. I didn't realise all these grades were open to anyone over 10 gosh that seems like a huge difference between say 10 and 13 ! So yes your idea is great @Jenny it will be interesting to hear more about these changes in November I am intrigued!

 

[Jenny]

@Jenny just a thought but wouldn't getting rid of national grade 8 be really sad for some club gymnasts who find 12 far to easy but don't have the ability for elite. What would they compete next year I am talking about the ones who are only 10 this year and not old an old for grade 11 that is? I do like the idea of having range and conditioning for all grades.

Grade 8 isn't too hard but once you have done it you have to do grade 7 or out of age compulsories the next year all of which contain giants. You cannot go back to club grades Therefore you child needs to be gianting or pretty close to gianting when they do grade 8 ....... If they are near gianting at 10 they are pretty good!

btw you can do grade 12.11 10 and 9 at 10 years. So if 12 is too easy and they aren't gianting they can do 11, 10 or 9

I think they need to scrap the 'lock in' for national grades all together. scrap 8 and change 9 up a little. Rename 765 876 and then 9876 can go to a national final. A few small changes would tie it all in a lot better.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Its so daft to have effectively 3 systems, one linear progression, with in age for the elite kids and everyone else plodding along at their own pace makes sense to me. Then if someone is forced to taken time out, say injury, they can come back, they will just be a bit older, or if they stumble on a skill they can take an extra year, bit like the U S system. The tortoises or the late starters then can have a chance and catch up. Winners all round.

 

[Kit Kat]

@Iwannabemargo yes you would think that would make it simpler wouldn't it ! I like the sound of the U.s system too @Jenny yes it does seem silly to have 2 club grades 11 and 8 that are really similar skill wise minimum age 10 but one has a regional final and one a national ?! We will have to wait and see if she can giant this time next year i went to watch dd in a few 4 piece competitions last year where she proudly competed all her moves and did really well 6 months later this year i went to watch her do grade 13 and it had none of the skills ie upstarts flics or cartwheels on beam or handspring vault (nothing majorly difficult )she competed 4 piece last year and scored really well on. she did get a little fed up training 13 too as learning the routines takes time from other training. Surely it would be nice for the gymnasts to get graded on the skills they have already been competing the previous year maybe make lower level club grades open to all ages say over 8 ? I do always emphasise to her it is an honour to be asked to compete. I think the club grades system could most definitely be improved on

 

[Faith]

Kitkat I agree- I see so many kids who are could do compulsory 4 easily- BHS on beam, often have BWOBHS on beam, upstarts, flyaways, handspring vault, half on half off sometimes, BLO on floor- yet they're competing grade 14 or 13, or even 12.

I get those grades for the new starters, or haven't got an upstart, or whatever, but for big clubs? There's a couple of kids from one of the big clubs did Level 4 voluntaries in age last year, but are doing grade 12 this year. What's the point of a child who can likely giant and layout flyaway doing a bar routine without even an upstart?

I think a linear progression would be much better- and fitting in with the OOA levels, so top grade (5) is equal to compulsory 5- then they move to level 4,3,2 and 1 OOA. Maybe with OOA not having R+C, or a modified R+C

I think we have too many competitions at all different levels- grades, voluntaries, regionals, invitationals. Too much adjusting of routines and rules. Even it out then clubs can actually compete more as there's less time spent on redoing routines..

I also think a linear path is better psychologically- no matter how old a child or how talented, they can see that path to elite, even if they're never going to get there. I think removing that path so early removes all those 7/8 year old dreams and goals before they've had chance to even dream them...

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Well said @Faith - so what if a girl (or Boy) reaches elite at 18 instead of 14, its still the same accomplishment. It should keep more youngsters in the sport for longer as well - what other sport writes kids off at 10 ?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Helloooooeeee BG, are you listening ? I think we are all agreed that this would be best for the sport, please take note.

 

[Frase]

Here here. Has the new allowance for OOA at comp levels made this more viable? How many years out of age can you go?

 

[floppycat]

With the compulsories made tougher there needs to be a better alternative to those who are on the cusp of being elite but are still 7/8/9 and there is only one skill they can't do for their level. Girls are dropping out, why train 18 hours for grade14/13/12 HCs are trying to reassure saying only level 3 matters but it's not fun competing so far below the skill set you can do.

 

[Jenny]

Here here. Has the new allowance for OOA at comp levels made this more viable? How many years out of age can you go?

I think it is open age.

 

[Faith]

I think it is open age.

Did anyone compete OOA this year? Or more than 1 year OOA?

 

[Jenny]

Not much point doing 4 out of age as it is not required. I don't think I have seen any of them pop up but there are a good few compulsory 3 out of age showing up. Still quite a few regions to go next weekend. I think there have been some out of age compulsory 2 kids too.

 

[Frase]

There were 2 OOA level 4 girls in our region. No level 3's but I think next year will see more - for example dd (should have done level 3) could not do ooa 4 as she had already done it (in age) the year before.

So really this year the ooa only worked for those who for whatever reason had already fallen off the elite ladder before the changes. Those who were affected by the changes should show up next year.

 

[Frase]

I just had a look again at the line up for our region. There was actually 1 ooa level 3 and interestingly one of the ooa level 4 girls was 3 years ooa.

 

[floppycat]

Our region had one ooa level 5, think it was 3 at level 4 the winner had done it in age the previous year and passed, a couple I think at level 3. So given the tiny numbers that did compulsories in our region, quite a high percentage were ooa!