WAG Question Regarding Competing at Levels

[GymDad9.9]

I'm sure this has been discussed in some way shape or form, but I am looking to see whether a gymnast who has "scored" out of Level 4 as part of skipping levels to get to Level 7 can compete the upcoming Level 4 season prior to starting their Level 7 competition and has also "scored" out of Level 5 in an in-house mobility meet at some point prior to the start of the said upcoming Level 4 season. Is that allowed? Or does one need to wait to "score" out of Level 5 until after competing the Level 4 season? Thanks in advance.

 

[Sasha]

My understanding..

If the L5 score out meet has an official judge (not just an informal practice in-house meet to gauge where skills are), then the gymnast has an official registered L5 score, and so she can't 'go back down' to compete L4 from that point forward.

 

[gymbeam]

i think i recently read that you can go back down. maybe someone else can confirm for sure but i'll google a bit and see if i can find it in the meantime.

 

[Gymmommy71]

I thought competing at a state meet for a level is what locks you in to a level - not necessarily competing that level once at a regular meet or at a judging score out. There's also some date by which you need to "declare" what level you are for states so that has something to do with it too I think.

I have seen gym's around me compete girls at higher levels throughout the year (also competing some meets at a lower level) only to show up at a lower levels state meet.

It may all be different depending on your state too.

 

[gymbeam]

So I copied the statement below from a document on the Region 8 website. It is intended to explain mobility from Xcel to JO, but this statement makes me think its applicable in the case you're describing and that mobility meets do not *require* that you move up, but allow you to if desired.

1. A mobility meet (before a declaration date) allows the gymnast to try a Level/Division to see if she can attain the mobility score. It does NOT lock her into either competing the Level she did at the mobility meet or force her to move up if she attains the mobility score.

 

[GymDad9.9]

So I copied the statement below from a document on the Region 8 website. It is intended to explain mobility from Xcel to JO, but this statement makes me think its applicable in the case you're describing and that mobility meets do not *require* that you move up, but allow you to if desired.

1. A mobility meet (before a declaration date) allows the gymnast to try a Level/Division to see if she can attain the mobility score. It does NOT lock her into either competing the Level she did at the mobility meet or force her to move up if she attains the mobility score.

Thank you. This is very helpful.

 

[gymbeam]

You're welcome. Also found this which sort of touches on it as well. I'm not familiar with sectionals because we don't have them in our state, but it looks like what one would need to pay attention to is sectional dates or declaration dates in your particular state and make sure that Level 5 mobility meet happened prior to them. BUT, I'm just a mom doing some googling so there may be more to it than I know.

1.Once a gymnast has competed in a Sectional meet, she may NOT drop back to a lower level in the same competitive season. • If no Sectional meet is held, then the State Administrative Committee must determine prior to the beginning of the competitive year, a designated "declaration" date for each level for such purpose. The highest level the athlete competes in a sanctioned competition after the “declaration” date designates her level for the remainder of the current season.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

I thought competing at a state meet for a level is what locks you in to a level - not necessarily competing that level once at a regular meet or at a judging score out. There's also some date by which you need to "declare" what level you are for states so that has something to do with it too I think.

I have seen gym's around me compete girls at higher levels throughout the year (also competing some meets at a lower level) only to show up at a lower levels state meet.

It may all be different depending on your state too.

I know this happened this year in our state. My dd competed against someone at the beginning of the season that was obviously on the fast track. We didn't see her again for the next couple of meets and I looked on mymeetscores and saw that she had competed in a level 5 meet a month later and scored over a 38 at level 5. I was very surprised when she was at the level 4 state meet in my dd's age group again. It doesn't seem quite fair to me, but I know that's life. I just checked again and she competed at level 6 a month after the level 4 state meet and scored over 38.

 

[Sasha]

This new info is good to know - perhaps it is not so cut and dry as coaches have explained to me or perhaps different states are different...?

 

[gymbeam]

This new info is good to know - perhaps it is not so cut and dry as coaches have explained to me or perhaps different states are different...?

just to give you a little more info, the second thing i posted was from USAG rules, not only Region 8 like the first thing i quoted. so it looks like its across the board with the only variable being whether you have a sectional meet or a declaration date in your state.

 

[duyetanh]

It's not as cut and dry, and you can even move from 6 to 5...have seen it done. One girl on my child's team came from another gym and even competed states as a 6...and has started the season at 5 (will probably move back to 6 by next meet). So, as the saying goes, anything can happen...supposedly though it gets sticky once you do level 7.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

https://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/Rules and Policies/2016_2017_w_rulespolicies_0105.pdf

Mobility is completely allowed between L5 and L6.

If they compete a sectional meet they can't drop back.

Once a child competes states for the level they can not drop back. They would have to petition, and have "extenuating circumstances".

 

[Deleted member 18037]

https://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/Rules and Policies/2016_2017_w_rulespolicies_0105.pdf

Mobility is completely allowed between L5 and L6.

If they compete a sectional meet they can't drop back.

Once a child competes states for the level they can not drop back. They would have to petition, and have "extenuating circumstances".

Dang timed out for edit.

If there is no sectional meet, the state sets a declaration date. Whatever the highest level you compete at after the declaration date at a sanctioned meet, the operative word is sanctioned is the level you are.

So in theory you can do say Level 4, 5, 6 at meets that are non sanctioned. Only do one L4 sanctioned meet after the declaration date qualify for states and that makes you technically a L4 and off to states you go as a 4. JMO Not sure why you want to do that beyond sandbagging

 

[Deleted member 18037]

What qualifies as a sanctioned meet vs local (which can used for mobility)

So yes you can score out of 4 and 5, 6 is optional, compete officially as a 4 and then do 7

https://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/Rules and Policies/2016_2017_w_rulespolicies_0105.pdf

 

[Ali'sMom]

I'm sure this has been discussed in some way shape or form, but I am looking to see whether a gymnast who has "scored" out of Level 4 as part of skipping levels to get to Level 7 can compete the upcoming Level 4 season prior to starting their Level 7 competition and has also "scored" out of Level 5 in an in-house mobility meet at some point prior to the start of the said upcoming Level 4 season. Is that allowed? Or does one need to wait to "score" out of Level 5 until after competing the Level 4 season? Thanks in advance.

I don't 'have any more info than what's been said here, but I am curious why a gym would have a girl score out of L5 and then compete L4? or even why compete level 4 while preparing for Level 7?
Typically what I've seen, if a gym is pushing someone through levels, they score out, and never look back.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be negative, just honestly curious why it might be done.
I could see if a girl scores out of L5, barely, and not ready for L6/7, then they might pull her back to compete Level 4 again for a successful year or such.

 

[GymDad9.9]

I don't 'have any more info than what's been said here, but I am curious why a gym would have a girl score out of L5 and then compete L4? or even why compete level 4 while preparing for Level 7?
Typically what I've seen, if a gym is pushing someone through levels, they score out, and never look back.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be negative, just honestly curious why it might be done.
I could see if a girl scores out of L5, barely, and not ready for L6/7, then they might pull her back to compete Level 4 again for a successful year or such.

I am trying to understand the nuances of a very hypothetical situation.

 

[gymbeam]

I don't 'have any more info than what's been said here, but I am curious why a gym would have a girl score out of L5 and then compete L4? or even why compete level 4 while preparing for Level 7?
Typically what I've seen, if a gym is pushing someone through levels, they score out, and never look back.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be negative, just honestly curious why it might be done.
I could see if a girl scores out of L5, barely, and not ready for L6/7, then they might pull her back to compete Level 4 again for a successful year or such.

I've tried to think through all reasons and can't really figure out when it would ever makes sense, either. I agree that there may be times an athlete could score out of 4 and then also 5 by just meeting the bare minimum score and then ultimately decide they weren't really ready to compete 5 for the season. That seems reasonable.

But I'm having a hard time figuring out how you could justify it when the person then would turn around and compete level 7 because I'm assuming the quick score outs of 4 and 5 would only need to be done if the athlete was moving to level 7 very soon after - such as in places where compulsaries are in the fall and optionals in the spring.

I just don't see it being likely that a person who is ready to compete 7 in January wasn't ready to compete 5 in the few months ahead of it.

GymDad9.9, do you have any hypothetical situations where you could rationalize it?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I don't 'have any more info than what's been said here, but I am curious why a gym would have a girl score out of L5 and then compete L4? or even why compete level 4 while preparing for Level 7?
Typically what I've seen, if a gym is pushing someone through levels, they score out, and never look back.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be negative, just honestly curious why it might be done.
I could see if a girl scores out of L5, barely, and not ready for L6/7, then they might pull her back to compete Level 4 again for a successful year or such.

Yep.

JMO Unless its about winning/sandbagging.

 

[GymDad9.9]

I've tried to think through all reasons and can't really figure out when it would ever makes sense, either. I agree that there may be times an athlete could score out of 4 and then also 5 by just meeting the bare minimum score and then ultimately decide they weren't really ready to compete 5 for the season. That seems reasonable.

But I'm having a hard time figuring out how you could justify it when the person then would turn around and compete level 7 because I'm assuming the quick score outs of 4 and 5 would only need to be done if the athlete was moving to level 7 very soon after - such as in places where compulsaries are in the fall and optionals in the spring.

I just don't see it being likely that a person who is ready to compete 7 in January wasn't ready to compete 5 in the few months ahead of it.

GymDad9.9, do you have any hypothetical situations where you could rationalize it?

No

 

[e'smum]

i don't understand it either. why would any gymnast do that? the difference between level 4 and level 7 skills are huge. what possible advantage would a gymnast have for doing that? why would they just not compete level 7 at those meets vs. going back and doing level 4?

i also don't understand why girls who have scored 36's+ are competing a 2nd year in that same level. some of the girls that dd went up against last year as a 4 are still 4s. so weird. IMO, time to move up.

i thought that once you did a mobility meet with the purposed of moving up to another level, then you were in that level and couldn't go back. or wouldn't want to anyway!