USTA mandate to higher level questions

[pamelasu1]

Hello! My daughter is a former USAG T&T athlete who took some time off from gymnsatics and now is returning to compete this year, but with USTA instead (only double mini & tumbling, her USTA team does not compete tramp). She will be competing Intermediate, but her passes are at the upper end of the difficulty level for Intermediate. Her coach has been having her work on Sub-Advanced passes as well, saying that she might be mandated at a competition to that level. Since USAG does not mandate to the next level like this, I am confused about it. I have seen that an athlete will be mandated if they perform a higher level skill than is allowed at their level (so if she did a full at Intermediate she would be mandated), I understand that part. I also understand that the top percentage of each age group/level at Nationals will be mandated. Are there other circumstances when she could be mandated? Could she be mandated for having "too high" of a score at a regular meet (presuming she did not exceed the maximum DD or anything)?

Thanks in advance!
Pam

 

[Jamarie]

To be mandated at a meet in USTA (not incl Nationals), you would have to compete a skill higher than the level she is competing. ie...my DD competed sub-advanced on floor, but her coach was going to have her compete an advanced pass to mandate. If you do a higher skill than you should at your level, you mandate and also receive a deduction (2pts?). The coach can move up the tumbler at any time they feel they are ready, you don't have to have a certain difficulty first. I have seen some girls compete at a higher level and did not think they looked ready at all. At Nationals, it is a certain percentage that mandates. I don't have the break down in front of me, but I think that if there were over 40 girls in an age group at a level, the top 10 places mandate. The fewer competitors, the fewer girls that mandate.

 

[pamelasu1]

Thank you so much for the answer! I pretty much had all the USAG rules down pat and the switch to USTA has really thrown me! It sounds like she would only mandate if she did a higher level skill, so that is a relief. Her coach made it sound like she could be mandated for other reasons, but I probably just misunderstood what he was saying. Thanks again!