Parents What's in a meet name? ("invitational", "classic", "cup"...)

[teksquad]

Hello Everyone,

We've been to meets that are "invitationals", "classics", and "cups". Are these terms synonymous for the word, "meet", or do they say something about meet procedures, or something else?

Then I have seen "capital cups" and "modified capital cups". What do these terms mean?

 

[MeetDirector]

tek -

Your first question is yes, the "fancy" name associated with a meet is just that - the name of the meet.

Your second question is related to the way the meet is actually run. There are 4 different ways to organize and run a meet: traditional, modified traditional, non-traditional (called capital cup), and modified non-tradititional (called modified capital cup). These types of meets are driven by how the athletes warm-up and how much equipment is available. For example, my meet this weekend I am actually using two of the types - capital cup and modified traditional. I do that because in 3 of my sessions I have a lot of optional gymnasts and need to split them into two competition groups with one group competing while the next group is warming up; in the other session I don't have a huge number of girls and can get by with the warm-up/compete approach. It turns out that it is all about time - I want to get my sessions done in the shortest amount of time possible.

Aren't you glad you asked?

 

[nameless]

good question!! even my 5 y.o. wants to know why this meet or that meet is a "cup".. i can't wait for some answers here!!

i think invitationals just means that the host gym has to invite you.. but there may be something more to it.

 

[krisnkids]

Another answer to your question, in some areas like Southern California there are prelims vs. invitationals. The difference there is that the prelims have an amount set by the state, or in this case the southern half of the state, as to what the host gym can charge for entry fees. Invitationals there is no set amount that the host gym can charge.

 

[MaryA]

Here's the "official" scoop on competition formats... http://usagym.org/docs/Women/Rules/Rules%20and%20Policies/09-10RulesPolicies_39-42.pdf

 

[htimcj]

Thanks for the link. It was very informative! I had no idea what they all meant.

 

[shelovestoflip]

I am fairly certain in our state the term difference has something to do with qualifying for states as well. I think you need 'x' score at one type of meet first to then qualify for the next type of meet where you need 'y' score in order to qualify for states.

From what I recall, the qualifying score for States has to be at an invite type of meet (one that is held at an outside facility, not at a local gym)

Sorry I"m fuzzy on these details...maybe someone else knows more.

Oh, and my daughter hates the meets where they warm up in one gym and compete in another. She prefers her long warm up on the actual apparartus she will be using!

 

[teksquad]

Thanks, Everyone! I think I get it! It's nice to know the warmup format ahead of time, so the gymnasts can be mentally prepared for it.

MeetDirector- yep- I'm glad I asked!~ (-: Thanks to you and other meet directors for all the thought and preparation you put into the meets, to make them run smoothly!

MaryA- thanks a bunch for the link to the reference chart! I'll keep that handy for future reference.

Has anyone experienced the traditional format lately? The only format we have experienced so far is the modified capital cup.

 

[krstew29]

We had one meet in October that was traditional (the one where you warm up all events then compete all events) and everyone on our team (it was a L2/3 session) did not like it at all. It seemed like forever between when warm ups started and the competition started. It was a slow meet.