Competing at Nationals this weekend?

[Flossyduck]

Btw dd didn't compete at nationals. I didn't actually say that she was and deliberately avoided the questions! I've been trying very hard not to say too much as dd has a bit of a back story going on at the moment and it would be easy to say too much.

But

It feels wrong that people think she did - as though I'm trying to take something away from the girls who did compete. It was a great competition - a battle royal between Ondine and Halle, just stunning! We had a great day.

And

I don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to pretend because I'm not happy that dd wasn't competing. I'm so proud of her and there is no issue at all over her not being at nationals. As I said, there's a tale, but it's all good and we're happy.

So I guess I was able to feel the issues with the low scores and them being shown on screens without any horrible personal involvement. All the girls we know (and the numbers build up over the years) did great, but some of the other girls had a rough day and I do find it hard to watch.

 

[Frase]

Just because you don't have a little one competing doesn't mean you don't get as involved in it all when watching. Like you after 3 years competing I feel we 'know' a lot of the girls we've watched - some obviously more than others.

I sat with a friend whose daughter was competing. She's rubbish at watching - films it all with her eyes down at the floor. She said she could tell exactly how her dd was doing on beam just by my body language and watching my toes! Apparently I was clenching them ferociously at flick and when she had the biggest of wobbles after her spin - added to the fact I shouted out 'stick' let her know exactly what was going on! My point is they don't have to be yours to care how they get on.

Glad all is good with your dd.

 

[chocolate]

My dd didn't have a very good competition . She couldn't get her run right on vault so ended up not doing as good as normal on what usually is her best piece. She didn't get to handstand on her clear which isn't usually a problem for her so this brought her bars down a lot from her regional score as well. Beam had a big wobble also. I was a bit confused about her floor because she performed it better than in regionals but received a much lower score and a penalty but I don't know what for. A lot of the girls on daughters teams also received much lower floor scores as well . Overall her score was almost 5 marks down on her score at regionals but I'm still really proud of dd for making it to nationals.

 

[bogwoppit]

Btw dd didn't compete at nationals. I didn't actually say that she was and deliberately avoided the questions! I've been trying very hard not to say too much as dd has a bit of a back story going on at the moment and it would be easy to say too much.

But

It feels wrong that people think she did - as though I'm trying to take something away from the girls who did compete. It was a great competition - a battle royal between Ondine and Halle, just stunning! We had a great day.

And

I don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to pretend because I'm not happy that dd wasn't competing. I'm so proud of her and there is no issue at all over her not being at nationals. As I said, there's a tale, but it's all good and we're happy.

So I guess I was able to feel the issues with the low scores and them being shown on screens without any horrible personal involvement. All the girls we know (and the numbers build up over the years) did great, but some of the other girls had a rough day and I do find it hard to watch.

Oh colour me confused I could have sworn you said she was competing Sunday. Thanks for the clarification.

It is very interesting to see the new system at work. I need to watch some videos and see scores to get a handle on it.

Thanks for the update, eyes on the ground are so much better than youtube.

 

[Flossyduck]

Sorry your dd didn't have a great comp chocolate. She did comp 4 didn't she? In which case there shouldn't be a deduction for not getting her clear to handstand - it needs to get to within 45 degrees of vertical, but I guess that can be hard to judge, especially if other girls were getting to handstand. Got to separate them somehow! As far as I can tell penalties were issued if compulsory elements were missing or not performed well enough to count, but that's just what was being said afterwards.

When dd is competing I am exactly like your friend Frase. I hold my camera up but look sideways through my fingers over the top and often forget to breath. As you can imagine none of the video is even worth showing to family as dd quite often dances in and out of the shot and in and out of focus too. On one occasion I pointed it at the beam and just glanced every few seconds to make sure it was pointed at beam. Got a lovely video of her club mate doing her routine on the beam in front, beautifully centered in the shot, and dd's head/feet cut off on the beam behind.

I do get involved whoever is competing. I found it really hard on Sunday when they flashed up low scores and actually was close to tears a couple of times (one girl hurt herself quite badly and I just hate seeing that). And that was without dd competing. But on the whole it was a really good competition and we certainly had a lot to be very happy about afterwards.

 

[Frase]

When dd is competing I am exactly like your friend Frase. I hold my camera up but look sideways through my fingers over the top and often forget to breath. As you can imagine none of the video is even worth showing to family as dd quite often dances in and out of the shot and in and out of focus too. On one occasion I pointed it at the beam and just glanced every few seconds to make sure it was pointed at beam. Got a lovely video of her club mate doing her routine on the beam in front, beautifully centered in the shot, and dd's head/feet cut off on the beam behind.

Ha ha - my friend is the same! I got a text sunday night asking if we cld forward the video my dd had taken of her daughters beam routine as when they had watched their copy back she had only filmed her own leg.

 

[gymstar]

Sorry your dd didn't have a great comp chocolate. She did comp 4 didn't she? In which case there shouldn't be a deduction for not getting her clear to handstand - it needs to get to within 45 degrees of vertical, but I guess that can be hard to judge, especially if other girls were getting to handstand. Got to separate them somehow! As far as I can tell penalties were issued if compulsory elements were missing or not performed well enough to count, but that's just what was being said afterwards.

When dd is competing I am exactly like your friend Frase. I hold my camera up but look sideways through my fingers over the top and often forget to breath. As you can imagine none of the video is even worth showing to family as dd quite often dances in and out of the shot and in and out of focus too. On one occasion I pointed it at the beam and just glanced every few seconds to make sure it was pointed at beam. Got a lovely video of her club mate doing her routine on the beam in front, beautifully centered in the shot, and dd's head/feet cut off on the beam behind.

I do get involved whoever is competing. I found it really hard on Sunday when they flashed up low scores and actually was close to tears a couple of times (one girl hurt herself quite badly and I just hate seeing that). And that was without dd competing. But on the whole it was a really good competition and we certainly had a lot to be very happy about afterwards.

Its tough sport! Both for kids and parents and coaches too! you just want them to do well and come away happy really! Do you know what the compulsory elements were for Level 3? Only 6 girls got 4.0 for D value on floor on Sunday looking at scores - wow! and less than half did on beam but I know there are many connections etc for beam. I also think that compulsory moves don't always suit all girls and atleast at Voluntaries they can select skills to suit each gymnast a bit better - that said think all the girls coped very well and did themselves proud - I had heard about the girl who injured herself and that is never nice to see.

 

[gymstar]

Oh colour me confused I could have sworn you said she was competing Sunday. Thanks for the clarification.

It is very interesting to see the new system at work. I need to watch some videos and see scores to get a handle on it.

Thanks for the update, eyes on the ground are so much better than youtube.

Not many people post their videos and as it is the first year of this new grades system there aren't that many about - sure more will pop up soon!

 

[gymstar]

My dd didn't have a very good competition . She couldn't get her run right on vault so ended up not doing as good as normal on what usually is her best piece. She didn't get to handstand on her clear which isn't usually a problem for her so this brought her bars down a lot from her regional score as well. Beam had a big wobble also. I was a bit confused about her floor because she performed it better than in regionals but received a much lower score and a penalty but I don't know what for. A lot of the girls on daughters teams also received much lower floor scores as well . Overall her score was almost 5 marks down on her score at regionals but I'm still really proud of dd for making it to nationals.

Sorry to hear your DD didn't have her best comp - its a great experience for the girls though making National Finals and she will have learnt lots from it - onwards and upwards

 

[floppycat]

We need those videos! I did feel awful just on gymdata seeing those low beam scores on level 3, I would be worried it would put some girls off continuing to level 2.

 

[Frase]

she didn't get to handstand on her clear which isn't usually a problem for her so this brought her bars down a lot from her regional score as well.

I struggled to work out a lot of the bars scores on sat-particulalry in the first session. You'd watch 2 routines that to my untrained eye didn't look all that different and there would be a full 2 point difference.
That said I've always been rubbish at working out bars and vault. Whatever I think looks bad in dd's routines tends to be what she scores highest on and vice versa

 

[gymstar]

I struggled to work out a lot of the bars scores on sat-particulalry in the first session. You'd watch 2 routines that to my untrained eye didn't look all that different and there would be a full 2 point difference.
That said I've always been rubbish at working out bars and vault. Whatever I think looks bad in dd's routines tends to be what she scores highest on and vice versa

I think its very hard for parents - sometimes you can watch a performance and enjoy it but without realising how its judged it doesn't make sense when you see the scores - like you say vault is a hard one! Bars also - I think someone mentioned earlier that you don't need to hit handstand to be credited the move etc. although think it does make the judges sit up if they do!

 

[gymstar]

We need those videos! I did feel awful just on gymdata seeing those low beam scores on level 3, I would be worried it would put some girls off continuing to level 2.

Yes I am sure those beam scores were very disheartening but even the top end the scores weren't that high to be fair well not compared to other pieces - I think bars can be like that as you go up the levels too especially if you don't have the difficulty at FIG I guess
Everyone is adjusting this year across all levels - next year, gymnasts, parents and coaches including judges will have a much better idea of how to play each level and what counts etc??

 

[Frase]

Yes I am sure those beam scores were very disheartening but even the top end the scores weren't that high to be fair well not compared to other pieces - I think bars can be like that as you go up the levels too especially if you don't have the difficulty at FIG I guess
Everyone is adjusting this year across all levels - next year, gymnasts, parents and coaches including judges will have a much better idea of how to play each level and what counts etc??

And the confusion will start all over again with the changes to national grades...

 

[Jenny]

I have no doubt the scores were offered correctly over the 2 days I was more wondering which skills, series or connections were proving most tricky to get counted.

 

[gymstar]

I have no doubt the scores were offered correctly over the 2 days I was more wondering which skills, series or connections were proving most tricky to get counted.

For level 3 think it was the forward walkover cartwheel jump and the spin series and jump series - think the walkover flick was ok for most - also leaps not getting 180 split and height -

 

[Jenny]

That would make sense.

Those are tricky.