WAG Compulsory scores vs Optional

[Kate]

Hi parents and coaches,

Just wondering if it's possible that some gymnasts do not flourish in the compulsory levels but do well later on in the optional levels?

Thanks!
Kate

 

[ascarter1]

Absolutely. It's my personal opinion that optional scores tend to be a little lower than compulsory scores.
My dd is a level 7. When she competed in compulsories, she score in the 38 aa. Last year, she competed 6 and scored just shy of 37. Still a great aa score, but she had to work MUCH harder to get that score. Imo, you just don't see as many 9.8+ scores in optionals.

But to answer you question, yes! So gymnasts are better at optionals than compulsories!

I love the freedom of optionals!

Best of luck this season.

 

[Gymmommy71]

I actually think it's harder to score high in compulsaries. I've seen many gymnasts who were mediocre compulsary scorers, that just took off in optionals and started to really score high. The ability to tweak the routine to only include your better skills can make a huge difference - especially on beam and floor.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I'm pretty sure this will be Puma Jr...we're back to compulsories after a gym switch (the old gym started last year doing Xcel until they could score out of 4/5) and man! I can't help but feeling she's not going to score great this year...every..little...detail! The judges know those routines inside and out. But, even if I'm right, I think it will be the best thing for her. She needs to learn to focus on detail and not just rush the dancy/artistic stuff to get to the tumbling. And we're getting there! So time will tell. But, I think many people more experienced than I will agree with you too! Good luck!

 

[gymmiemom]

In answer to your question, yes. But I agree with the other poster who said that scores are harder to come by. The skills are harder, the requirements (I currently detest the switch leap) are harder, and I feel like the judges are less forgiving, when the skill is ALMOST to the degree it's needed.

And while it's absolutely true that you can play up their strengths, just like in the compulsory levels, the judges are still looking for as near as perfect as possible. And their are still requirements to what has to be in the routines, although it is nice that there is MORE than one option.

All of the girls who started team with my DD and are still scoring in the same order they always have. The strongest on each event hasn't changed at all. Neither has the AA standings most of the time.

 

[gymjunkie]

How do you define "not flourishing?" Are you talking about mid 35s or mid 31s? Are you talking about a kid who is adequately prepared to compete in compulsories or one who was fast-tracked to optionals and therefore never really coached in such a way where they would score well in compulsories?

 

[Muddlethru]

Absolutely! And vice versa! Like everything else, some kids are better at compulsories and some are better at optionals, and then some are good in both. Skills are different, get harder, fears set in, growth spurt etc.

 

[catova]

DD was middle to bottom of the pack in compulsory levels but has done much better as an optional gymnast, both in how she places, and her actual scores. In L7, she got better scores (consistently) for vault, floor, and bars, and AA. Scores similar only for beam. There was more than one gym switch (one due to family relocation, the other for gym-specific reasons) so her three seasons of compulsory meets (one year each in old L4, new L4 and new L5) were not at her current gym. Coaching obviously is part of it, but both former gyms have very strong compulsory and optional teams.
I think part of it is mental...maybe some gymnasts (DD included) focus much better at age 12 than at age 9, whereas some seem more distracted by life at age 12!
As for the physical part: DD has always lacked power/strength compared to other gymnasts who train similar hours. And she's not particularly flexible or graceful. But, over the years, coaches of other sports in which she participated (soccer- probably 3 different coaches said the same thing- as well as tennis and diving) have commented that DD has really good 'spatial awareness'. I wasn't sure exactly what that was at first, but here's a definition I found: 'Spatial awareness is how well you’re able to sense the location and position of your body in relation to your physical surroundings. Being spatially aware means you have a sense of spacing, timing and direction and it directly impacts your performance during sports and other athletic movements'. I heard this 'strong spatial awareness' comment for the first time when she was 4 years old, well before she ever started gymnastics.

So...one theory I have as to why DD is better at optionals is this: maybe the 'spatial awareness' strength is important like for all that harder bar stuff/ flipping the vault/ adding twists to existing tumbling, etc. but maybe doing compulsory skills extremely well just doesn't require the same degree of spatial awareness? Again, just a theory . But to your question, yes, some gymnasts do better in optionals.

Interestingly, many of DD's former teammates who were always the top compulsory performers are either no longer in the sport, or have not yet competed L7...

 

[Kate]

Thank you EVERYONE for the very helpful information.

We are quite new to the US and daughter has to score out of 5 to get to Level 7. She is 10 and has all her level 7 skills. She started to learn her level 5 routines not too long ago and she is scoring in the 35s. Since she thinks of herself as a level 7, needless to say, she is very discouraged by the scores. On floor, she has too much power and can never stick her landing. So I am wondering if her level 5 results will reflect how she will do in Level 7.

Thank you once again!

 

[gopuckgo]

Mine was very mediocre at compulsories. Middle of the pack most of the time. She also had zero focus ability. Compulsories were very dance heavy and my daughter is more of a powerhouse. She has taken off in optionals though. She still struggles with details in her floor routine, but has the hardest tumbling in each event that can be done. She tends to score very well now and her focus is much improved although still lagging behind same aged peers. I'm looking forward to the day that her mind can keep up with what her body is capable of.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Thank you EVERYONE for the very helpful information.

We are quite new to the US and daughter has to score out of 5 to get to Level 7. She is 10 and has all her level 7 skills. She started to learn her level 5 routines not too long ago and she is scoring in the 35s. Since she thinks of herself as a level 7, needless to say, she is very discouraged by the scores. On floor, she has too much power and can never stick her landing. So I am wondering if her level 5 results will reflect how she will do in Level 7.

Thank you once again!

She only needs a 31 to score out according to USAG. Of course your gym requirements may differ.

 

[gasrgoose]

I've seen no direct correlation between compulsory and optional scores. Some girls struggle with the precision in compulsory then mature and find their grove in optionals and become amazing level 10 gymnasts. Some girls win everything in compulsory and go to optionals and continue to win everything through level 10 and beyond. Some girls who were very dominant at compulsory struggle in optionals because the progression is slower and requires more work. Often these girls end up quitting, but many girls quit in upper level optionals for a variety of reasons.

Ultimately it comes down to the mind set of the kid, coaches and parents.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I am assuming from your name and writing style that you may well come from the UK, if so then I think she will do much better as an optional gymnast as that is what she has been used to all her life, good luck

 

[wgymmom]

Thank you EVERYONE for the very helpful information.

We are quite new to the US and daughter has to score out of 5 to get to Level 7. She is 10 and has all her level 7 skills. She started to learn her level 5 routines not too long ago and she is scoring in the 35s. Since she thinks of herself as a level 7, needless to say, she is very discouraged by the scores. On floor, she has too much power and can never stick her landing. So I am wondering if her level 5 results will reflect how she will do in Level 7.

Thank you once again!

I wouldn't worry. Scoring is notoriously harsh in L5. My DD did old and new 4, and then L5, and will be doing L7 starting officially in January.

Old 4 - 36-37 AA's consistently
New 4 - huge range from 34.95 at the beginning to a 37.25 at states
New 5 - Started out low 35's, ended up high 35's, including state champ in 2 events

I should also add that with the 35 AA's, she won 3/5 meets. So you can see that overall, scoring is much lower for L5 in general.

HC has high expectations for her - fully expects that she'll be back to 36-37 AAs, at least. He's encouraged her to set her sights on regionals (which are NOT easy to get to in our region at L7).

 

[kris]

My DD was young and not a high scorer in compulsories. She scored a lot higher in level 7 and 8 than in 4 through old 6 with old 6 being the highest for her even though it's typically a lower scoring level. I think she just needed to get old enough to start to care about things like pointing your toes.

 

[ZJsMom]

For sure. Many of the girls who shine in compulsories are the dancer types who can get every position right and have the best toe point. Once you get to optionals you need power and the ability to overcome fears and sometimes it's a completely different set of girls who shine. I've definitely seen some of the star compulsories lose their edge in the higher levels and get overtaken by middle of the pack compulsories.

 

[Rockygym]

This is my DD exactly, still young, so often unfocused, but strong and good with skills. She was middle of the pack L3 last year and has done ok in her first few L4 meets this year. I hope she has a great year and I think like your DDs she will do much better in optionals.

 

[GYM0M]

I think it's impossible to gauge at all. There are sooooo many things to consider in optional routines. For example, is the routine of minimal or maximum difficulty. It's probably safe to assume that the gymmie that's dinged for lots of little things in compulsories will score better in optionals, provided the form on skills is equivalent, but if a compulsory gymnast is getting hit hard for form issues, the scores will not improve until the form is improved.

 

[gymjunkie]

I get nervous when parents think there is a formula that says that a low scoring compulsory gymnast will = a high scoring optional gymnast just because there are cases like this.

 

[ascarter1]

I get nervous when parents think there is a formula that says that a low scoring compulsory gymnast will = a high scoring optional gymnast just because there are cases like this.

So true! Every gymnast is different!