WAG Difference Between New USAG Level 6 and Old Level 7

[gymbini]

Hi Everybody,

I'm new to CB and I'm so glad to have all of you as such an amazing resource for gymnastics. My dd is 8 and just completed her first season as a new level 3 (old level 4), but I noticed that some of her gymmies that just finished competing level 5 during the compulsary season here are going to compete optionals in the spring. My dd has a couple of more years before she gets there, but I noticed that some are scheduled to compete the new level 6 and some level 7. I am curious to know the difference between the two and why they felt the need to add this new level. From reading some of the existing threads here, I saw comments on how many gyms skipped levels and moved girls from the existing level 4 (old level 5) directly into level 7. It sounds like now instead of just skipping level 6, they would actually be skipping levels 5 and 6, or do I have this wrong?

 

[Natasha]

Old level 7 and new level 7 are essentially the same. New level 6 is similar to old Level 6 in terms of difficulty, but since it is optional (as in more choices of skills) I think it may actually be easier to score well at new 6 than old 6 or new 5. So, there are gyms simply scoring out of the required new 5 (or old 6) and competing new 6 basically in place of the last level of compulsories. Other gyms are using L6 as an extra year for those that may not be ready for their gym's standards for L7. At many gyms this translates into those that have giants compete L7 and those that don't compete L6. Scoring out of new 6 is not required (since the skills are not any more difficult than the required L5), so those who do go from L4, score out of L5 and then compete 7 are not jumping any further than those who did in the old system.

 

[gymbini]

Thank you so much for the explanation. It sounds like the new level 6 is the USAG's answer for those who were discouraged by difficulties encountered scoring well under the old level 6 or who decided to compete Xcel for a year if they weren't yet ready for level 7. In those contexts, it actually makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[raenndrops]

Thank you so much for the explanation. It sounds like the new level 6 is the USAG's answer for those who were discouraged by difficulties encountered scoring well under the old level 6 or who decided to compete Xcel for a year if they weren't yet ready for level 7. In those contexts, it actually makes a lot of sense to me.

That's exactly what it is... They want to keep Xcel to Xcel gymnasts and give the JO girls an extra level of Optionals with easier requirements... New L6 is actually easier than Xcel Platinum (5 A's and 1 B versus 6 A's and 1 B).

 

[stxrdusty]

Oooh. I suppose this change to the levels makes some sense; however, my gyms never had a problem with the 6-7 jump. We actually had a bunch of girls skip old 6 and old 5 (like me, I almost skipped 7 too), so I didn't see this as a problem. One of my teammates actually competed 5, 6, and 7 within a two week period and killed it every time. The big gap between 8 and 9, now that's an issue.

 

[gymgal]

Oooh. I suppose this change to the levels makes some sense; however, my gyms never had a problem with the 6-7 jump....... The big gap between 8 and 9, now that's an issue.

agreed. And I thought that was the original plan, to spread out the skill difficulty between 7-10 so the girls would have more time to learn the skills and not have to repeat the upper levels as much, and then they did what they did. Didn't make sense, except to gain back all the girls who were starting to compete xcel platinum instead 6.

 

[gymgal]

. New L6 is actually easier than Xcel Platinum (5 A's and 1 B versus 6 A's and 1 B).

seems to me that having an extra A in a routine wouldn't make it more difficult. An extra B, definitely, but by the time the girls reach 6/platinum, they have a large amount of As in their skill set. I personally think L6 is going to be harder than platinum in terms of scoring because it has the angle requirements of the other optional levels - cast hs, 180 splits. Xcel just has SRs. As long as you hit those angles, you won't get deductions.

 

[raenndrops]

seems to me that having an extra A in a routine wouldn't make it more difficult. An extra B, definitely, but by the time the girls reach 6/platinum, they have a large amount of As in their skill set. I personally think L6 is going to be harder than platinum in terms of scoring because it has the angle requirements of the other optional levels - cast hs, 180 splits. Xcel just has SRs. As long as you hit those angles, you won't get deductions.

That 1 extra skill is one more skill for judges to deduct on... we have both Platinum and L6 at our gym... There is no Cast handstand requirement in L6... the angle requirement is the same as it is in Platinum (horizontal or above)... technically, L6 doesn't even specifically require a kip on bars.
Also, on beam, L6 only requires one leap or jump (both Gold AND Platinum require a series - my OG got her start value lowered for a slow connection on her jump series while 3 of our L6s scored 9's on beam) and one acro skill (Gold requires 2 acro and Platinum requires a series OR a flight acro skill... and gold has 15 less seconds in which to do their routine). The only place L6 is harder is that it does require 180º cross or side split in a leap or jump on beam as opposed to the 120º required at Platinum.
On floor, L6 needs one acro series (3 directly connected acro... does not specify that all 3 have to have flight) and 1 salto (either isolated or in a second series) Platinum requires 2 series (both with min 2 flight skills and one must have an A or B Salto). The leap requirements on floor are the same too. The vault options are the same for Gold, L6, and Platinum.

This is why I said that Platinum is harder than L6.

 

[Gymmomto2]

I'm finding this thread interesting. My DD is L6 (had her 1st meet yesterday). She was old L5 last season. Scored out of old L6 this summer. The parents are all confused on the requirements. We don't have the excel prog. She has a BWOBWO series, split jump, stag jump, leap & full turn w/a front tuck dismount. She scored a 9.3 but it was clean. She had a single BHS added in there but they took it out saying she didn't need it for L6. I kept telling her that it was a L7 routine w/the BHS. I think the HC is just working her ahead. We did have a judge come in telling us that the cast angles deductions are as follows: below horizontal .5, at horiz .3, between horiz & vert .2, vertical 0. Her bar routine is a kip, cast, clear hip, kip, squat on, jump to high bar, kip, immediate cast flyaway. Hope that helps. Not sure where that would fit in w/XG & XP.

 

[gymdog]

There is no Cast handstand requirement in L6... the angle requirement is the same as it is in Platinum (horizontal or above)... technically, L6 doesn't even specifically require a kip on bars.

That's what they need to do to get credit for the SR. If they don't hit handstand there's an angle deduction off execution that doesn't apply to Xcel levels.

 

[pt coach]

We competed a group of level 6s this past weekend with the kip cast clear hip squat on kip cast fly away. All had very nice form but the casts varied quite a bit. The scores ranged from an 8.5 - 9.1. The kids who are not casting close to handstand on both casts are losing quite a bit. It is a work in progress.

 

[raenndrops]

I'm finding this thread interesting. My DD is L6 (had her 1st meet yesterday). She was old L5 last season. Scored out of old L6 this summer. The parents are all confused on the requirements. We don't have the excel prog. She has a BWOBWO series, split jump, stag jump, leap & full turn w/a front tuck dismount. She scored a 9.3 but it was clean. She had a single BHS added in there but they took it out saying she didn't need it for L6. I kept telling her that it was a L7 routine w/the BHS. I think the HC is just working her ahead. We did have a judge come in telling us that the cast angles deductions are as follows: below horizontal .5, at horiz .3, between horiz & vert .2, vertical 0. Her bar routine is a kip, cast, clear hip, kip, squat on, jump to high bar, kip, immediate cast flyaway. Hope that helps. Not sure where that would fit in w/XG & XP.

Her beam would work for XP or XG. With XP, she could do the series OR the BHS on beam though. Technically, at L6, she doesn't need the series either (but as you said, getting her ready for L7).
Her bars would also work for XP or XG... but at XG, she could jump to the high bar and do immediate flyaway w/o the extra kip.

 

[Seeker]

I've read the whole thread and it still seems that there is some confusion about what the actual requirements are...from parents, coaches and judges. Hopefully there will be more clarity as the season progresses!

 

[raenndrops]

I made this chart to help people at our gym understand the differences.
It has the Special Requirements ... but remember, meeting the SR does not guarantee there will be no deductions (like cast angles in L6 and L7)... meeting them just means a SV of 10.0

 

[cbifoja]

Is there a thread discussing why in the world L6 requires as 180 split on beam but only a 150 on floor?

 

[raenndrops]

Is there a thread discussing why in the world L6 requires as 180 split on beam but only a 150 on floor?

I was wondering the exact same thing!!! Usually, the beam split requirement is less than the floor requirement - so I double and triple checked before putting it in my chart... but that is what it says.

 

[cbifoja]

I don't doubt the accuracy of your chart at all and found it very interesting. You did a great job on it. I sure wish we would have found out that it was an error! LOL

 

[raenndrops]

I don't doubt the accuracy of your chart at all and found it very interesting. You did a great job on it. I sure wish we would have found out that it was an error! LOL

LOL< me too. We have 4 L6s that would LOVE to not be getting a deduction on their split leap / jump on beam

I made the chart because the HC was trying to figure out where to place the girls and this seemed the easiest way to show her the options. We ended up with 4 L6, 4 L7, 10 XLG and 2 XLP

 

[gymdog]

Is there a thread discussing why in the world L6 requires as 180 split on beam but only a 150 on floor?

Because a 180 split is required on floor

http://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/J.O. Code of Points/appndx14_optreqchart_2013.pdf

 

[raenndrops]

Because a 180 split is required on floor

http://usagym.org/PDFs/Women/Rules/J.O. Code of Points/appndx14_optreqchart_2013.pdf

Lol, so they DID change it. I made my chart way back when (early this summer)... and they still had 150º on floor. I will have to correct it.

Thanks for letting me know