MAG JE JO different this year?

[ZJsMom]

So we had States yesterday and I was surprised to see that the JO and JE guys were separate for awards. Is there a new policy on this? Is it going to be the same way at Regionals too this year and is the qualifying process for Nationals going to be separate this year? Anyone know?

 

[skschlag]

Ours was not separate and from the published allotments, they do not look to be separate there either. I wish they were....

 

[ZJsMom]

Huh. I was getting hopeful that the allotment would be separate from JE qualification. Oh well. I looked up the neighboring state in our region and they pulled out JE as well.

 

[skschlag]

maybe your region is going to try it? I really wish ours would. D really wants to try JE next year, depending on what it looks like.

I am guessing our state doesn't do it because we only had 7 JE gymnasts. 2 level 9s, 2 8s, and 3 10s. So it probably just isnt worth it. It will be interesting to see waht they do at regionals!

 

[skschlag]

(oh, and all but one are from the same gym. )

 

[ZJsMom]

We might talk to the coach about JE for next year too. DS wants to do NCAA and I'm feeling like coaches might pay more attention to the kids in the JE stream. I'm not sure if that's completely true or not though. I've definitely seen kids from both tracks going onto college in the past couple years, so maybe it doesn't matter. I keep meaning to ask his coach, but it can wait until after the season.

 

[profmom]

Our states had them do techs and scored them, but there were no awards. At regionals techs will compete in a separate session and have separate awards, but JE will be mixed in with JO for optional routine awards.

 

[ZJsMom]

So I just looked at the flyer for regionals and this is what it says about qualifying to nationals

National Qualifying Scores for JE athletes have not been determined as of March 10th, 2016. JO athletes
qualify by allotment with no qualifying scores.

To me it does sound like JE has to make the score, regardless of placement and the allotment is just for JO. At least I'd like to believe that's what it says.

 

[skschlag]

Here is what kchamp posted earlier:

B. Junior Elite Division: To remain eligible for advancement to the Junior Elite Division at the JO National Championship athletes must meet the following criteria:
State Championships: Must compete the Technical Sequences
1. Must compete on six events – no minimum qualifying score to the Regional Championships
2. Approved petitions - must meet requirements to petition
Regional Championships: Must compete both the Technical Sequences and Optional Routines.
1. Must compete Technical Sequences on six events.
2. Must qualify within the allotment.
3. The following combined score must be achieved to advance to the Junior Elite Division at the 2016 JO National Championship:
a. Level 8 – 126.00 AA
b. Level 9 – 128.00 AA
c. Level 10 Jr. & Sr. – 128.00 AA
4. Approved petitions – must meet requirements to petition
5. Athletes must declare upon submission of entry their intent to advance to the Junior Elite Division otherwise they will automatically be placed in the Junior Olympic Division.


I still hope that they are separate. It makes more sense. If they are going to compete separately at nationals, I think they shoudl qualify separately. I feel teh same way about the ages. If they are going to be separate at nationals, 13 yo, 14 yo) then they should qualify that way.

 

[ZJsMom]

So it sounds like JE must meet the minimum score AND be within the allotment. The thing I have makes it sound like allotment is only for JO athletes, but I guess it just means it's the only way for JO athletes to qualify.

 

[ZJsMom]

I'm having a kind of deja vu right now. I think we had this same conversation maybe last year.

 

[skschlag]

So it sounds like JE must meet the minimum score AND be within the allotment. The thing I have makes it sound like allotment is only for JO athletes, but I guess it just means it's the only way for JO athletes to qualify.

ANd the sad part is, if they are JE and within the allotment but don't meet the minimum score, then they will just do JO

 

[profmom]

Just saw that Skschlag posted what I saw online. One allotment to rule them all. Sorry, guys.

https://usagym.org/PDFs/Men/Mens Program Events/16jo/qualprocedure.pdf

 

[sce]

One allotment to rule them all. ]

Love this

 

[Mom2twingymnasts]

You have to remember JE boys are just JO boys who have a goal to make the national team or think that the JE route might get them more exposure to college recruiters (not sure that is the case). Kids trying to go the JE route have to work on and practice another set of routines (Technical Sequences) which takes time away from working on optional routines. For some of the boys who try to do the JE route it is a long shot that they would qualify to Nationals under JE but they want to try. If we punish these boys for attempting JE then you will get much fewer attempting JE.

My son's team-mate is a senior this year. He is going to the University of Michigan next year. He will very likely be on UofM's team next year. He was attempting JE (again just assuming college coaches watch JE more) because he is hoping to be more than a walk-on (wants some kind of scholorship). He is a very strong gymnast but not that strong as a JE gymnast. He attempted JE for the first time last year and just slightly missed qualifying as JE but still got to go to Nationals as a JO. If it was all or nothing for kids that attempt JE, he would never have attempted it. He got injured on first event of Nationals last year so no college coaches got to see him last year.

He was attempting JE again this year but nearly got injured just doing Tech Sequences. Therefore he decided not to continue attempting JE. But I'm glad he got the opportunity to try without being punished. I hope he has a great JO Nationals this year and the Michigan coach gets to see him.

I hope all your boys hit at Regionals and qualify to Nationals!!

 

[skschlag]

I can see your point! Really. But in our state, the JE gymnasts are also in the gym/school programs and get way more time in the gym. Actually, in our region, the ones that do JE are that way. They get about 30 hours a week, and about 10 of that is dedicated to just JE. WE do not have that option at all. And D might do JE next year, but I don't think I will feel differently.

I think because they split it all out differently at nationals, they should qualify that way. Age groups are different, etc. But who knows D won't make it this year, maybe next. I think he would have a better shot of hitting the qualifying score than making it in the allotment fro our region lol

 

[gracyomalley]

WOW...30 hours a week...in our state that's just unheard of, and even in our region I can only imagine 1 men's program that might approach that...we are thrilled with an experienced coach and 17 hours a week over here...and our top boys never even considered (or were offered) JE - even the ones winning state AA levels 8-10...just goes to show how different the playing field really is across the country!

 

[Mom2twingymnasts]

My son does 19 hours a week - 30 would be way too much for him. Level 6 - 8s do 16 hours a week and level 9&10s do 19.

We don't have any boy programs in our state doing tons of hours. In our Region there is a gym that supposedly does a significant number of hours but I don't think they do 30 but maybe they do in the summer. There are definitely girls programs that do the 30+ hours in our state and region.

 

[skschlag]

So, it isn't quite 30....more like 25/26.

I do see the point in not "punishing" the JE competitor. But since they are divided up at nationals, I think they could have separate qualifying rules. Have a JO allotment and a JE allotment. Or, maybe, if the kiddo makes JE, they just don't count against the allotment. kwim? That wouldn't really punish anyone. It might increase some JE participation.

But the age groups... that is something they could definitely do

 

[Mom2twingymnasts]

So, it isn't quite 30....more like 25/26.

I do see the point in not "punishing" the JE competitor. But since they are divided up at nationals, I think they could have separate qualifying rules. Have a JO allotment and a JE allotment. Or, maybe, if the kiddo makes JE, they just don't count against the allotment. kwim? That wouldn't really punish anyone. It might increase some JE participation.

But the age groups... that is something they could definitely do

Completely agree!!