WAG Nationals question

[duyetanh]

We are still trying to understand how the specialists work for nationals. If you are first alternate, can you also still compete as a specialist?

 

[GymnastMomX2]

Yes

 

[duyetanh]

Well that screws my friend’s kid then darn it. Thank you!

 

[duyetanh]

Next question, do they ever

Yes

She has now said thank you, and asked me to ask you (because we can’t find the info anywhere, lol), would you happen to know if they pull girls from one region to compete as specialists in another region? Her kid’s region is very competitive and a nearby region literally has no specialists for her kid’s event.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

I’m not sure, it doesn’t mention that situation at all here. https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/c702-3150145/2024_All-Star_qualifications.pdf

 

[gym_dad32608]

From what I understand, they dont pull girls from other regions to compete as all-stars. Remember, the all-stars competition is for individuals, versus the DP nationals is intended to be a competition between regions. The regions that cannot fill their slots are then allocated girls from other regions since they want an even number of competitors between regions. The regions know/knew in advance of the regional championship how many girls they were going to send to other regions for the different age groups. The regions are allocated a certain number of spots for all-star competitors but I don't think they need to fill them since all-stars are not representing regions, I don't think they even get regional leos.

 

[iola]

In Region 8 there are some girls with a 38+ score that are not in the national team. I hope they all get the chance to compete all around at nationals...

 

[That_Gymnast]

In Region 8 there are some girls with a 38+ score that are not in the national team. I hope they all get the chance to compete all around at nationals...

This is what’s so difficult is because it is supposed to be a competition between regions, but then girls who really deserve it more don’t get to go sometimes. In Region 6 we have girls qualify with a 34.5-35 all around, pretty low bar for nationals in my opinion.

 

[gym_dad32608]

I get it, but "deserve it more" is probably an incorrect phrasing. Regions want to send their best 7.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

Last year it looks like the all stars competed in the short sleeve regional leo. Same one the level 9s use.

 

[josie55]

It’s really hard. We want to celebrate and be happy for all of the qualifiers (and we are!), but when some girls with really high scores aren’t going and others are going with much lower scores, it feels sort of wrong. I do wonder why they don’t make the minimum required score a 36. It seems like it would be hard to be too competitive in the regional competition with scores lower than that anyway, and would help even things out a smidge. I’m aware of one age group in region one where, randomly, no extra spots were allotted (at least as far as I know) so the cutoff stands at 7th place just under 38. 14th place is a 37-something. So even if both of the region’s AA All-star spots go to that age group, five girls in that age group alone with a 37+ didn’t qualify. Some of these girls have full rides to top D1 programs, so they really are “the best of the best” and should be there IMHO.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

I’m aware of one age group in region one where, randomly, no extra spots were allotted (at least as far as I know) so the cutoff stands at 7th place just under 38. 14th place is a 37-something. So even if both of the region’s AA All-star spots go to that age group, five girls in that age group alone with a 37+ didn’t qualify. Some of these girls have full rides to top D1 programs, so they really are “the best of the best” and should be there IMHO.

In Region 8 there are some girls with a 38+ score that are not in the national team. I hope they all get the chance to compete all around at nationals...

I had a little browse through and in both these regions in some age groups there are girls going with scores in the 35's so they are being hurt just as much by the age grouping as regional split.

One example was Bold gymnastics. The highlighted athlete hasn't outright qualified but her team-mate who is 1.4 below her has. From what I understand the difference in age groups is some times a matter of months and they are basically arbitrary from year to year as they based on the number of level ten athletes at states?
So if you have a bunch of young unprepared athletes enter level ten that skews the age groups and makes for more condensed senior age groups that are usually the stronger more prepared athletes

Having more athletes qualify from fewer but bigger age groups would go a long way towards making sure the best athletes are still able to compete while still allowing smaller regions representation.

 

[gym_dad32608]

This comes up every year. It think it just shows, there is no way of cutting the proverbial pie that makes everyone happy. I genuinely sympathize with those frustrated. But I know I forget and I am sure others do too, that DP Nationals is NOT for "crowning" the best L10 athletes in the nation but rather the best region in the nation. It makes more sense if one keeps that in mind. I mean it stands to reason, we always get caught up in thinking about our individual child or friends child so we look at Nationals from the perspective of who is the best individual in my child's bracket. But if you look at it from the competition between regions then it is a little more logical that only the best in that region go. Of course some regions are better than others with quantity and quality of athletes.

 

[JBS]

In Region 6 we have girls qualify with a 34.5-35 all around, pretty low bar for nationals in my opinion.

No... L10 Nationals minimum qualifying score is a 35.0.

 

[That_Gymnast]

No... L10 Nationals minimum qualifying score is a 35.0.

There was just a girl from the gym down the road from us with a 34.775 regional AA that qualified. She didn’t detail in her post but she didn’t have any stand out events she’d specialize in unless a 9.2 on floor counts?

 

[JBS]

There was just a girl from the gym down the road from us with a 34.775 regional AA that qualified. She didn’t detail in her post but she didn’t have any stand out events she’d specialize in unless a 9.2 on floor counts?

She did not qualify on the 34.775 as that is not possible.

If the floor score was top 5 of all non-qualifiers in her region... then she would qualify on floor to the All-Star session.

 

[That_Gymnast]

She did not qualify on the 34.775 as that is not possible.

If the floor score was top 5 of all non-qualifiers in her region... then she would qualify on floor to the All-Star session.

Must’ve been that. I know region 6 had a lot of qualifiers that were just over 35. Rather than those that floor score must’ve allowed her to qualify.

 

[JBS]

Must’ve been that. I know region 6 had a lot of qualifiers that were just over 35. Rather than those that floor score must’ve allowed her to qualify.

Looks like one girl in Region 6 scored a 34.775... she had a 9.35 on floor... looks like that would have qualified her to the All-Star session on floor.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

But I know I forget and I am sure others do too, that DP Nationals is NOT for "crowning" the best L10 athletes in the nation but rather the best region in the nation.

I think USAG should then question WHY nationals is about a battle of some arbitrary regions that aren’t evenly matched anyway. Region 2 doesn’t even have enough girls to fill out half of most of its age groups for example.

Does anyone even really care what region won? I’ve never once looked it up or cared, but I definitely look to see how all the girls I know did.

Do away with the region competition and change the purpose to be the best of the best in the USA. Make qualifying % based with a higher minimum score and equal age groups at regionals. Then reset age groups again at nationals based on who qualifies.

 

[JBS]

They could pretty much solve everything by sending L10’s to an additional qualifier… like Westerns. Go State… Regionals… Westerns / Easterns… Nationals. Qualify to Westerns / Easterns with a score… then Nationals by placement.

Or just take all 36+ L10’s to pre-nationals in one location by score… then on to Nationals by placement.