Opinions on how awards are given

[CoachGoofy]

For compulsories, honestly? I like awards for everyone.

They don't need to be a mega huge thing, like medals and trophies for anyone but the top finishers. But kids just starting out, sure. Reward that. I dont think event AND AA awards are necessary (here we have achievement awards for events except at sectionals and some big meets, adn then they call up for AA...they all have an envelope with a ribbon according to their score), but an AA ribbon isn't breaking the bank.

 

[flip out]

I personally think that the podium experience sticks with the girls. The ones in the top 3 places...well they really won't forget that. Very special recognition.

The medals/ribbons are important..everyone works hard, they all deserve a small token of recognition.

Its really about working hard...and the benefits and rewards, such as a personal best!
Coaches need to constantly reward and compliment hard work. The rest will fall into place if they realize the importance of that!

NO DINKING AROUND IN CLASS OR YOU DONT GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEET!! Its okay to be a tuff coach!

mho....

 

[Lingualatina]

It was slightly annoying - my age group was small and even though I got 3rd place AA, they were only going out 2 places and there were at least five gymnasts (probably more) in the age division and they SAID they would be doing 50%! and for individual events they were only going out one place - WHAT?? so I ended up getting nothing. Plus when they called the 2nd place AA, the score was 27 point something and for a second I really thought I had won first! (I had above 31) but it turned out to be a misunderstanding it would have been better if they hadn't gotten my hopes up!

 

[cher062]

I like the idea of the top 3 but sometimes there is less than a 10th of a point seperating the top 10. I know I help out at our gym when they have a meet and I believe the USAG has some type of calculating rule based on the number of gymnasts at that level and at a certain age to determine the number of medals given out (not too sure about that but the progam they use definitly only prints out a certain number)

I can see going as far at the top 10 if the group is large. But sometimes the award ceremonies can take longer than the meetswhen they call everyone up to get participation ribbons.

 

[fishchimes]

I agree. I hate it when meets have medals all the way past freaking 10th place. I think 1-3 should get medals and 4-10 ribbons. Maybe down to 15th if it's a very large meet. Participation goodies are okay, something fun like a pin with the name of the meet on it.

And what do you do if it's a small meet? My Mom once competed in some kind of horseback riding competition back in the day and got 4th place... Out of 5 competitors. I would hate to get awarded for something I didn't earn.

NZ has a long standing system in place which I think works well. Each gymnast in level 1-6 has a ribbon card that they bring to competitions. For each apparatus the score is recorded in the card. They receive a ribbon for each apparatus at the first competition. In order to get a new ribbon at the next competition they must score up to the next ribbon.

That sounds like an awesome idea!!!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

the dumbing down of america began 10 years ago. and recently you now have schools that don't recognize valedictorians. and if you want everyone happy you give out 3958473957483 medals for the 6.4 tie on balance beam.

 

[LizzieLac]

As some of you know, my daughter swims competitively as well as does Prep Opt. I can tell you that most CT sanctioned swim meets do not offer anything. No ribbons, no scoring, just racing. You know your time and how you placed. This is partly because the meets are generally used as qualifiers for states and beyond.

The few meets that offer anything, it is usually ribbons for top 6 places and that would be in an event that had 75 swimmers. In these meets, the kids are not expecting anything and frankly are motivated by their own improved performance and that of their team mates.

That being said, I can't comment on the discussion of lowered standards to keep kids in the sport. I can see that if any sport is losing out on participation making it more accessible to a broader group of kids makes sense. I think that is different that giving an award to 50% of the kids in a competition is overkill and a tremendous expense that must increase entry fees (not so great in a down economy). I support some other give-away like a T-shirt so they could have something to remember the experience. But I would have to think that the kids know when they scored in the top 6 vs. the top 30, regardless of a ribbbon or medal.

 

[ZJsMom]

What no one has mentioned yet is that there's a perceived need to give out a bunch of bling to make your invitational attractive. For booster clubs, often these invitationals are their main fund raising activity. In the ones I've been involved in the thought is that more/better awards attracts participants. Of course we end up spending a boat load of money on medals.

Personally, I don't think we've ever been to an optional meet where everyone gets a medal. It is more common for compulsories around here though. I actually like systems where compulsories are achievement only--everyone with a 9+ gets a blue ribbon. I really don't see why 6-7 year olds need to be taught to compete against each other and their success has to be relative to who else happens to be in their age group.

I agree with the poster who said the girls may be more conscious of the podium. This is true for my dd at least. There's one meet around here that does trophies, but has huge age groups. I know she'd rather be 2nd out of 12 and get a medal than be 5th out of 38 and get a trophy.

 

[MamaofEnS]

This is a great thread.

Every meet I have been to has been the same, do I didn't realize it was done differently.

For all levels, awards are given out 50%. A few years ago it was medals, but in 2009 they changed that to ribbons. Medals are given out for AA, in gold, silver, and the rest bronze. If there are only 3 girls in that age division, they only award the first place finisher. There are never any participation ribbons. Many girls go home empty handed.

My dd went to one meet, and won first AA. She won a plaque with her picture on it. That was different and special. She was a level 5 at the time.

Another time, my dd had a bad stomach ache, and it showed while she was competing. We left after two events. Turns out, she still won a place (5th, I think) on floor, even though the coach told her she was terrible.

However, our gym hosts a meet for the recreational gymnasts, and give ribbons to all girls. This is for girls who are level 3 or 4. My other DD competed at this meet last summer, and knew that her 5th place award really meant last place. Instead of saluting, she was crying. It was awful.

MamaofEnS

 

[thnkGd4kds]

Usually, the meets dd has been in (L5 and L7) have gone out 50%. However, one L7 meet gave medals to all participants, and in placement order! As this was obviously humiliating to those who placed in the bottom, it was the most uncomfortable awards ceremony I've witnessed. (My bum was uncomfortable from all of that sitting, too! ) It was a larger meet, too.

 

[NYgymfan]

I am sitting here laughing my head off. I forgot about this thread that I started. My own last meet (state meet) I had to scratch tumbling and was shocked when I got called to the podium anyways to recieve my 5th place medal (out of 5) I am just that good, I roll out on the floor salute and step away and still get a medal AWESOME!

Heh, if its that easy I should start competing! LOL.

 

[MissBear]

In the UK age/level groups are usually between 5 (for the pre-elite levels) and 50. This is normal. Awards are 1-3 or maximum 1-5 AA and events. This means that vast vast majority do not get anything. Instead, the gymnasts are pleased about not falling on their beam cartwheel, or succesfully competing giants for the first time.
At grades competitions with compulsory skills 1-5 AA is given, with no events awards.

Usually there are medals 1-3 and ribbons for 4 and 5. AA champions often get a trophy (especially at pre-elite levels).

In addition, the awards are presented by the head of the region or county, or a national team gymnast like Beth Tweddle. They shake hands with each gymnast, and each gymnast would be expect to congratulate the others.

I wouldn't want this system to change. I think it focusses everyone on each athlete's individual achievements, rather than how they did against everyone else. When/If you do win a medal or ribbon it really means something, as you have done really well. Since the age groups are large you can only win when you compete at your best, so no-one gets a medal when they know they have done badly. It works well here.

Note: Also, British Gymnastics only allows awards for 1st 2nd etc to be given to gymnasts who turn 8 that year and older. Younger gymnasts recieve awards for Most Dynamic floor routine, or Least deductions, Best Acro, Best gymnastics skill (dance) etc. It makes the introduction to competition easier and less stressful.

 

[CreateMagic]

In the UK age/level groups are usually between 5 (for the pre-elite levels) and 50. This is normal. Awards are 1-3 or maximum 1-5 AA and events. This means that vast vast majority do not get anything. Instead, the gymnasts are pleased about not falling on their beam cartwheel, or succesfully competing giants for the first time.
At grades competitions with compulsory skills 1-5 AA is given, with no events awards.

Usually there are medals 1-3 and ribbons for 4 and 5. AA champions often get a trophy (especially at pre-elite levels).

In addition, the awards are presented by the head of the region or county, or a national team gymnast like Beth Tweddle. They shake hands with each gymnast, and each gymnast would be expect to congratulate the others.

I wouldn't want this system to change. I think it focusses everyone on each athlete's individual achievements, rather than how they did against everyone else. When/If you do win a medal or ribbon it really means something, as you have done really well. Since the age groups are large you can only win when you compete at your best, so no-one gets a medal when they know they have done badly. It works well here.

Note: Also, British Gymnastics only allows awards for 1st 2nd etc to be given to gymnasts who turn 8 that year and older. Younger gymnasts recieve awards for Most Dynamic floor routine, or Least deductions, Best Acro, Best gymnastics skill (dance) etc. It makes the introduction to competition easier and less stressful.

MissBear, I love the way that is set up! I think that, in the US, the crazy number of awards only hurts the retention of gymnasts. Kids get this idea in their head that they always deserve something...the pride of hitting a good routine isn't enough, and so as the skill level increases and there are fewer awards given out, they just quit because they aren't "winning". So many awards diminishes the focus of personal goals and successes. Even very young children need to be taught that the reward for their hard work is the new skill, or the hit routine, and an internal feeling, not an external trinket. There is a great thread around here somewhere about too much praise...

 

[All Chalked Up]

In Nova Scotia, Canada, the top 1-3 kids get a medal and a ribbon, and the top 4-6/8 (depending on size) get a ribbon too. Sometimes pre-team and Cangym, who don't actually compete come, and they get a gold medal and 1-3 ribbons, just like the kids on team who got first. They should get a participation ribbon/pin, not a "gold" medal, I completly agree.

 

[gymnastbeth]

I like it when they go out 6 places for each event, because I know when I first started competing in level four, I was VERY excited to get a medal for 6th place. I also know that at one meet, they only went out 3 places, and I placed top 3 every event, BUT, they only gave a medal for first, and a ribbon for second and third, which was fine!

In general, I think it's silly to have the podium, and then all these little signs on the ground with places going out to 15.

I also like having "achievement" ribbons in compulsory, where 9+ gets blue ribbon, 8-9 gets red, 7-8 gets yellow, and anything lower gets green.

At most of the meets I went to up until optionals, they gave out judges awards, such as "best facial expression", or "funniest floor routine". I once got a trophy for "most flowing bar routine", and it was awesome.

Giving out trophies for AA is fine, as long as they don't give out participation trophies. Once, I got 5th AA, but my trophy was the same as the participation one.

With that being said, I also think that levels 1-3 don't need to have awards ceremonies, and a T-shirt or bag for competing in the meet is just as good, if not better. In my gym, we don't do level 1, and at states, we were the only level 2 team.

 

[emorymom]

My son's preteam coach wanted me to pay $60 so he could be in the gym end of year exhibition / recital so that he could be "motivated" by the medal he'd be given for a fake "meet". Well let's say I did not do that. That month was just really busy.

 

[Bajanswife]

We just came back from an invitational meet in Trinidad. They had it set up so that every child got a certificate of participation with their scores displayed on it, and a backpack with goodies from sponsors. Then nice metal gold, silver and bronze medals were given out on a podium for 1 - 3, and 4th and 5th place stood on the floor on either side of the podium and received medals that were a pink disc with a gymnastics logo of some kind. So although 1 - 5 got medals, there was a clear difference in the 1 - 3 medals. Trophies were for 1 - 5 overall (DD got 6th overall and just missed it). The other girls in DDs level and age group got no medals, and they seemed OK with it. Everyone seems to understand that medals are to reward the top scores. The bag of goodies and certificate were the "fun" things that all the girls got.

They also do have age groups, and I can see why - in our group of 8 Level 3s, there's a clear difference between our older 3 (ages 10 & 11), and our younger 5 (ages 6 - 8). They have more focus, they can make corrections more easily during practice etc. I don't know if we're the exception or the norm, though. In our Level 4s, the age thing is less noticeable - then again, we have no Level 4s or 5s under 9 right now. We will when my DD gets there, as she's only 7 now.

ETA: they had extra medals and trophies of each type in the event of ties, and there were many ties. The medal rankings were based on pure scores, so it was possible to have more than 5 girls receiving medals if there were ties.

 

[Esoteric]

Back when I competed in the 80's, most individual events were awarded ribbons through 6th place, AA got medals through 6th and the teams got trophies through 3rd. At State/regional meets there were medals for events through 3rd and trophies for AA through 3rd- and only at those "big" meets were participation ribbons/certificates given.

This excessive reward system boggles me. Perhaps during the rec. demo/recital days most gyms hold a couple times a year this is ok, but once children compete, especially in this sport, they should understand that the judges are there for a reason. The gymnasts are being judged and the ones with the skills and form and presentation are rewarded for their hard work and efforts. This is a competitive sport. A team sport that recognizes individual athletes for their outstanding contribution to the team score.

If a child is competing only for the rewards, they probably should not be in this sport. They would be just as happy receiving stickers on a calendar at home for keeping their room cleaned. People wonder why our culture is obsessed with the material and tangible. I, unfortunately, am painfully aware as to why. Award ceremonies like the ones that have been discussed just contribute to the "entitlement" mentality of our children. We are doing our children a disservice by allowing them to think that their mere existence is something that will be recognized. This is a dog-eat-dog world, and it is our job as parents to prepare them for it. And occasionally, even with perserverence, an individual just lacks the skills/resources to be successful on their current path. That is the time to keep that passion as a hobby and reassess the situation to find more realistic goals. In the "real world", talented people who work hard and remain steadfast are rewarded. It should be that way in the gym, as well.

The best way to stroke a childs ego is to teach them how to set goals, help them to achieve those goals, and give a big hug when they do. Visualization, determination, celebration. The sense of self worth and pride far surpasses any ribbon or certificate, and the results are ever lasting.

Sorry for the rant- just sharing my Monday morning grumbles.

 

[AdamSvensson]

My club dont really compete in the national system, so we ended up doing our own system.

Its very simple 7-9years old compete in one class and 10+ in one.
The winner gets a little trophy and the rest have fun.
Nothing fancy nothing else.

 

[flipandtwist]

For most of my competitions. Medals are awarded 1-3 on all events. Ribbons are awarded through 10th and all around is the same but everyone after 10th got a participation ribbon.