Mid Season Updates
We are already half way through the Xcel season! It is flying by, and we are having so much fun! We wanted to share with you all a little about how the season has gone so far.
Everyone that has competed has qualified for State! Our total number of falls in routines has decreased each meet, and we are seeing growing confidence on each event. We are so proud of how supportive the girls are of each other. Several other coaches and parents have mentioned to us how impressed they are with our girls' support and encouragement of their teammates.
We have received many questions about how routines are scored. We understand this is confusing, and there are many elements that go into it. To show how complicated it is, here is an example of all the deductions that could possibly be taken on a simple split jump on beam:
.05 each: flexed or sickled foot
up to .1: hesitation/concentration pause
up to .1: incorrect body posture/alignment in jump
up to .1: lack of precision (i.e. lack of definite arm position)
up to .2: insufficient jump height
up to .2: insufficient split position
up to .2: legs not even in split
up to .3: additional movements to maintain balance (wobble)
up to .3: bent legs
up to .3: squat on landing
.3: use of supplemental support (i.e. hand touches beam on wobble)
.5: fall
(Note: "up to" indicates that the judge may take a deduction in .05 increments not to exceed the listed amount)
As you can see, there are MANY deductions that can be taken on an individual element/skill. Keep in mind that it is subjective, and different judges may be picky about different things. Additionally, deductions can be taken on the dance between elements (artistry, not up on toes, concentration pauses, lack of tempo or poor rhythm, relaxed positions/posture, and many more). Hopefully this gives you an idea of how complex judging a routine can be!
"A Parents' Guide to Understanding Gymnastics Judging" says: "There are literally pages and pages of rules and possible deductions. In fact, it's a wonder scores are as high as they are. If judges were to think and write as fast as a computer with a video camera, the scores would be very low by many of our standards. ... My best advice for parents and spectators is to simply accept the score for what it is: one person's opinion of the performance given on that particular day. I would encourage you to focus on the gymnast's performance compared to her own personal best, and if she has competed to the best of her ability on that day... Just remember it's not about the score, it's only about your daughter."
We are looking forward to the last three meets of the season, and all the fun memories that will be made! Don't forget to book a hotel for State! The session information will not be available until about 1-1.5 wks before the meet, and will be posted to the website as soon as we get the information.