2006 Region III Gymnastics Championships
Norman, Oklahoma
April
7-9, 2006
Meet Referee Greg Kester,
Mark Sherman
1.
Meet Referee (non-judge)
was assigned for each of the (7) sessions.
2.
The format of all 7
sessions were Modified Capital Cup
3.
The level 9 & 10
sessions (3 sessions total) had 2 judge panels, while all other sessions had 1
judge panels.
4.
Start-Score values were
posted during the level 9 & 10 sessions.
a.
It was agreed upon that the
highest start score would be posted if the head judge felt that parts of the
routine could had been evaluated differently, and made little to no difference
in the final score.
5.
Technical meetings with
the judges were held at the beginning of all days, covering all pertinent
technical issues. Pre-meet coaches
meetings were held before each session covering scoring and inquiry procedures,
as well as pertinent technical questions.
6.
Score Inquiry forms were
made available and were used for Level 8, 9, & 10 sessions. During the compulsory sessions, coaches were
able to inquire on specific deductions and bonus for any routine.
7.
Event Reports were
prepared by the head judge on each event, and are listed below.
Terry
Williams, Hashim Dawan
Overall, good routine
construction with the new rules. With the new deductions of .1.3.5, the
execution and landing of skill is vital.
The use of “A” value skills for element group
requirements have allowed the coach and gymnast to work on perfecting a skill
before they place it in their routine construction. This has made an increase
in the overall performance improvement of the gymnast.
Landing seemed to have the
largest amount of deductions. Over 95% dismounted with a C skill or higher.
The Arabian fronts performed
out of a roundoff usually had a deduction of .3 because of the position of the
feet.
Level 9
Same comment as level 10.
However the 5th element group for bonus was performed by almost
everyone.
Less than 5 routine had a
problem with repetition.
Level 8
Level 8 gymnasts are the most
likely group to add more difficulty and sacrifice execution. The routines that won were less difficult
and performed well.
Very good performance by the 10-11 age group. Most gymnast performed
the bonus on both passes. All showed great control in the press handstand. However several gymnast are still getting a
deduction in their splits. Plus the back-extension roll is still being
performed with bent arms by most.
Level 6.
Very good performance by the
10-11 age group. Only 6 gymnast did not do the bonus on the first pass.
50% did the bonus on the press. The weakest part of the routine
was the bounder pass. Several gymnast had problems with keeping their
power throughout the pass.
How have the new rules
effected the gymnasts on Floor Exercise?
Overall
the code has helped in routine construction. Perfection of skills is most
important, with A skill meeting the
element group requirement, this has helped the gymnast in performing skill that
they can do well.
Dean
Matthews, James Sergeant
Form is as always the main
concern. There are a lot of skills done
at the expense of execution. The average deduction per routine was 1.5 to1.7 in
both levels 9 & 10. Bodies being
straight on circles and leg at horizontal on Scissors moves should be
horizontal for no deduction. Handstand dismounts
had deductions for using strength this needs to be more of a swing move and not
a press.
Form is still the main
concern. The C 2/3 Travels need to be
turned more towards the length of the horse.
Element group #3 and a C dismount was the most missing group or not
completely fulfilled. Staying on the
horse is still a challenge. The most
used skills for difficulty were the D Longitudinal Travels.
Level 9
Form is still the main
concern. The 4 element special
requirements were general met by most competitors. There were some routines did not use all 3 parts of horse. Handstand dismount executed with strength
was common. Scissors travel and
scissors with 1/1 turns had problems being executed without deductions.
Level 8
Level 8 gymnasts are the most
likely group to add more difficulty and sacrifice execution. The routines that won were less difficult
and performed well.
The routines were executed
with piked circles and loops. Staying
on the horse on the travel is also common.
The scissor work was general well, but leg cuts could be below horizontal.
Level 6
The
major problems on the P horse were on the cuts on the mount and before the
dismount were executed below horizontal.
Mushroom work was general good if you stayed on.
How have the new rules
effected the gymnasts on Pommel Horse?
Jim
McKinney, Chris Rippy, Kevin Nee (Level 7)
- As a general rule, the
optional routines were based around the assumption that more is better. Many gymnasts were performing B,C, and D
level skills in order to gain a higher start value, but did so at the expensive
of poor execution. The most common
errors were angle deductions on swing to straddle L’s and using the straps on
press to handstands. In general, the
swing to strength parts came in too high and were not lowered down to the
proper angle.
- The difficulty of the level
10 routines was impressive. However,
even these seasoned gymnasts gave away tenths through careless errors such as
not holding L sits or handstands. The
swing to handstands have been getting better all year long. Most swing to handstands were receiving “C”
credit with .1 or .3 deductions for arm bend.
Level 9
- The most common level 9
skill performed was the back uprise to straddle planche. The skill was rarely done with less than .3
in deduction. The back uprise to
straddle L is in element group III as a JO exception and would be a better idea
to save execution errors. Press to
handstands need the most improvement.
Level 8
- Level 8 gymnasts are the
most likely group to add more difficulty and sacrifice execution. The routines that won were less difficult
and performed well.
- The level 7 routines looked
good. Swinging elements improved
throughout the year. Level 7’s main
deductions were in the back uprise, planche holds, and press to
handstands. Coaches should emphasize to
hold L sits, handstands, and planches.
Level 6
-
Back levers have been continually improving.
Coaches should make sure and emphasize both the entry angle as well as
the final angle. Many gymnasts were
entering .3 too high and holding at .1 too high. The press to handstands were considerably improved. Many similar deductions to the level 7’s on
back uprise skill.
How have the new rules
effected the gymnasts on the Rings?
-
Coaches need to understand that the execution errors of .1, .3, and .5 can add
up quickly. The vast majority of
gymnasts were performing skills very poorly.
Although they were receiving “credit” for the skill, the execution
errors actually led to a lower final score.
More emphasis needs to be placed on good technique, especially on basic
“A” and “B” level skills.
-
On a separate note, many gymnasts were performing poor Yamawaki type
skills. Several gymnasts were receiving
credit for a whipit to support and a fall out of it. The onus is on the gymnast to show the intention of a Yawawaki
and not another skill.
Brian
Cooper, Kevin Nee, Mark Williams (Level 7)
Most gymnasts tended to use
“tsuk type” vaults as their first vault if they were trying to gain bonus. Body
position was not as pronounced as it needs to be. A few gymnasts failed to gain
bonus because of a change in vault value as a result of not maintaining a
stretch position. The majority of deductions were taken on stretch prior to
landing and landing faults. Falls ranged from 8 to 13 per session and zone
violations ranged from 5 to 8 per session. More gymnasts received bonus in this
year’s meet (between 10 and 18 per session).
Tsuk family vaults were competed more often as a first vault.
Gymnasts used handspring fronts as their main choice for bonus. Landings and
direction (zone violations) were the major deductions. 30 gymnasts received
bonus (ranging from .2 – 19 to .7 -2). The two level 10 sessions produced 20 falls and 12 zone
violations. Run speed looks to be improved and more gymnasts are taking
advantage of the available bonus.
Level 9
Tsuk family once again the
most popular vaults. 43 gymnasts performed some type of tsuk during the level 9
session. Gymnasts fell 10 times and received zone violation deductions 8 times
during the session. 18 gymnasts received bonus (14 - .2 and 4 - .3). Lift from
the table and stretch prior to landings were the most common errors other than
landings.
Level 8
A number of gymnasts at this
level are still using a handspring vault (a few gymnasts used ½ or 1/1 twists).
Tucked tusks were also common. Distance seemed to be a problem during this
session in addition to falls and zone violations.
Major errors again resulted
from landing faults. The level 7’s showed much better run speed and distance in
their vaults. Lift from the table was still lacking for most of the gymnasts.
Level 6
Few
deductions were taken for arm bend. Run speed and landings continue to be the
areas resulting in the most deductions. Most gymnasts made minimum distance.
Vaults could be improved by showing more lift off of the table.
How have the new rules
effected the gymnasts on Vault?
The
new rules seem to favor either a very clean simple vault or a very high
starting value to vaults that might even have a fall. Gymnasts in the middle
range of start values (8.4-8.8) must have a very clean landing or risk being in
the same score range as a handspring vault.
J.T.
Fletcher, Kevin Bates
fletcher@bryanisd.org thanks and good luck at Nationals.
Level 9 - Very impressive, skill
level for these boys is incredible. The
coaches are doing a great job. Not only
with higher level skills, but also with routine construction.
Level 8
Level 8 gymnasts are the most
likely group to add more difficulty and sacrifice execution. The routines that won were less difficult
and performed well.
Level 6 – Make sure to hit the
swing handstand hold after the press.
Hops must show flight!!! There
were several routines that loss half credit or more for not showing the
flight. It is recommended to travel
backwards a few inches on the hop and then there is no mistake as to whether to
athlete did the skill or not.
How have the new rules
effected the gymnasts on P-bars?
Greg
Kester, John Basel, Mark Sherman, Eric Smith (Level 8)
High Bar at these levels, as a whole, noticeably improved from the beginning and middle of the season to the Region III Championships. The most typical errors remained the same. They were as follows:
Pirouette and full turn angle deductions .1 - .3 per pirouette & .3 - .9 per routine
In
general, most routines would be better off if constructed around only 1
pirouette.
Bent knees during stemming action .1 - .4 combined for both sides of stemming action
Bent arms in Giant Swings .05 - .1 especially when swinging after release move or
missed skill
Bent knees in taps prior to release & dismount .05 - .1 per instance (there were not many release moves in
Level 9)
Angle deductions in endo, stalder, free hip skills .1 - .3 per instance
In general, most routines in
Level 10 would be better off without the use of a free hip hand for mount.
Landing deductions .1 to .5 resulting from small steps, multiple steps, hands &
knees landings, and complete falls
The 2
biggest areas of deductions, undoubtedly, arise from pirouette deductions and
landing deductions. Improving these 2
areas could up the score from .6 or .8 to up 1.5 difference in score.
Stick
Bonus was harder to come by for Level 8 & 10 as compared to Level 6, 7,
& 9 levels, however, over all there has been much improvement in stick
landings.
Level
10 routines had a lot of endo skills, with or without 1/1 turns to mixed or
eagle grip. Getting a routine at a 9.0
or better has proven to be a really good accomplishment. Also, keeping exercise presentation errors to
1.0 or less has become a great accomplishment.
The element group most missed was the el-grip/dorsal group.
Level 9
The
basic “stock” Level 9 routine was: Back Uprise – free hip – giant – giant –
blind change – reverse grip giant – reverse grip giant – pirouette – giant –
giant – double back -- missing 1 element
group. (a few routines have cleverly removed the free hip. They mount with something as simple as, stem
in mix grip over the top – change one had to double under grip. This has eliminated the free hip errors
“risk). When a C skill was present it
was usually either an endo1/1 pirouette or a “C” or better valued
dismount.
Level 8
The level 8
routine was all about FORM. Most
gymnasts, in general, could have kept their routines a little simpler to gain
higher scores.
The
Level 7 routine was all about keeping tight form with the hollow body position
in all swinging skills. Most gymnasts
were able to make it through the whole routine without major errors. The most typical error was a late pirouette
turn, falling or strong breaking of form during the transition of ½ turn swing
forward to the giant sequence at the end of the routine. The areas where virtuosity was most likely
to be given was for beautiful giant swings throughout the entire routine, a
beautiful, early pirouette, a very tight, hollow swing ½ turn to nominal handstand,
and a fly-a-way performed with tight, hollow body position with extreme
amplitude. Overall, body alignment
during giant swings was very good.
Level 6
It
is very hard, especially for the smaller gymnast, to reach a horizontal swing
right before the kip and right after the Underswing. Giants, when performed are generally poorly performed but the
vast majority do receive bonus. Very
few get the bonus for the undergrip cast.
Very few underswings are done with adequate amplitude and a tight hollow
position. Very few dismounts are high
enough to show a complete opening of the tuck before the landing.
How have the new rules
effected the gymnasts on High Bar?
While
the .1, .3, & .5 deductions have substantially lowered the average
scores, it has been easier to fulfill the element group requirements. It is still equally difficult for gymnasts
to fulfill the El-grip requirement.
It is harder for gymnasts to construct
routines with the limitation of only being able to use up to 4 skills in a
single element group. Most gymnasts are
not capable of performing more than 6-8 skills with or without substantial
difficulty. For the most part, most of
those 6 – 8 skills are long hang swings, in nature. Therefore, they tend
to get into element group problems with the long hang swing element group. However, with the J.O. rule (J.O. update #
6) that allows the low back uprise within the first 5 skills, with no angular
deduction and no credit as a long hang swing, it has made it a bit easier.
High
bar is very difficult to achieve a start score of even 8.00. Then you add the .1, .3, & .5, and you
end up with much lower scores than in the past.