Awards at Compulsory State Championships

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emacmommy

I'm gathering some ammunition to bring to our state board in the next two weeks as they begin organizing our State Championship. I would like to ask four questions:

1) On average, about how many places out does your state recognize at State Championships? (examples: Top 3 only, or 50% of the age group, etc.)

2) What do they honor the athletes with? (examples: 1st - 3rd medals, medals for all placements, ribbons, etc.)

3) How large does your state let your age groups get? (examples: They stick with the minimum age group breakdowns per USAG R&P regardless if there are a mass amount of girls in that group, or they allow breaking up into age groups as necessary so no more than 16-20 girls in each grouping, etc.)

4) Only for you super small states out there... What does you state do for Team Scores when there is only one or two gyms that are able to field full competitive squads with three or more gymnasts? (example: Allow to take the top 3 scores from multiple levels, etc.)

If you would like to provide which state you are in that would be helpful too.

My own answers. Currently coaching in Wyoming:

1) Only recognize top 3 (cheap!)
2) Medals for top 3 only
3) State Board consistently votes to stick to minimum suggested age groups in R&P:vomit:regardless of the fact that L4 often has over 30 girls as 9-11yr olds. For us most other Levels don't matter as we aren't often much over 15 per age group, but I find it extremely unfair to that the most with that kind of age group population 9yr olds are competing against 11yr olds.
4) We've given team awards even if there is only one person competing as a team. The falacy to that is maybe another team only had two members that barely broke a 30.0AA ea, and another gym had one stellar gymnast who may have scored a 37.00. Which gym demonstrated they have a more quality program currently at that level?

States I've coached/competed in in the past:

Washington (years ago):
1) Recognized Top 6
2) Medals for 1st - 3rd, ribbons for 4th - 6th
3) Don't remember age group break downs
4) Don't think we had problems fielding full teams at all levels

Ohio (within last 3 yrs)
1) Recognized top 50% of the age group
2) Larger medals for 1st - 3rd, small medals for the remaining places
3) Age groups were kept between 14 - 18 gymnasts, often having three or more age divisions for 9 year olds depending on what months their bdays fall)
4) never had a problem fielding full teams
 
I am not sure exactly, but this is what I remember from last year. Our state has L4 States and then a combined L5/6 States on a different date.

They gave out medals to 50% on events and AA.
2. I think that the ribbons on 1st 2nd 3rd were different color, but medals the same.
3. L4 Age groups all had between 25-30 gymnasts and there were 12 age groups
L5/6 Age groups all had around 15-20 gymnasts and there were 12 age groups
It looks like they just take the # of gymnasts registered and divide them in 12 even age groups, then of course there are the ones that don't qualify so don't go or those that are entered late.
4. Many, many teams, no problem with full teams.

Good luck getting things changed. The current situation there doesn't sound very good. Medals could at least be out 50% and they groups should be evenly divided.
 
This is what I remember from gymmie's L5 state meet.

Medals for those that placed in individual events and AA---1-3 were bigger/different ribbon.
Went out 50%
Tried to keep the number of girls fairly equal in sessions. Did combine the smaller age groups although they did break them out for awards.
Never a problem with not enough teams---usually 18-20 that qualified for team award.
 
Here, they do placement to 10 places for AA and events, with achievement awards for every athlete. Any more than 40 in a group will be split up further than the USAG mandated groups.

I've no idea on the team thing, because we're about the smallest team around (a whopping 4 gymnasts, all in one level) and as they do team trophies per level, that's theoretically enough to get one if they all hit on the same day. We can dream =)
 
South Carolina:

1) 50% of Group is required but I typically see them do 50%+1 (ie. with 10 girls in group they award 6 places)

2) Large medals (apx. 3 inch) for all places

3) Groups over 20 are subdivided

4) N/A - we have over 300 girls compete in our state meet and there are actually 2 divisions with their own team competitions

From the link, you will also see the girls are initially divided by all around score into 2 divisions (higher AA scores and lower AA scores) and compete in 2 separate competitions titled Open and Novice. I guess this gives the girls that score lower an ability to 'win' a state title. (I personally don't know how I feel about this even though that is how my DD won her state titles last year - I feel if they were going to do something it should be Novice as 1st year level 4's and Open as Level 4 repeaters) Last year the score for the cut was around 34.85.

In addition the state provides a 'goodie' for all gymnasts. Last year it was a special medal and the year before I think they did state meet car magnets.

We typically see the 8, 9 & 10 years old groups divided into 2-3 subgroups (for each division)

Link Removed

** see link for lots of details & specifics for our state.
 
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For Maryland, state meet is done nicely!

About 30% medals for each event
50% for AA - Trophies 1-3 and medals for the rest.

They use nice USA Gymnastics Medals.

Placement ribbons are given to all L4 and L5, colors based on scores.

Girls are put in birthdate order and then split into an equal number of groups, usually 20-30 girls per group. L4 and L5 usually has 12 groups: Child A-D, Junior A-D and Senior A-D.

We have enough for team awards - have a large team (5 scores) and small team (3 scores) in lower levels.

Good luck meeting with states. I hope you get some fair decisions.
 
Pennsylvania (from years ago, not sure about Utah)
1) Recognized more than top 3, Top 6 was pretty typical
2) Ribbons for all with score, Trophies and/or medals for AA
3) Above USAG standards, Usually 9 & 10 year olds had their own age groups at least
4) Not usually a problem fielding teams

When I was a level 4 we didn't have a state meet, instead we did a league meet with a group of other local gyms. Not much different from other local meets (we rarely went to meets that gave medals), but a few special perks. The below are a mixture of some things I remember from those days, hopefully they'll help!
Each girl was given a ribbon for each event based on score- 9.0 & up- blue, 8.0-8.9- red, 7.0-7.9- yellow, etc. Ribbons were also given for all-around scores and during the awards portion they would call out the names for the yellow ribbon AA scores and they would go up to get their ribbon, then the red, etc. That way everyone was recognized.
At the level 4 league meet they recognized the top 3 by placement. They got to stand on a podium and each received a rosette that went around your neck. It felt more prestigious than a ribbon, not as expensive as a medal though. So you could potentially go out to the top 3 with medals, next top 3 with rosettes, next group with ribbons? Something like that to keep costs down but still recognize as many kids as possible. I hated it when all-around awards were given to 100% of girls. I hated participant medals and trophies because they meant nothing to me. If I didn't earn it, I didn't want it. So that's something to think about too.
That being said, I think it's always nice, especially with the little ones, to give them some kind of goodie bag to take home so they aren't going home empty handed no matter what. A t-shirt, shorts, teddy bear, grip bag, something a little more substantial than the usual scrunchie and candy, but nothing too outrageous. I was typically at the bottom of the pack as a compulsory gymnast, so those kind of fun surprises helped me deal with the lack of awards as a little one. It's not really necessary in higher levels/older age groups, just for the little ones who might have a hard time understanding.
 
For Maryland, state meet is done nicely!

About 30% medals for each event
50% for AA - Trophies 1-3 and medals for the rest.

They use nice USA Gymnastics Medals.

Placement ribbons are given to all L4 and L5, colors based on scores.

Girls are put in birthdate order and then split into an equal number of groups, usually 20-30 girls per group. L4 and L5 usually has 12 groups: Child A-D, Junior A-D and Senior A-D.

We have enough for team awards - have a large team (5 scores) and small team (3 scores) in lower levels.

Good luck meeting with states. I hope you get some fair decisions.

this is how we are too
 
Pennsylvania (from years ago, not sure about Utah)
1) Recognized more than top 3, Top 6 was pretty typical
2) Ribbons for all with score, Trophies and/or medals for AA
3) Above USAG standards, Usually 9 & 10 year olds had their own age groups at least
4) Not usually a problem fielding teams

Pretty much the same now. They go out... I want to say 25%. I think it was 4 places in my age group last year. In level 5, they gave out participation trophies to everyone, and medals for all the placements. We always get a goodie of some sort... usually a t shirt and something else small. Still no problem team wise... there were 20 novice teams this past year. :eek: There were 7 novice age groups last year.

Hope I helped! :)
 
I know every competitor in the level 5 & 6 state meet gets a plaque to take home saying they participated. Level 5 only does ribbons here--no places. Level 6s went out 50% for place--I think the top 3 get trophies, then either medals (I think to 5th or 6th?? place) or ribbons--at least in AA. the individual events I believe had medals for top 3, then ribbons.

Not sure what level 4 does anymore. They used to all get a participation medal, but I don't know if that has changed in the last few years.
 

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