E
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
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