So what’s happening?

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GymBeamRisky

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So the majority of Gyms are back in business which is obviously ,for now at least, the good news. However we parents have yet to receive any indication of schedule’s going forward. I have seen various talented girls drop out of gymnastics over the last 5 months or so. I guess some have had the time to “ think things over” in this very demanding sport and recent negative publicity regarding “abuse” in the sport has not been a positive influence either. My daughter is also at that age where she is wondering whether she should move on to new opportunities within her peer group at school. I am trying to persuade her to “ hang on in there” after all of those years of “sacrifice” but it’s very difficult when there is nothing to show on the British Gymnastics “menu” in regard to what competitions are scheduled either later this year or during the early to mid part of next year. Well maybe there is something to show and I’ve missed it but over the years as a parent I have found trying to get any information ( and I use that in the wider context) in this “semi secretive” world is extremely hard to attain. My daughter really needs to focus on a short to mid term end goal in relation to all the countless hours of training and then hopefully move forwards or change direction. I appreciate these are strange times but how soon can we expect BG to at least announce some “provisional “ dates regarding grades, English, British and everything in between?
 
Next years dates are not usually announced just yet and they may hang back a bit more this year as they really can't tell how the pandemic is going to go over the winter. But I would expect to see some provisional dates by the end of October maybe. The English and the British are usually around March give or take. National finals are in May. Regional qualifiers for National finals should take place no more than 3 weeks before. So some time in April. Some regions do their club and regional grades before this and some do them after. So whatever your region usually does is likely. Clubs and coaches know the general months they need to be ready even without the specific dates so I am sure they are working towards these.

The dates for this Autumn have been out for several months and have been adjusted several times to take account of the lockdown vagaries. They are publicly available on the BG website. Go to "find an event" and select 2020, WAG, National and search and the list will come up. This is updated as needed. You can see that some have been cancelled and at the moment the only competitions standing are Challenge Cup/ Compulsory 2 on 14 November and WTC cup on 21st November. The WTC cup is a 'British' FIG event to provide a warm up before Europeans in December. I am hoping Europeans are cancelled and next years used as an Olympic qualifier which is what other continental qualifiers are doing. But we shall see.

Here is a link to the list but keep checking as it might change.
 
Much appreciated Jenny, very helpful. I wonder if the girls will be allowed to compete behind closed doors as with other sports if the covid19 situation dictates. It’s also difficult to know where the girls are going to get their qualifying scores for the Challenge or next years English when the appropriate regional qualifiers seem to be on hold for now at least. Never mind at least most are now back in the gym which is the main thing. Hopefully things will become a little clearer within a month or two.
 
Much appreciated Jenny, very helpful. I wonder if the girls will be allowed to compete behind closed doors as with other sports if the covid19 situation dictates. It’s also difficult to know where the girls are going to get their qualifying scores for the Challenge or next years English when the appropriate regional qualifiers seem to be on hold for now at least. Never mind at least most are now back in the gym which is the main thing. Hopefully things will become a little clearer within a month or two.

The Autumn competitions have now been cancelled. Compulsory 1 on 31st January is the first competition now. Gymnasts eligible can skip 2 and go straight to 1. Gymnasts eligible can skip 3 and go straight to 2 in May.
 
Thanks for that info Jenny. Can I ask, what makes a gymnast eligible to skip a grade? Is it just their age and the fact they have the necessary skills to do the grade above the one they were originally training for or are there more criteria? Thanks
 
Thanks for that info Jenny. Can I ask, what makes a gymnast eligible to skip a grade? Is it just their age and the fact they have the necessary skills to do the grade above the one they were originally training for or are there more criteria? Thanks

To enter Compulsory 2 they have to be age eligible but don't have to have passed Compulsory 3. To enter Compulsory 1 they have to be age eligible and have passed compulsory 3 but don't have to have passed compulsory 2. That's it as I understand it.
 
Much appreciated Jenny, very helpful. I wonder if the girls will be allowed to compete behind closed doors as with other sports if the covid19 situation dictates. It’s also difficult to know where the girls are going to get their qualifying scores for the Challenge or next years English when the appropriate regional qualifiers seem to be on hold for now at least. Never mind at least most are now back in the gym which is the main thing. Hopefully things will become a little clearer within a month or two.



The update says that they are hoping to hold a qualifying competition for Challenge Cup gymnasts to try and obtain a qualification score to the British early in 2021. As they missed their qualification opportunity in 2020. So that is good news.
 
The update says that they are hoping to hold a qualifying competition for Challenge Cup gymnasts to try and obtain a qualification score to the British early in 2021. As they missed their qualification opportunity in 2020. So that is good news.
Is there anywhere that regular people can read the update? Or is it for coaches/clubs only?
 
Is there anywhere that regular people can read the update? Or is it for coaches/clubs only?

I think it's clubs/ coaches only but it is literally a few sentences explaining about Compulsory 2, 1 and Challenge Cup. It basically says if you were intending to take Compulsory 3 or 2 in 2020 you can move straight on to the next grade without a pass.
 
So how is everyone going with their training towards these new goals and how much have you been affected by being in and out of training/ school due to isolating?
 
So how is everyone going with their training towards these new goals and how much have you been affected by being in and out of training/ school due to isolating?
Well...my daughter has had to move gyms as her training hours got halved due to distancing for covid, which apparently would be the case until distancing ended, by which time she would be too old for the compulsory route :( . On the other hand, she has now got a place working towards compulsories with a gym that has 'been there done that' before (she would have been the 'guinea pig' at her old gym), so it could work out for the best in the end, and she is happy at her new gym so far so fingers crossed. Plus her old gym understood her reasons so it was all very amicable.

She worked incredibly hard during lockdown at home on R&C & floor beam/floor bar so didn't lose too much time there, and has had no problem learning many new skills since returning to gym. The backaway isn't easy to learn with no pit or physical support though! No isolating yet, but keeping fingers crossed! I wonder what would happen if a gymnast was fully ready (and already ooa) but had to isolate just before the comp? Hopefully would be allowed to skip the grade so not get further 'behind'? Or send in training videos to prove they had the skills?
 
So how is everyone going with their training towards these new goals and how much have you been affected by being in and out of training/ school due to isolating?
How are things at your gym?
 
Well...my daughter has had to move gyms as her training hours got halved due to distancing for covid, which apparently would be the case until distancing ended, by which time she would be too old for the compulsory route :( . On the other hand, she has now got a place working towards compulsories with a gym that has 'been there done that' before (she would have been the 'guinea pig' at her old gym), so it could work out for the best in the end, and she is happy at her new gym so far so fingers crossed. Plus her old gym understood her reasons so it was all very amicable.

She worked incredibly hard during lockdown at home on R&C & floor beam/floor bar so didn't lose too much time there, and has had no problem learning many new skills since returning to gym. The backaway isn't easy to learn with no pit or physical support though! No isolating yet, but keeping fingers crossed! I wonder what would happen if a gymnast was fully ready (and already ooa) but had to isolate just before the comp? Hopefully would be allowed to skip the grade so not get further 'behind'? Or send in training videos to prove they had the skills?
Sounds like she is doing well. I was talking to someone about how many kids would miss competitions because their school bubble was sent home the day before a competition. I think it will happen and it will be very frustrating, especially if the gymnast isn't even poorly. I don't think they will get an automatic pass but who knows! Possibly we may have to factor in more second chance competitions to account for this.

I am seeing lots of gymnasts out for isolation because their school bubble has been sent home. Not really any with positive tests themselves. A few parents have had positive tests but as they aren't allowed in the building it doesn't impact so much. I think this whole winter will be like this.

What are peoples thoughts on the changes to Challenge cup into a 2 tier system. I think it is very sensible.
 
@Jenny what tier do you live in?
If the Challenge cup was in a tier 3 I think it would have to be cancelled.
Im in a tier 3 region - its not fun!
 
So how is everyone going with their training towards these new goals and how much have you been affected by being in and out of training/ school due to isolating?
Reduced hours has been a mixed blessing for my DD. Good as she is in exam year, but hard to get skills back. It was coming together slowly but steadily, but then 2 weeks off self isolating (fortunately no illness) has completely knocked her. As ever growth has played a major part as she now has reached that magical height where she touches the floor on giants so needs the bar raising.
On the positive side, lots of younger girls in her squad are doing really well. Maybe they are more focussed during their time in the gym, or maybe they are all simply amazing. So I hope for them that they get some chance to compete next year. It's quite exciting to see their progress.
 
(Obviously not see in person. We get little video updates sometimes. But the excitement they have coming out of gym with new skills and for each other is nice to see).
 
What do you mean about the new two tier challenge cup system?
They are splitting it in two - a full fig British Qualifier competition and a separate modified fig Challenge Cup. A bit like there used to be. I think it is very sensible.
 
Ah I think that must be before my time as I don't remember that from before. How is it split...do you choose which you want to enter or are there different scores to qualify for each one? Or something else?
 
They are splitting it in two - a full fig British Qualifier competition and a separate modified fig Challenge Cup. A bit like there used to be. I think it is very sensible.

I'd love to see the requirements for the Classic Challenge. With them naming the levels bronze, silver and gold it makes you think to the English existing Bronze/Silver/Gold but that is a very different competition entirely.
 

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