Parents British Classic Challenge and voluntary levels

[3_little_gymnasts]

Hi,

I’m looking for some information on the classic challenge cup vs the voluntary levels. My gymnasts are turning 11 and 9 and planning to compete bronze and either copper or zinc. The head coach mentioned that he may enter some girls in levels rather than the classic challenge. All the girls are doing national grades, there aren’t any girls at the club (it’s relatively small and new) doing compulsory grades yet.

I’m wondering what the difference is between the levels and the challenge cup? Thanks for any info you have!

 

[rd7]

They don't make it easy to understand do they!

The Challenge Cup is the qualifier for the British Championships for those gymnasts that haven't qualified via the Compulsory Route, eg Haven't passed Compulsory and Voluntary 2 in the same year (beginning this year, it has been different in the past)

Classic Challenge is a separate stream for everyone else, you cannot enter if you have competed a Compulsory level in the same year. Bronze and upwards leads to a National team final, competing against other regions.

Voluntary levels are for the gymnasts that have competed their Compulsory level earlier in the year and cannot compete in Classic Challenge.

I'm not sure of the rules regarding who can enter Voluntary levels other than that but I assume it is open to everyone. It may be that your club is aiming to put some gymnasts on the Compulsory path next year and is wanting to see how they compare to others in your region.

Hope that helps a bit

 

[Jenny]

Hi,

I’m looking for some information on the classic challenge cup vs the voluntary levels. My gymnasts are turning 11 and 9 and planning to compete bronze and either copper or zinc. The head coach mentioned that he may enter some girls in levels rather than the classic challenge. All the girls are doing national grades, there aren’t any girls at the club (it’s relatively small and new) doing compulsory grades yet.

I’m wondering what the difference is between the levels and the challenge cup? Thanks for any info you have!

I believe you can only do voluntary 4 and 3 if you have passed the relative compulsory grade that year. Voluntary 2 if you have passed compulsory 2 the same year or compulsory 3 the previous year.

If regions are running Voluntary 5 then the region may allow open entry or they may only allow compulsory 5 entries in. That is a regional decision.

However there are a couple of regions who ran 'old' levels last year alongside the new levels and your coach may be thinking of entering those if they are running them again. So open entry level 6543 etc.

We are in a state of transition at the moment. After last years competitions BG made some very sensible adjustments to the Classic Challenge levels. The 2 big strengths of the new levels system are also its 2 biggest weaknesses.

Namely -1 - a wide variety of possible skills to compete each level means gymnasts can play to their strengths and avoid skills they have trouble with, However this also means gymnasts are competing against each other with vastly different skill sets in the same competition. Which feels unfair to parents and also eventually encourages coaches to down play skills to the lowest skill set that meets the CR to have less deductions to win. Frustrating to gymnasts and parents. I don't see a way to resolve this one.
2nd - gymnasts can enter any level each year they choose. So gold one year and zinc the next if they fancy. May have grown and lost skills. A fair idea but in reality this opens the door to coaches picking levels to win rather than for genuine progression. It is never going to feel fair if you had a gymnast who went to nationals for Silver level one year turn up in Copper or Bronze the year after. No matter how you explain it and I am sure that will happen at some point. Also we feel comfortable with a linear progression, moving up levels is a goal. And given the choice of CR's and skills you can use in each level I don't think it is necessary. Grades must be taken in a forward and progressive route, I think they need to apply the same to the new levels.

 

[3_little_gymnasts]

Thanks so much for all the info, that makes much more sense. It’s a confusing system to get your head around!