Does smiling really matter?

[Beammom]

I've noticed that sometimes girls that smile during their floor routines have a tendency to score better. I've heard that its part of their "performance." I just want to know if it really makes a difference in the judging.

 

[gymrunner]

I've noticed that sometimes girls that smile during their floor routines have a tendency to score better. I've heard that its part of their "performance." I just want to know if it really makes a difference in the judging.

It absolutely makes a difference! Keep Smiling!

 

[Billy]

Does that mean that judges could/ would deduct for not smiling???

 

[MdGymMom01]

I am new to gymnastics, but a veteran to cheerleading and I know for a fact that the judges DEFINITELY DO NOT score the routine as high if the girls are not smiling. Psychologically speaking, when you smile at someone that person's natural reaction is to smile back and this produces endorphins which make you feel good...so with this logic it may make the judges feel better about the routine thus resulting in higher scores. Also, when the athlete smiles, it looks like that athlete is having a good time and ENJOYING herself. In cheerleading, the routines where the kids have tons of energy and are smiling and generally look like they are having a great time generally score higher.
My daughter's cheer team came in 2nd place by only TWO ONE HUNDREDTHS of a point (.02) at the NCA National Championships in Dallas TX in February and the reason according to the score sheets was "Not enough energy, looked a bit scared, and You SEEMED to have more energy yesterday". We had no deductions whatsoever, but the final score was based on the girls facials (smiling or not enough smiling). Cheerleading and gymnastics can be both very subjective and skill alone can not always guarantee a win.
So...the moral of the story is--SMILE!!!!!!
Kat

 

[skfleming255]

My dd just will not smile during meets. She puts her game face on. Her coach has told her numerous times to at least smile at the judge when saluting, but she is just so serious about what she is doing. If kids are having a good time and smiling, I know that I would feel more excited about their routine if I was a judge. Maybe my dd will get the smile down one day.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Which routines do you enjoy watching more? The ones where the kids are using their faces and expressing themselves, smiling and looking like they are having fun. For the judges it's no exception, I've seen udges completly miss gigantic mistakes in routines simply because they were enjoying watching it so much and scoring girls over a whole mark higher than they should as a result.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

My oldest DD spent the first year competing with her serious game face, and I repeatedly had to remind her to smile and look like she was having fun. Definitely noticed a slight difference in scores!

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

I think if you have happy floor music you should smile. I have walking on sunshine and I never usually smile although I should but last meet I smiled and had fun with it and I got a better score then usual. Not a lot higher but a difference. But then if you have serious music I don't think you would smile. And you definitely wouldn't smile during your beam routine.

 

[NYgymfan]

Smiling is one of those things that can add a "personality" to anything. It shows you are a person with emotions just like the fans and judges. It can make you stand out (in a good way), which is what you want when you are being judged in anything in life.

 

[gracefulone]

Absolutely! You want to have a good time. I had a parent from another team tell me that she enjoyed watching my floor routine because I look like I'm having so much fun. I'm not a great tumbler, but I score decently because of ym energy.

 

[gimchick]

My dd coach will make them do one routine with no expression strictly concentrating on skills and dance, then the second routine she asks them in this order with their lips say ooooh, ahhhhh, and smile, smile, smile, then relax face tumble, then finish tumbling with a smile and ALL OVER AGAIN .....
1. ooooh
2. ahhhhh
3. smile
4. smile
5. smile

This has helped our girls tremendosly in the personality department. Most of our music is so bland that any SMILING AND PERSONALITY helps. Sometimes personality can help HIDE mistakes and blunders, YES, SMILE!!!!!

 

[kristilyn73]

Smiling does matter! Without a doubt!

My DD's coach, does games where he has the girls make eye contact and smile during their routines. The one who does the most smiles or eye contact gets a piece of candy!

 

[lannamavity]

Smiling is great, but simply cracking one strategically placed smile in a routine can make the rest of the routine look even worse. It's more about being expressive and playing to the music.

There is also some music where smiling is completely inappropriate. There are many ways to be expressive without smiling.

Examples:

Nastia Liukin does not smile during her floor routine...and she is expressive.

So it's not as simple as smiling or not smiling when it comes to Artistry. The worst is when a bouncy, happy piece of music is playing, and the gymnast looks miserable.

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

Unfortunately the usag compulsory music is hard to smile too - I think even the girls are sick of hearing it, lol. I think as long as they 'perform' the routine with expression they are ok. A lot of girls go through the motions, but the routines feel flat because there is no emotion whatsoever. We have some really high scoring girls at our gym who don't necessarily smile, but sure do know how to perform.

 

[Kayleigh]

I can tell you that every time I smile, or perform and look like I'm having fun, the score goes up. Plus, it makes me feel more relaxed. If you go out there and just have fun with it, you're less likely to mess up!

So I think that smiling definately makes a difference. Even if not to the judges, then to you.

 

[KBT]

I judge high school gymnastics, and there is a composition category worth 0.8. If a kid is out there presenting the routine and doing great choreography, I'll often give 0.1 higher for outstanding artistry than I typically would based on the level of difficulty and skill selection. The presentation has to match the music - a smile is appropriate for peppy, upbeat music, but wouldn't fit as well for more classical music. The biggest thing is to show the judge you care about your routine and are giving it 100%.

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

Yeah, I've always noticed that!!

It's not always smiling though, it's performing, like actually dancing instead of waving your arms around with a face that'd turn milk on you.

 

[Masters_Gymnast93]

The judges can't deduct for not smiling, but there is 6 tenths for presentation.
you can get them, kinda like bonus, and it's pretty much for extension throughout the finger tips and toes, and SMILES! so while ou can't get anything taken off, you can get the bonus.
=D

 

[mac.n.cheese.flipz]

When you smile in a floor routine it definitely gives the judges a good impression and can help you score higher (depending on the judge, of course) especially in compuslories because everyone is doing the same routine. There is actually one judge that ALWAYS seems to judge me on floor and she actually gives you 1-2 tenths for smiling and showing off! =D

 

[mac.n.cheese.flipz]

Unfortunately the usag compulsory music is hard to smile too - I think even the girls are sick of hearing it, lol. I think as long as they 'perform' the routine with expression they are ok. A lot of girls go through the motions, but the routines feel flat because there is no emotion whatsoever. We have some really high scoring girls at our gym who don't necessarily smile, but sure do know how to perform.

lol I cringe whenever I hear the compulsory music.