Parents Level 4 boys awards

[jkp]

Hi. I'm a parent of a new gymnast that will be competing for the first time in a couple of weeks. He is 7, and level four. I was wondering how they do awards for his level, and any other insight some of you might have. I've heard several things... Achievement awards (blue ribbon for 9.0 and above, red for 8.0 and above, etc.), first -3rd only, all get a medal, etc. Thanks in advance!

 

[MyBoysFlip]

I'm in R5 and our L4 meets always go out 50% for events and 100% for AA. All of our L4 leave with at least one medal. We usually go to large invitationals so that might be why. After L4, AA only goes out 50% also. The most important thing about L4 is to have fun and enjoy watching all of the little ones compete. I still go watch L4 whenever I can!

 

[jkp]

Thanks! I'm glad to know its about having fun, and isn't set up to apply so much pressure. That's what we are in it for. And he is loving it!! I want the competition season to keep that way.

 

[gymboymom]

Old state: broke out age groups by age and gave awards to top 50% events and all around.
New state: break session into even age groups of around 10 and give awards to top 50% events and 100% all around.
And not every meet follows this. You might ask an experienced parent at your gym. Have fun!!

 

[2G1B]

We are in region 8 and the meets that my son has been to give medals to 40%, 50% or 50% +1 (AA has been the same as the individual events). The age groups are generally split out to have 10 - 20 boys in each one except at the really big meets (then it seems to be 30 - 40).

The meets are fun; but I found it best to prepare my DS when he had his first one that he might not win anything. He came from YMCA soccer as his only other competitive sport and was used to participation medals.

 

[curlymop]

This is our first year as well. For our level 4s, they hand out ribbons at each event during the competition. For medals they don't give any for individual events. For AA, they go out 50% plus one, and so far each age has been in their own group. I'm told that at states they will give a medal to everyone. Thank goodness for that, as it has been really difficult for him to come home empty handed all season. At one meet he scored third on one event, but since they only give medals for AA, he still didn't get anything. He is 6yo, but all of the level 4 medals are done the same way.

 

[skschlag]

Level 4 for us was almost always just the ribbons, and maybe top5 medals. Sometimes they would do all aroudn ribbons too. D never came home with a medal/trophy in level 4. Our state meet does the same thing every year. Every kid gets a plaque that they were there. If you place on anything, you get a little placard to go on the plaque with the event, age, and place. Same for all aroudn and regional qualifiers. Then at regionals, it is the same.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

performance is the best award.

 

[Becauseisaid]

performance is the best award.

Bwahahaaa! Darn those participation medals for messing with kid expectations.

 

[gracyomalley]

L4 here was ribbons for each event based on score, and often AA medals for all based on score (ie above a certain score got a gold medal, then silver, and all the rest bronze). This worked great for my younger DS who cherished his bronze medals at age 6....older one, not so much. Even at Level 5 the boys often came home with tons of medals, only a couple of which really "counted" much. I figure its so much more work than soccer or baseball at this age, the medal is for their sticking with all the hours, repetitions, etc!

 

[skschlag]

I know I have said this before, but it has always been one of my favorite quotes from D's coach:

Don't let scores and places ruin a perfectly good gymnastics meet.

He really focuses on what each gymnast did and what they need to do next rather than how they placed. Especially at the compulsary levels!