Level 9 Westerns

[mpkbt]

Did everyone know this but me? I guess I didn't pay attention since dd is a 10 this year, but I haven't heard anyone talking about it.

2. QUALIFICATION TO EASTERN/WESTERN CHAMPIONSHIPS
a. Eastern/Western age divisions will be determined separately. ​

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16 age divisions for East: 8 age divisions for West. Western Championships will follow a different format as a pilot program for 2011.​

b. The top six (6)​

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[12 for West] All-Around athletes in each of the 16 [8 for West] age divisions from each of the
four regions will compete as Regional Team members, provided they scored a minimum of 34.00 AA at the
Regional Championships.
Note: Any gymnasts who tie for 6th [12th for West] place AA will attend the Eastern or Western Championships
and will be outfitted as the other competitors. The tie-breaking procedures will be used to determine which
gymnast’s scores will count for Regional Team score and which will compete as an Individual. (All Western
qualifiers may count for Team Score).​

c. If any region is unable to field a team of six [​

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12 for West] gymnasts per age division, the open slots will be filled
based upon the Regional Team results from the previous year.
1) If one spot needs to be filled, the 7th [13th for West] place athlete from the region whose regional team won
that respective division the previous year will fill the spot. All athletes from the 1st place region who might
be involved in a tie for 7th [13th - West] place will be used to full the empty spots before any other region‘s
athletes are assigned.
2) If more than one spot needs to be filled in an age division and there were no ties in the 1st place region, the
next individual added is the 7th [13th for West] place athlete from the region whose regional team placed
second in the previous year.
3) Only athletes from the regions that placed 1st and 2nd in the specific age division the previous year may fill
the incomplete squads.
d. Non-US citizen athletes who live and train in the US are eligible to qualify and receive awards at Level 9
Eastern or Western Championships.
d. There are NO PETITIONS to Eastern or Western Championships.
e. All competitors will receive a tank leotard from their region to be worn in the competition. Each region will be
designated by a specific color. The gymnasts will also receive a competition warm-up uniform, from GK Elite
Sportswear.​

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The first alternate from each region will receive the competitive warm-up uniform. Apparel will be
distributed at the competition for those in attendance. The remaining apparel will be sent to the alternates
following the competition either by the Regional Administrative or JO Committee Chairman or by the​

National office. The distribution of the competitive leotards supplied by the Region is at the discretion

 

[ZJsMom]

This is news to me too, but I can certainly see why they're trying it. Age divisions for level 9 (and 10 for that matter) have always been really wonky in our region resulting in some kids making Western nationals with 34s because there are only a few kids in their age division while others with high 36s didn't qualify because there happened to more kids in their age group.

 

[sportzmomov3]

I'm hoping that dunno chimes in on this one because I'm curious now too (and dunno knows a bit about everything!)

Given that the total # of gymnasts that qualify is 96 for both eastern & western, what's the rationale for having fewer age divisions with more placements in each in the West?
Is it because the distribution of gymnasts in the Western regions is more concentrated in a few age divisions, thereby making it "unfair" in those age divisions?
Does it have something to do with the distribution of scores in East vs. West (i.e. West has harder/easier scoring resulting in lower/higher scores?)
Is the expected result to have a more even distribution just within certain ages at Westerns?
Are the Eastern region states more evenly distributed with respect to # of gymnasts across ages?

And why just level 9? Is there such a big drop-off after 9 that whatever the issue was that caused this "pilot" to be run, doesn't affect level 10? Or is level 9 the guinea pig for what's to come at 10?....

Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[NGL780309]

If I'm recalling correctly, it used to be that way in the West some years back anyway or at least in my region. I want to say 2004 it was this way in the region I live in. I don't remember them taking 12 in each group, but it was more like they do level 8 where the number is a bit different for each age group. Don't ask me how I remember this but my friend's DD was 11th at regionals to qualify to Westerns in the Jr A age group and the magic number that day was 17. I remember it changing a few years ago to more age groups and only 6 from each age group, so what's different about this compared to the way it used to be? I think it's good because those younger age groups can be so tough to qualify from when there are only 6 spots.

 

[mpkbt]

I think in 2008 it was a percentage by region. It was based on the percent of all nines in the 4 different regions.....Region 2 only got 6 per age group, region 1 got like 14. I thought it seemed fair but.... I still think they should redistribute the regions. My dd will have about 25-28 kids in her age group at regionals. In region 2 they will have, if they are lucky, 7. I know for a fact that last year a girl from region 2 qualified to nationals with a 7.4 on bars. One of our girls had 9.1 and higher on every event and did not make it. I am sure that they are other regions that have the same issues.

 

[LemonLime]

No AA gymnast goes to Westerns or JO nationals without a 34.00 at 9/10 regionals, regardless of placement.

The West has more imbalanced regions than the East. The West has therefore switched "back" to the "old" rules, while the East maintains the "new" rules. The "old" rules were in place about 3 years ago as some posters have mentioned. I don't know if it will help make it statistically fair in the West between the four regions, but that's the intention. If regions 2 and 4 cannot fill the 12 gymnasts per age group - as they sometimes can't fill the 7 spots in Level 10 - then the other regions will fill them.

 

[sportzmomov3]

Ok, so if regions 2 & 4 don't have 12 gymnasts in an age group, the qualification of the remaining gymnasts then goes to the regional team that won that age group last year (if I'm interpreting the qualification info corrrectly). Which region 1 or 3 won the various age groups last year (someone on here I'm sure knows!) I don't know if I'm reading it right, but it states further that the remaining spots are only filled if the other regional teams won 1st or 2nd. Based on the strength of regions 1 & 3 I would think that they did take 1st or 2nd, but maybe not.