It isn't just Xcel with another name. Their level structure consists of Levels 1-10, plus Gold (between Levels 4 & 5), Platinum (between Levels 6 & 7), and Diamond (between Levels 8 & 9). Each level has optional requirements, even at the lowest levels.
Yes!
Actually, it is, pretty much.
100%. I just saw a video of a level 7 bar routine that scored a 9.9. Not a knock on the kid at all. The routine was nice. However, cast handstands very visibly not at handstand, freehip not to handstand. There is no possible way this would have received a 9.9 in USAG. I am actually confused about the scoring bc I have heard from a few judges that the scoring is not supposed to be easier, but it sure skews a lot higher than USAG. Maybe the judges aren’t sure how to score it?
I understand wanting an alternative to USAG, but there is nothing better or earth shattering happening as far as the wellness component of NGA. We had a lot of fun at nationals, but overall, nothing different or better than USAG as far as treatment of the athlete. Just higher scores and easier composition requirements.
I agree that the NGA mission statement reads better than the original USAG mission statement. I was hoping NGA would be a good alternative and stuck up for it initially. Now I just think it was thrown together hastily and unnecessarily made our state more divided especially in terms of optional levels.
Were the casts at least 45º above horizontal? If so, then there shouldn't be a cast deduction in NGA. "At level 7N any cast 45 degrees above horizontal will not receive any amplitude deductions, but no value part is awarded unless cast achieves “B” handstand."
It's more like IGC than Xcel.
Yes, they were, but not by much. I am not a judge, but there is just no way this routine would have come close to scoring a 9.9 in USAG. The other frustrating thing about NGA is that my daughter did the level 7 and level 8 bar routine with the pike on to high bar, kip cast handstand, freehip handstand, giant, giant flyaway. She got credit in NGA for being above the 45 degrees and earned what I thought were excessively high bar scores on level 8 last year (9.7 at some meets without quite hitting all handstands), but she didn't get "extra points" (what is a value part?) for the more difficult routine last year. So it just didn't benefit her to do the more difficult routine in NGA in any way. Certainly not a 9.9 even with multiple stuck landings over the season, so after seeing that routine, I am actually wondering how she didn't get 10.0s last year. That is how absolutely ridiculous this was. The scoring is very inconsistent and confusing. As another example, I saw a kid last year do a free hip low bar routine and then giants with completely bent legs, and she scored a 9.2. I've never seen anything like that at a USAG meet. I also recall going to an NGA/USAG hosted meet last year, and the judges scored the NGA session just like the USAG session, so the scoring was much lower at that one meet. It just seems that the scoring can't even be reasonably compared between the two organizations.
I actually am not involved in NGA at all, but I did a little research when they first came about.
NGA posted the 9.9 routine on their Instagram. The only thing I can think is that if the routine fulfills the special requirement NGA does not deduct for amplitude, whereas USAG does take deductions? USAG deducts for casts not being at handstand on level 6 and definitely does on level 7.
