Coaches Difficulty?

[Josette]

Hi coaches,
Parent question here, related to judging:

For USAG Xcel, silver - does degree of difficulty matter for points? For example if gymnasts A performs a harder skill in the same routine gymnastics B, is that taken into account or are they both only judged in how well they execute?

Thanks!

 

[Ncgymnastmom]

Doing a harder skill in xcel doesn’t give you any extra points and it’s all based on execution. That’s why some gyms compete easier skills so they can place higher. This has been hard for my daughter in xcel gold because she doesn’t understand why someone beat her score wise on bars doing a simple glide swing, double backhip circle, jump to high bar and tap swing dismount. Meanwhile she does a kip connect cast to clear hip, kip on highbar, back hip circle and cast layout dismount. Which is way harder but easier person a gets a 9.8 and she will get a 9 due to not being as tight in her form on her harder skills.

 

[Josette]

Doing a harder skill in xcel doesn’t give you any extra points and it’s all based on execution. That’s why some gyms compete easier skills so they can place higher. This has been hard for my daughter in xcel gold because she doesn’t understand why someone beat her score wise on bars doing a simple glide swing, double backhip circle, jump to high bar and tap swing dismount. Meanwhile she does a kip connect cast to clear hip, kip on highbar, back hip circle and cast layout dismount. Which is way harder but easier person a gets a 9.8 and she will get a 9 due to not being as tight in her form on her harder skills.

Yes we just discovered this, sams boat as you described. Thanks for confirming my thought. However, she also feels accomplished doing the harder skills. I just wish scoring was a bit different here but I get it.

Does it change once they transfers to Level 6-10 (for future of course), points for level of difficulty?

 

[Ncgymnastmom]

Yes we just discovered this, sams boat as you described. Thanks for confirming my thought. However, she also feels accomplished doing the harder skills. I just wish scoring was a bit different here but I get it.

Does it change once they transfers to Level 6-10 (for future of course), points for level of difficulty?

Typically only in level 9+ do they get higher points for doing more difficult skills. Really only level 10 to elite are where they May focus more on those harder skills for points any other levels it’s just for the challenge and not to gain points.

 

[Ncgymnastmom]

also I’ll note some xcel programs are ran differently too. If your child is doing harder skills they may be trying to prep them to move to optionals. For my daughter they compete harder skills and don’t worry about scores in xcel. Their goal is to move her from gold to level 7 next season(she has already tested out of level 5 but wasn’t quite ready yet by summer end so she’s doing xcel gold in lo of level 6 this season). But other gyms aim to keep kids xcel and have them do easier skills to get medals.

 

[Josette]

also I’ll note some xcel programs are ran differently too. If your child is doing harder skills they may be trying to prep them to move to optionals. For my daughter they compete harder skills and don’t worry about scores in xcel. Their goal is to move her from gold to level 7 next season(she has already tested out of level 5 but wasn’t quite ready yet by summer end so she’s doing xcel gold in lo of level 6 this season). But other gyms aim to keep kids xcel and have them do easier skills to get medals.

We are all about progress and accomplishments over medals. Long term goals over here and coach agrees!

Thanks for the reply!