- Nov 18, 2011
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I just know when I run a half marathon, I still love the participation medal! lol By golly, that was a lot of hard work. I hang that baby up proudly! : )
Lol, me too! And thank goodness for age groups in running!

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I just know when I run a half marathon, I still love the participation medal! lol By golly, that was a lot of hard work. I hang that baby up proudly! : )
Umm, confession time, my DD has been receiving these ribbons for 2 years and I never even realized that's what they meant! In fact, I would kind of complain to my husband about them sometimes... as in "She didn't take first on floor so why is she getting a blue ribbon, someone isn't paying attention!" Wow, you learn something new everyday!We have attended meets where they still give out ribbons (blue for 9s, red for 8s, etc) after they are scored on an event and I think that’s great. They earn something for their hard work, everybody gets one, and they aren’t part of the awards ceremony. So everyone is a winner in that aspect!
Just let the meet gift count as the participation medal. We attended a meet last year where they only went out 50% on AA and apparatuses and they handed out a gift bag to every gymnast that did not medal before they started the awards. It was a shorter awards ceremony, every gymnast received something, the medals actually meant something to the ones that placed, and nobody was embarrassed.
Agree. Some of the competitions on the MAG side have up to 60 kids in a single level/age group, especially at the lower levels. Calling 30 kids up each time across 6 events + AA? Shoot me. I'd never make it through awards!!!!I think even going to 50% is crazy, I have never been to a co,p that did that. It is basically saying, who is in the bottom half. At our comps only 1st, 2nd and 3rd get a medal, and there migh be 100 or more in the division.
I think in the US groups are also very small, having multiple groups for each level and age. That is very unusual here. Most meets my kids did had at least 30 kids in each group. Medals ceremonies drag on forever at the US meets I have attended.
I wonder if it’s regional? My DDs friends from the boys team usually have age groups that have between 10-15 boys, similar to her age groups at meets. I know back in Cali she sometimes had age groups with closer to 30 girls.MAG is often the same way. D has competed in meets with 20 all the way up 80 kids in his group. Most of the time it is only 10 awards so not too bad.
Actually interesting to hear how all the comps give out medals. Our comps usually only give out medals for apparatus top three. They usually give out trophies for AA top three. Do your comps not do trophies for AA?
We’ve not every personally seen trophies, but I’ve seen them in pics of other meets.Actually interesting to hear how all the comps give out medals. Our comps usually only give out medals for apparatus top three. They usually give out trophies for AA top three. Do your comps not do trophies for AA?