Level 4 "high and Low" vault

[flippin]

I hope I describe this correct.

Level 4 vault - we have girls that "high" vault with an added matt on the stack matt and girls that low vault just the stack mat. There has been questions raised that the girls doing the low vault have it easier becuase it's lower and that is why a few score higher than the high vaulters. I am wondering if that is true, and if it makes a difference in preparing for the level 5 vault.

Thanks for your help.

 

[mariposa]

I have wondered about this. I think that as long as the vault is done well, it scores well. The girls vaulting on multiple extra mats usually have awesome power and vaults and score well. I have seen high scores on the minimum size mat as well.

Lately, even though my daughter would score better with the minimum mat size, she has been vaulting on an extra mat at meets. My husband gets irritated because he is into scores , but I think it is better to keep trying with the extra mat because it will help her get used to having to jump higher/harder for going over the table in level 5. She has been hit or miss with the extra mat, but it is just a meet. In practice, she does great on vault because she needs that extra time to get a feel for things, but at meets she doesn't always. So I am all for going for the higher mat right now.

 

[flippin]

Thanks. My daughter has been getting 9's with the higher mat, but I wonder if she would do even better without it. There are a few low vaulters from her gym that rival her scores or beat her with 9.7's. It doesn't seem equal or fair, but I do feel the same in that I think it should help with preparing for the level 5 vault. But heck what do I know.

Thanks for the response.

 

[mariposa]

She might actually have too much power already for the lower mat. Their hands can't go past the line when they hit the mat and or they get a deduction. My daughter's don't yet and they just make the mat when she uses the extra mat, so she would definitely do better on the lower mat. But, like I said, she needs to learn to get more power and punch on the springboard so she can get over the table eventually. I will take the lower scores in hopes that it will help her for next season. And I may be wrong, it might not translate, but I am sure someone who does know will correct me I am.

 

[gymdog]

The L4 vault system by itself is really pretty low, considering. If the kid isn't really young and tiny, it's really not necessary to just use that. The angle of entry of the vault is important and having the mat too low can make them hit past vertical. The judges don't score by what height the mat is, they score by what the kids do.

 

[drivingmom]

I have wondered about this myself. We have the same situation. A few that low vaulters are getting really high 9's like 9.7,9.8, which to me means they should move to high vault. They are beating some high vaulters that are very good.

 

[CoachTodd]

I have wondered about this myself. We have the same situation. A few that low vaulters are getting really high 9's like 9.7,9.8, which to me means they should move to high vault. They are beating some high vaulters that are very good.

The height of the mat doesn't dictate the score. i.e. if the score well at one height, it doesn't mean they need to change to the next. Vault progression doesn't really work this way.
I base the height of the mats on the angles that the vaulter is getting. If they have really fast turn over and are still coming in too high, I add a mat. If the angles and speed are good, I leave the mats alone.
The lowest setting of the level 4 vault is the same as the lowest setting on the table, give or take a few inches.

Also,
I wouldn't base the correctness of a vault based on a compulsory score. From what I've seen, the level 4, 5, 6 and 7 vault scores have little to nothing to do with what they will be doing at optional levels. I personally think they are judged incorrectly and many times the best vaults don't get the best scores.