Women Level 5, wow!

[tpMom]

Whew, DD just had her first level 5 meet and wow that level is tough. Going from 3 to 5 has been a huge jump. She held her own, took 2nd in the AA and medalled in 2 events but it was definitely an eye opening experience. It's the first level that has really challenged her and it was the first time I really saw a big gap between the higher placed gymnasts and the lower placing ones. For my part, I really realized for the first time how many ways a meet could go wrong. In level 3 there was the dreaded mill circle, pretty much anything on the beam, and maybe the bhs, but those seemed to be the only "big skills" that kids struggled with. Level 5 was pretty much 1 big struggle for some athletes, and my DD had her first fall on floor and her first missed skill on bars. I know many of you have spoken about level 5 before, but i never truly understood until last night. I think this season is going to be a huge season for the girls on my DDs tram. I finally understand why a gym might have 10 level 5s one year and only 4 or 5 level 6s the next!

 

[sce]

Yes, it is a tough level. Glad your girl had a good meet.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

Sounds like she did great! Especially for going from 3 to 5. Congratulations to her!

My dd just finished level 5 this weekend (woo hoo!) and it was by far her favorite and best level. She loved it! But there are definitely a lot more skills that can be challenging or where things can go wrong at a meet. And there is definitely a noticable difference between those that are well prepared and those that aren't at the meets. Although, in our state, a lot of gyms skip (score out of) 5 and go to 6 in part so they don't have to compete against the stronger gyms at 5.

Good luck to her for the rest of the season!

 

[kipnastic mom]

Congratulations, it sounds like your daughter did great! It's a huge jump from 3 to 5.

There are so many little things that can have points deducted that it's crazy sometimes that nice looking routines score so low. My daughter went from 3 to 5 last year and it wasn't a good experience! Our issue was her gym doesn't uptrain so they were literally teaching everything to her. We are repeating 5 again (ugh) and had a great meet this weekend!

 

[Muddlethru]

Like you, I was new to gymnastics when my daughter hit level 5. But I recall thinking, wow, this is what real gymnastics looks like! lol My daughter is a Level 10 now. Interestingly, if I had to base it on scores, her scores were the lowest in Level 4 (except for 9 and 10 with the constant injuries). She did not get her mill circle until the state meet. There was no level 3 when my daughter was in compulsory and she did Level 6 and 7 in one season. Congratulations to your daughter for getting 2nd AA.

 

[raenndrops]

Like you, I was new to gymnastics when my daughter hit level 5. But I recall thinking, wow, this is what real gymnastics looks like! lol My daughter is a Level 10 now. Interestingly, if I had to base it on scores, her scores were the lowest in Level 4 (except for 9 and 10 with the constant injuries). She did not get her mill circle until the state meet. There was no level 3 when my daughter was in compulsory and she did Level 6 and 7 in one season. Congratulations to your daughter for getting 2nd AA.

Remember how tough Level 6 scoring was... that is like Level 5 now with the new levels.

 

[Muddlethru]

Remember how tough Level 6 scoring was... that is like Level 5 now with the new levels.

Fortunately, my daughter scored well in Level 6. So I can't say the scoring was tough. She did the first 3 meets of the season as a Level 6 and finished up the last 3 meets as a Level 7. All three meets as a Level 6 she scored mid 37s (first time she ever scored a 37). Level 7 was the same except for the state meet where she scored a high 36.

 

[raenndrops]

Fortunately, my daughter scored well in Level 6. So I can't say the scoring was tough. She did the first 3 meets of the season as a Level 6 and finished up the last 3 meets as a Level 7. All three meets as a Level 6 she scored mid 37s (first time she ever scored a 37). Level 7 was the same except for the state meet where she scored a high 36.

Lol, she was lucky... on our team, old L6 / new L5 is always lower scoring. When you got 35s in L4 and only get 32s in L5, then go to New L6 and get a 35+ out of the gate, it looks like L5 is lower scoring.
And judging by MyMeetScores, it looks to be generally lower scoring.

 

[tpMom]

Lol, she was lucky... on our team, old L6 / new L5 is always lower scoring. When you got 35s in L4 and only get 32s in L5, then go to New L6 and get a 35+ out of the gate, it looks like L5 is lower scoring.
And judging by MyMeetScores, it looks to be generally lower scoring.

One thing I think is funny though, don't tell my daughter or her teammates that judging is tougher in level 5. They don't want to hear it. Every kid in that gym has been taught that the judging doesn't get tougher, the skills do. I have my own opinions about that but, like many things in gymnastics, I've learned to keep them to myself and just cheer my heart out whenever I get the chance!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Every kid in that gym has been taught that the judging doesn't get tougher, the skills do.

But that is correct. Cast need to be higher to get credit, leaps need to be wider to get credit.

With no change in judge.......
A 130 degree leap gets credit in 4 but not in 5.
A 1 sec HS goes to 2 sec to get credit.
A horizontal cast is no longer good enough in 5 and height equals points
Harder to stick tucks then BHS, A flyaway dismount vs a dismount out of tap swings, totally different beasts.

The same judge has to be harder because the skills require it.

So it is great they present it this way.