Women Moving between JO and Xcel

[spider_monkey]

This is my dd's second year on team (age 8). Last year she competed Xcel gold. She now has all level 6 skills except the clear hip at this time (working on it) and bars are not her strongest event (getting better though).

The plan is for her to compete JO 6 or 7 next year (depending on where she's at in a year). She must of course score out of 4 and 5 to get there. She's planning on starting out this year at level 4, until she scores out (hopefully right away!). When she has routines ready for 5, she will score out of that as well, then from there work on training level 6 skills. Her coach does not want her to spend the year at 4 because she thrives on new skills/challenges and would be miserable at 4 all year. Gym does not compete level 5 so that's not an option either. Coach mentioned competing Xcel once she scores out of 4/5 in order to gain more competition experience. It's very common in our area to bypass compulsories for Xcel and just score out. Small town gym, not really competitive.

So my question if you followed all of this is, if she scores out of 4/5 this year, can she go back to Xcel gold, or does she have to move up to platinum? Is there a certain date she has to do this by in order to move back to gold, or is it different for each state?

 

[raenndrops]

She can go back to Gold. Since she was an Xcel Gold last year and is only scoring out, it won't affect her Xcel placement.
The JO to Xcel entry chart is for those who were JO gymnasts and are moving into Xcel.
And after L4, Gold is still the correct placement according to the chart.
Maybe while she is waiting for the L5 score out, the coach will let get compete Gold to keep the "competition rust" off.

Good luck.

 

[spider_monkey]

Thanks! I am definitely hoping she's able to compete at gold until she's ready to score out of 5.

 

[CoachAlex]

She can go back to Gold, however you said she has all of her skills she needs for 6 - the reason a lot of gyms skip 5 is because the skills needed for 5 and the skills needed for 6 are very similar. Also, if she knows the level 4 routines, then level 5 routines, aside from some skill differences, are almost the same. So she should be able to score out of 4 and 5. I've seen girls do it in the same meet even, do one session as 4 then the next as a 5. Not sure where you are, but here the level 6 season is more of a winter season so theoretically (if she has her skills for 6 already) she could score out of 4/5 this fall and compete a full level 6 season (again, it would depend on your states level 6 season). Good luck!!!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

If she is level 6 ready, she should score out of both 4 and 5 quickly. And her Gold routines should be easily adaptable to L6.

 

[spider_monkey]

Thank you! I'm not sure she will be ready to compete level 6 this year. She's got the skills, and she's training with the level 6/7 group, but it's only her 2nd year competing and I'm not sure she's mentally there yet. Or maybe I'm not mentally there yet! I will be interested to see what her coach has in mind. She's also not the best at detailed choreography (more of a power tumbler) so I'm just hoping she squeaks through the compulsory score-outs without too many text errors. Region 5 here and we do optionals/compulsories in the same season.

 

[John]

Idon'tt know if it is true but I heard there is a maximum deduction for text errors. In other words, once you hit say .4 no more text errors are taken. I would love to know if that is true.

 

[spider_monkey]

I also worry about deductions for things like not being perfectly in time with the music. And she's almost in tears trying to figure out this level 4 beam choreography. She's a good gymnast, but a dancer she is not!!

 

[UnoMas]

Idon'tt know if it is true but I heard there is a maximum deduction for text errors. In other words, once you hit say .4 no more text errors are taken. I would love to know if that is true.

After watching my DD in her first JO routines today, I don't believe this is true! Wish it were, though!

 

[UnoMas]

I also worry about deductions for things like not being perfectly in time with the music. And she's almost in tears trying to figure out this level 4 beam choreography. She's a good gymnast, but a dancer she is not!!

My DD is the exact same way. She did her first L4 meet today after being in xcel for years and it was rough!!! Bars and vault went MUCH better than beam and floor.

 

[John]

Did she compete today? Hope she was content in the end.

 

[Aero]

Idon'tt know if it is true but I heard there is a maximum deduction for text errors. In other words, once you hit say .4 no more text errors are taken. I would love to know if that is true.

This is true. The highest possible deduction that can be taken strictly on text errors is 0.4 of a point.