Parents New level 6??

[balancedmom]

For those whose DDs competed new level 6 last year, looking for some info on what is required/expected. My DD has had some injuries so is behind and probably won't compete for a few months, but interested in what is required especially on beam and floor. what skills? On beam she is doing BWO-BWO, and a BHS (if she can get it); and on floor she is still learning layout so will be doing RO-BHS-BT--not sure what the other tumbling passes are...anyway long way of asking what your DD did in level 6. thanks

 

[cbifoja]

My DD did three meets at L6 before doing a mid season move up. I'm just saying that so you understand that her skills were high for what we were seeing a lot of at L6.

Vault: everyone was still doing a FHS but you did see the occasional half on vault.
Bars: DD did CH to HS (most of the time) and giant giant flyaway but not a lot of girls were doing giants. Lots of very nice clear hips but you had better be hitting handstand on your casts or you'll be losing 0.4 (I think) every time.
Beam: DD did a flight series (HS step down BHS). Saw enough BHS that they weren't unusual. I think BWO BHS was more unusual although I do remember seeing one L6 do BHS BHS. But also still lots of round off for flight and CW-CW or CW-RO.
Floor: DD did a layout and FHS FLO. Still saw LOTS of BHS BT and FHS FT or FP. At the time, L6 couldn't do a switch leap but this year they can so I am guessing you will see many switches.

Once HC saw what L6 looked like, she did move DD up to L7 where her skills were very average. We weren't sandbagging! LOL

 

[munchkin3]

DD is not there yet, but from other parents say they need cast to almost handstand on bars, Free hip to above horizontal, and a flyaway dismount, preferably layed out.
FHS FT on floor, hopefully a switch leap and BHS-BLO or BHS BT
Beam BWO-BWO connected, or one BHS, full turns and leaps, and a dismount, FT, BT.
It seems that the dance part was a big deal too.... pretty dance and clean tumbling...

But, this is only what I have heard....I am just a parent, and I am SURE there are TONS of variations the coaches can come up with as alternatives, especially for someone coming off an injury.....sounds like your DD is almost there!!!

 

[gymmutti]

DD did KCHS, clearhip, squat on, KCHS to layout flyaway for bars. That scored very well - because she hit both handstands at nearly every meet.
Beam - no BHS - did BWO-BWO and FWO. CW-BT dismount
Floor - ROBHS BT, FH-FP, switch leap, wolf jump combo

 

[LizzieLac]

Just to be clear, on beam I don't think you do not need a series. A single BWO would meet the requirement as would a CW (I think).

Also, on floor you need one front salt0 - so a single FT would do it. And then back tumbling like BT is what you'll see. Only need the two passes.

 

[thefellowsmom]

My dd competed level 6 last season.

This is what she did and what I saw...

Floor

My dd did front tuck, robhsbt

Back tumbling was about half layouts half back tucks, front tumbling was half single front tucks half front handspring front tucks. Occasionally you would see a front pike.

You need one B. Most of our girls did a switch leap. My dd did a one and a half turn. A front pike would also work.

The things that differentiated good scoring routines from bad seemed mostly to be dynamics and amplitude. Having bigger skills didn't give a boost as long as you met the requirements but you gotta bring it.

Vault

never saw anything but a front handspring

Beam

My dd had a BHS but the vast majority of what I saw was single backwalkover.

Simple front tuck or cartwheel back tuck dismounts were the most popular.

A 180 degree leap or jump is required and a split jump is a B so that took care of that but only if you can meet the split requirement. A BHS and a press handstand are both bs as well.

Simple clean routines scored best. My dd regularly won beam with no connection. Her teammate with a similar routine but a BWO instead of BHS scored equally as well. They went one two all season.

Bars

The vast majority of routines resembled the level five routine without the baby giant and you must have smooth rhythm with no breaks which means you have to flyaway right out of a cast.

Bars was the kicker at this level. With cast angle deductions for anything less than vertical, rhythm deductions meaning no pausing at all and extra swing and cast deductions it was tough to score above a nine at this level.

We did see some giants, especially toward the end of the season and they did see higher scores, probably simply because you have to cast high to get a giant around for the most part so most had at least one cast close to handstand. Usually the bottom bar one was low and the top one high.

My dd would tell you it isn't as simple as having a cast handstand. You have to be able to clear hip and/or kip out of it and that is a whole other ball game.

Hope that was helpful. Good luck to your dd in her recovery and upcoming season.

 

[cbifoja]

Just to be clear, on beam I don't think you do not need a series. A single BWO would meet the requirement as would a CW (I think).

Also, on floor you need one front salt0 - so a single FT would do it. And then back tumbling like BT is what you'll see. Only need the two passes.

I also think you don't have to have flight....just an acro element.

 

[cassafrass]

The simple routines often scored highest. I can imagine what it would feel like to have a beam routine with simple mount, split jump, cartwheel, and front tuck dismount beat your routine with a press handstand mount, bwo bhs connection and gainer dismount. I saw that kind of thing happen often. My DD was one of the simple routine girls- the only upgraded/ level 7 thing she did was fhs-ft on floor and only did bwo on beam. She scored quite nicely for both at states getting 3rd for each. She was stoked with that accomplishment as she walked away from a few meets with her baby sis asking "where are all your medals?" I was glad she had the opportunity to compete optional routines after 4 years of compulsory and be competitive.

 

[raenndrops]

Just to be clear, on beam I don't think you do not need a series. A single BWO would meet the requirement as would a CW (I think).

Also, on floor you need one front salt0 - so a single FT would do it. And then back tumbling like BT is what you'll see. Only need the two passes.

We had 3 of our L6 do a CW on beam and score in the 9s. They also did running FT. They trained higher skills, but the goal was do the requirements cleanly, with style, and get off.

 

[pt coach]

We had a L6 last year with a beam routine that consisted of basically a cw, a split jump, a full turn and a front tuck dismount. She never fell, never wobbled and always scored around a 9.3 -9.4. Funny thing is that beam was what held her back from L7 but with that basic routine it was often one of her highest scoring events at L6.

 

[LizzieLac]

We had 3 of our L6 do a CW on beam and score in the 9s. They also did running FT. They trained higher skills, but the goal was do the requirements cleanly, with style, and get off.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that approach. At times, I do scratch my head and wonder why our girls ALWAYS have to compete harder skills at every level. But, I think I have mentioned this in other threads = it ingrains uptraining in the program. The girls are pushed beyond (reasonably I think) their comfort zone. The level 6s compete with level 7 skills and train level 8 skills as soon as they are ready. Yes, in comp, they have a much greater chance for deduction, but they are also building confidence for the next level. Our girls generally do not "chuck" skills either - we take time through compulsories and there is repeating. So far, it seems to be working, although one might argue that several of our 6s could probably compete 7. ;-)

 

[Clover]

Don't get me wrong, I understand that approach. At times, I do scratch my head and wonder why our girls ALWAYS have to compete harder skills at every level. But, I think I have mentioned this in other threads = it ingrains uptraining in the program. The girls are pushed beyond (reasonably I think) their comfort zone. The level 6s compete with level 7 skills and train level 8 skills as soon as they are ready. Yes, in comp, they have a much greater chance for deduction, but they are also building confidence for the next level. Our girls generally do not "chuck" skills either - we take time through compulsories and there is repeating. So far, it seems to be working, although one might argue that several of our 6s could probably compete 7. ;-)

LizzieLac - I think our gyms have similar philosophies. Our gym seems to require competition skills at L6 that many gyms would have competing L7. Not sure if the whole area is like this or it is just our gym. I guess I will find out come January!

 

[cbifoja]

We had a L6 last year with a beam routine that consisted of basically a cw, a split jump, a full turn and a front tuck dismount. She never fell, never wobbled and always scored around a 9.3 -9.4. Funny thing is that beam was what held her back from L7 but with that basic routine it was often one of her highest scoring events at L6.

Do you think it would have been in this gymnast's best interest to upgrade her simple, "safe" routine to have more risk but also be ready for L7?

I'm very on the fence about these different philosophies. I see value in competing your actual skill level rather than competing down for high scores. But I also understand the value of high scores and only competing what you've pretty much mastered.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I'm very on the fence about these different philosophies. I see value in competing your actual skill level rather than competing down for high scores. But I also understand the value of high scores and only competing what you've pretty much mastered.

We're still aways away from L6, but I feel the same. I'm split 50/50. DD was moved up to L4 with an elusive kip. She did her first meet last week, 8.0 on bars. Which wasn't bad, but all teammates (but one) got 9s. She felt okay about it. but for a moment I wished she had been repeating L3 and up on the podium with a huge smile. When it was over, and she was in a "good place", I was glad she's L4, and it can only get better (I hope! LOL). But I long for the levels when she wasn't skill-chasing, and was always confident...

 

[LizzieLac]

We're still aways away from L6, but I feel the same. I'm split 50/50. DD was moved up to L4 with an elusive kip. She did her first meet last week, 8.0 on bars. Which wasn't bad, but all teammates (but one) got 9s. She felt okay about it. but for a moment I wished she had been repeating L3 and up on the podium with a huge smile. When it was over, and she was in a "good place", I was glad she's L4, and it can only get better (I hope! LOL). But I long for the levels when she wasn't skill-chasing, and was always confident...

I am not really talking about skill-chasing, however. Our HC does not ask the kids to compete a skill that they don't have pretty darn solid. He has said that he doesn't want to be standing there on the competition floor wondering how things might go!

There has to be a happy medium in there, right?

 

[gymmomx2]

I am not really talking about skill-chasing, however. Our HC does not ask the kids to compete a skill that they don't have pretty darn solid. He has said that he doesn't want to be standing there on the competition floor wondering how things might go!

There has to be a happy medium in there, right?

I think the happy medium for me is:

1. If the kid has solid skills that are higher than the level requires, let them compete those skills...but
2. Do not REQUIRE the kids to have higher level skills than the level requires. Example, CW on beam is acceptable for L6, don't require them to have a BHS.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I am not really talking about skill-chasing, however. Our HC does not ask the kids to compete a skill that they don't have pretty darn solid. He has said that he doesn't want to be standing there on the competition floor wondering how things might go!

There has to be a happy medium in there, right?

True, for optionals it's not skill chasing. I do whole heartedly hope that when my DD hits L6 (if??? LOL!) she's not pushed to do skills that she's not mastered yet. Every meet we're wondering how things will go in L4...

I completely agree with @gymmomx2 about the happy medium

 

[cbifoja]

And it is so individual from girl to girl as well. Some gymnasts want to compete a skill as soon as it is pretty consistent while some girls refuse to move up or compete a skill until it is perfect. It really is a spectrum and each gymnast and coach and club fall somewhere on that spectrum.

 

[LizzieLac]

Couldn't agree more!^^^^

 

[raenndrops]

I think the happy medium for me is:

1. If the kid has solid skills that are higher than the level requires, let them compete those skills...but
2. Do not REQUIRE the kids to have higher level skills than the level requires. Example, CW on beam is acceptable for L6, don't require them to have a BHS.

I agree completely. Our L6 last year - none of our girls had a BHS. One of them competed her BWO because it was cleaner than her CW. Two of the CW girls have back problems and the last one knew it would be her last year on our team. She was going into high school, so this year, she will compete for the HS... Floor and vault mostly.
This year, we have 3 L6 repeaters and one is competing a BHS (if she gets it solid in time... if not, she will start with her BWO). The other 2 will compete CW(back problems... and one is also recovering from a knee injury from soccer). IF we move a couple girls up from L5 after they score out, they will be competing BWO because that is what they compete for the MS team and they will just be tweaking MS routines to fit L6.