Women Scores, compulsory vs. optionals

[roll123]

Do you think the optional levels generally have higher scoring? A few of our 5's just moved up to 6 and their 6 scores are already higher than they were getting in 5.

 

[HoldThePhone]

Our gym owner recently told me that 6 is too easy and our gym will likely consider doing 5 instead of 6 in the future.

 

[Seeker]

Wisely constructed L6 routines should score higher.

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

L5 doesn't have to be easier than L6..and many girls compete routines that would meet the L7 requirements in one or more events. However, if you competed L6 with the base level requirements, it certainly could be "easier". Based on choreography choices, a L6 routine should score higher than L5. If coaches use the minimum number of elements, and choose skills that highlight strengths and avoid weaknesses, the gymnast should be set up to score higher. Also (and probably more important) there are fewer required elements in the bar, beam and floor routines at L6 than at L5. That means there are fewer opportunities for deductions which equals a higher score.

 

[emilykatherine]

I think it might have something to do with the routine are still in the newer stage, judges not to sure on how to judge them quite yet, and some girls are just better at optionals, they can use skills that play to there strengths

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I don't think our gym does L6. And if they did they would use minimum requirements for better scores, which I guess is why they don't. They want you a strong five then to L7

 

[my4buffaloes]

I think it is natural for scores to rise in the lower optional levels because girls can now do what they are best at and can drop the skills they struggled with in compulsory (to some extent). But once you get to level 8 and up you have to be very good to get high scores because the skills are so dang hard. Level 6 and 7 I have found to be higher scoring and more "feel good" levels.

 

[mariposa]

My daughter hasn't scored higher in optionals. Could be because at her gym, they don't really have "optional" routines and therefore don't really play up a gymnast's strengths or downplay their weaknesses ad much as they could. I'm sure some kids do, especially if their gym didn't focus on all the little things that compulsories require, but I see posts here all the time about how you'll score higher on optionals and that hasn't been the case in my experience. Girls from other gyms that my daughter has completed with seem to be similar (those that scored high in compulsories score the same in optionals, those that were more average like my daughter score the same, maybe slight slightly higher). Only difference is gyms where they actually seem to treat optionals as optionals and don't have set standards for the levels. Most of the big gyms here you see similar skills from on each event and rarely see alternative skills.

 

[Dora Cola]

My DD scored well in compulsory and optionals. Of course there are always a few not so good meets.
Level 5 and 6 have the same requirements, however 5 is compulsory therefore you have to do same skills/routines. While in 6 you can pick which A's and B work better for a gymnast. I have always felt level 5 (old 6), being the highest compulsory level was hard scoring. I think the current 6 & 7 score great! If you did well in 5 skip the new 6 or even better score out of 5 and go to 6!

 

[gracyomalley]

In general, old 6/new 5 tends to be a hard level to score really well at - and new L6 pretty easy to be in the high 35s and up if the routines are well constructed. I did see a couple of teams at the last big meet we attended whose L6s were all doing the exact same routine/music, etc. Makes NO sense to me to do that in an optional level - as the point is to begin constructing routines with the elements a kid is best at while continuing to train the others....no reason everyone at that level should be "good" at the same dance, same exact tumbling, etc...although I guess if a team is simply scoring kids out of L5 and then using L6 as another "compulsory" level with easier requirements, that strategy might make some sense? There were definitely girls in that group who would be L5 or lower in our gym...based upon their tumbling.

For MOST gymnasts, it is easier to score a bit better at new 6 and 7 than at the highest levels of compulsory...but not all. Form, if a significant issue, will continue to be and keep kids from scoring really well. Especially in Level 7 there are some skills that are definitely score changers (cast handstands and circling elements on bars, series on beam come to mind). But in general, there are less little details to get dinged on. In my experience its very hard NOT to make state/ move up at these levels...but I agree that Level 8 and up are a different thing altogether - especially 9+ (a really strong L7 can be an average L8 without much added....).

 

[vagymmomma]

Agree with above. L6 and L7 - scores generally jump (I think the ability to pick skills and elimination of the requirement to exactly perform set routines is key).

L8 and above is a different ball game though (especially L9+).

 

[UnoMas]

5 seems to be very tough. (Old) 6 was my DD's lowest scoring year by FAR. Other than that year her scores have been similar in compulsories and optionals.

 

[raenndrops]

L5 doesn't have to be easier than L6..and many girls compete routines that would meet the L7 requirements in one or more events. However, if you competed L6 with the base level requirements, it certainly could be "easier". Based on choreography choices, a L6 routine should score higher than L5. If coaches use the minimum number of elements, and choose skills that highlight strengths and avoid weaknesses, the gymnast should be set up to score higher. Also (and probably more important) there are fewer required elements in the bar, beam and floor routines at L6 than at L5. That means there are fewer opportunities for deductions which equals a higher score.

And... there are no TEXT deductions in L6 SO, once again, fewer opportunities for deductions.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

And... there are no TEXT deductions in L6 SO, once again, fewer opportunities for deductions.

I have heard tell of these text deductions...what exactly are they? Thanks!

 

[GymRays]

In compulsories you must do the routine By the Book.... So if you do a arm motion or leg kick not the why its written....its a text error. Very very detailed.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

In compulsories you must do the routine By the Book.... So if you do a arm motion or leg kick not the why its written....its a text error. Very very detailed.

Thanks. Then it is VERY good my kid is not doing compulsories! Lol

 

[raenndrops]

I have heard tell of these text deductions...what exactly are they? Thanks!

Example... Level 3 has both a handstand-bridge-kickover and a handstand-forward roll... If you do them in reverse order (do the forward roll first and the bridge-kickover second - like in the OLD L4 routine), then it is a deduction where in Xcel and L6+ the order of the passes doesn't matter.
If a turn is to be in passé and you do it in coupé, it is a deduction.
If your arms are to start in forward middle and raise to crown and your gymnast doesn't do it EXACTLY like that, it is a deduction.

It is the nit-picky (non-form related deductions they take because perfection in the compulsory routines has been established).

 

[Aero]

I like to think of it in this way: learning a compulsory routine is like covering a famous song on piano, and you play it exactly the same way. It is a faithful and accurate recreation of the original song. However, learning an optional routine is like covering that same song, but putting your own artistic spin on it, with tasteful changes that reflect your own musical style.

 

[GymRays]

I like to think of it in this way: learning a compulsory routine is like covering a famous song on piano, and you play it exactly the same way. It is a faithful and accurate recreation of the original song. However, learning an optional routine is like covering that same song, but putting your own artistic spin on it, with tasteful changes that reflect your own musical style.

The metaphors are strong with this one.