MAG Scoring errors question

[Deleted member 10727]

My lvl 4 went to a competition this last weekend and he did great. He did his floor routine and I noticed he was hesitant for various reason. He still made all of his skills AND all bonuses. When he finished, I was satisfied we'd be pleased with his score and I thought he nailed it. I didn't think it was perfect, but I'd been observing other kids and I thought he did really well. A good portion of the kids I saw did very basic routines, not as clean, etc...

The other level 4 parents and I waited for the scores and waited... and noticed that kids who'd gone after ours were coming up. One of the other parents asked what was up (I wouldn't have!), and they said there was a glitch. 1/2 hour later, the score for that event suddenly popped up with our kids' names. My son got a really low score, very low for him in particular. I was shocked. Honestly. I looked over at my son and saw he saw, and he looked so sad.
I asked the coach if he saw and he said he did. He said all of my son's skills were there and he didn't understand it either. I explained it might be a glitch, but the coach said he said he didn't want to make waves. I decided it's only level 4, so I needed to let it go.

However, my son brought it up after the competition and actually all dang weekend, bugging and bugging about it. He didn't understand, because he got 1st on floor in his age group at his last competition. He wouldn't let up. I told him scores aren't what matter. He said he wanted to place for it. He kept asking, why? I tried all every angle possible to get his mind off it, including gymnastics isn't about scores, but ninja skills (he loves that).

His persistence bugged me enough though, that tonight I looked up his scores and saw he placed LAST in his age group! How is that possible when other kids could barely RO, but he could RO/BHS with fairly good form? He had bonuses no other kid could do in any age group. I know I need to let this go, but what if it IS a glitch? What is the normal protocol? Can the coach go up to the judge if this happens again in the future and say something? My son cares about this stuff, whether I or you or anyone wants him not to care. How do I help him accept a score when he doesn't think it's fair? He was fine with every other score, including vault which was average.

P.S. Totally willing to share his floor routine video. Just PM me.

 

[wallinbl]

Can the coach go up to the judge if this happens again in the future and say something?

Not sure if men's is different, but DD's coaches will ask when they think a score isn't what they expected. I'm not sure why they ask, though, as their take on it is always "She shouldn't be allowed to judge. She doesn't know what she's talking about".

 

[Mom2twingymnasts]

If a score seems way off, I know my son's coach talks to the judge to understand the score. At my son's meet yesterday, my son's coach questioned his pommel horse score and the judge had missed a bonus. My son's score was corrected by a whole point. It is too late now to do anything about your son's score. I think you should tell your son that it was clearly a mistake and that it will be clear at his next meet what his floor score should be. Let him know that you know he is a champion. Good luck!! I don't think my son would let it go either.

 

[MaryA]

Yes, it sounds like the glitch in the score board translated into scores getting assigned wrong or something. Just tell your son you are pretty sure that is what happened, and that, in this case, you, your son, and his coach know how well he did, and that will have to be enough for now. Hopefully next time the coach will speak up.

 

[Seeker]

Agree with the others, but definitely -- if it happens again, the coach should say something at the time. Yes, it's Level 4 and in the grand scheme the score doesn't really matter, but if there is an issue with how certain skills are being done, order, bonus, etc., that would be something the coach would want to know. I have a DD, but we have been at the same meets with our boys team and I have seen coaches make judging inquiries. I just think it's better to know...this instance sounds like there was an issue getting scores assigned to the right athlete, which probably could have been corrected if it had been addressed immediately. I'm sorry your son is upset...my DD would be too!!

 

[Deleted member 10727]

Thank you. I really felt the coach needed to say something and was very surprised when he didn't. He said he didn't "want to burn bridges". I didn't see how inquiring would have burnt any bridges and I kept watching for him during the rest of the meet, thinking he would do the right thing and get that score corrected. When he didn't, I didn't know what to say. Granted the meet was super fast paced and that particular judge didn't have a free moment till it was over. I am 100% certain there was an error in the scoring though.

 

[Quadqueen]

That really stinks . Our coach will approach judges if the score seems way off, and in this case, not just harsh, but in error. It seems like the judges are more "approachable" at the boys meets we've been to, too.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

I need to discuss this with the coach. I'm not sure how to do it... I did briefly at the meet, but as my husband said, he was not very receptive. I want to feel like he has my son's back in obvious cases of errors like this.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

in womans, you can't approach the judge officially. mens is more informal and we ask all the time. he could have asked. but i agree that it's not worth it at level 4. and my experience has shown me that for every "underscore" that comes up, 3 overscores will happen also. you take the good with the bad in gymnastics when it has to do with scores.

 

[wandrewsjr]

I would encourage you to drop it. Competitions are run by human beings, and mistakes happen. As the mother in another thread described so well(whose daughter has had to deal with competing in the wrong age group for over a year), the patience and sportsmanship lessons your child can learn from dealing with these mistakes gracefully is a much bigger and long-lasting life lesson than the very fleeting glory of getting a medal on floor at one level 4 competition.

 

[skschlag]

I think I like the way level 4 is handled at most meets here. There are no scores flashed. Kids receive ribbons at their event (Blue, red, white, green, yellow). AA is the same way. They call up all the blue ribbon aa, etc. No scores, except at maybe 1 meet a year.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

I agree with the ribbon system. It was that way last year and before, I've been told. My kid did compete once last year and he really liked the ribbons. I also agree about letting it go. I asked the coach about it today. He thinks my son's card was switched, and I asked he speak to my kid. He did and my son was satisfied - Finally!