WAG Should gold medals be awarded first or last?

[NutterButter]

In 4 years of meets I've never been to one where 1st place was given out first. I didn't even know this was an option. It seems odd to do it that way.

I like it when they do all age groups in an event. It creates more momentum for the oldest age group.

 

[suebee]

I don't care much, although I also like awards to be done per event too.

But I think many of the traditional reasons for saying first place last don't apply to gymnastics meets. My non-gymmie does a competitive non-athletic activity. He finds out his own score prior to the awards, but everyone else's' score is not public until after awards. So no one has any idea who has won or placed until awards. In that situation, calling first last seems to make sense because every competitor thinks they have a chance at first, and again in these situations only 3 kids place.

 

[Vivianflips]

I prefer first place first, I like suspense but it's more logistical in my opinion not to have kids climbing over each other to get to the top of the podium. I too wish awards were shorter! After I'm done competing I'm just ready to go home and have something to eat. This is especially after today when awards lasted over 30 minutes with me being in the oldest and last age group!

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

We only go six places. previously it was place 6-1 during the year and 1-6 with overall called before events at states!!! - absolute joy/suspense killer and caught everyone off guard - 'oh is that the overall already'
We now generally go 6-1 at regular competitions or use our states system which is 3,2,1, 4,5,6 , the kids on the podium get a little suspense and more time up there. With 4-6 last they are usually happy they got something, and everyone still on the floor is hoping that they scrapped in with something.

I like the marching out with medals on already idea for when you hand out so many medals.

 

[Ausi_poppet]

Interesting to read this view, in the UK the majority of comps only have 3 awards, per age per apparatus.
I went to one where dds group had competed over 3 different time blocks and we had to be back for awards later (no idea what went on in the other 2 comp blocks until we went back), then it was about 10-15mins - girls all marched out onto floor, given participation medal and cert as they walked on, sat down and 3rd, 2nd and 1st announced for each apparatus called out and given their award medals then the AA was given a trophy.
So for me, gold medals get awarded last.

That's how it is here in Australia, except there's no participation ribbons or certificates. Where there are a couple of divisions within a competition, they just award from the youngest up. Last year my gymnast had to return 12 hours after her competition for awards at a couple of events. For some of our state team competitions, the kids can be required to come back the next day for awards. It's what you get used to I suppose.

 

[JBS]

Respect...1st place goes up last

 

[duyetanh]

I don't care one way or the other, so I asked my child.
She made me laugh out loud:
"Mom, who cares how they do the awards. It's the COMPETING that matters!"

 

[Taurus]

We do 1st first and so on and so on.. bc of the meet apps, we all pretty much know what everyone has placed (they all hunch around a phone looking at the placements- so no real drama or suspense)

 

[skschlag]

My answer was going to be 1st first, until tonight's state meet. Watching the older level 10s..and the 1st place person would walk the line shaking hands with each person was so incredible. So, 1st last...

 

[gymmomtoo]

Prefer the suspense. Most meets have been that way for us

 

[raenndrops]

I don't care much, although I also like awards to be done per event. But I think many of the traditional reasons for saying first place last don't apply to gymnastics meets. My non-gymmie does a competitive non-athletic activity. He finds out his own score prior to the awards, but everyone else's' score is not public until after awards. So no one has any idea who has won or placed until awards. In that situation, calling first last seems to make sense because every competitor thinks they have a chance at first, and again in these situations only 3 kids place.

Our meets only flash scores by hand - no live scoring, no board to see a score you may have missed... so the girls dont know who placed where.
Our podiums are only top 3 with 4-12 standing on the floor, so there isn't a lot of climbing over someone to get to the top.
We do 12th first and work our way to first.
One meet we go to does first first, but also says keep quiet and don't cheer for your gymnast until they salute and they go thru the names so fast, that there is no time for good pics.

 

[Ali'sMom]

I like 1st place last. And I definitely prefer when they say the score for each girl, so I know if DD even has a chance. I get very excited when they call 4th place and it's still lower than hers - LOL! I"m like "OMG! Top 3!" (truth be told I was thrilled when 11th place AA was lower, and I was laughing "Yay! Top 10!" out of 15... she took it in stride...it was a very tough meet)

 

[mobeans]

I am in the "save the best for last" camp. That doesn't mean other places aren't important . My DD has coveted each and every medal she has received regardless of place. However, there is something about that element of surprise.

We've seen it done all different ways...my least favorite is when they are lined up out of sight, distributed their medals/trophies, and as their name and place is announced they come out. I think that takes away that surprise I enjoy watching on their little faces when they get called up.

 

[Splat]

I like the suspense of first place being last but, you need to make sure it works with the podium. You don't want people climbing around each other to get to there spot plus, for older kids it's super hard to get past each other if the steps are small or close together. I went to one me where the older girls have to stand on every other step because they were so close that even the younger kids were having problems.

 

[GymDad9.9]

I like the suspense of first place being last but, you need to make sure it works with the podium. You don't want people climbing around each other to get to there spot plus, for older kids it's super hard to get past each other if the steps are small or close together. I went to one me where the older girls have to stand on every other step because they were so close that even the younger kids were having problems.

Reminds me of the old adage, small kids, small podiums; big kids, big podiums.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I like whatever gets me home earlier.

 

[JMACAZ]

DD says 1st place last. I say 1st place 1st. We both agree on going through all age groups per event

 

[MILgymFAM]

My DD said it really doesn't matter because everyone knows how they placed before they even get to awards most of the time- people are on mso at the meets. She said awards ceremonies are for parents to take pics.

I agree that awards can take entirely too long, so whatever moves it along is great. I understand the concept of saving first for last, but in reality that means that first is almost always barely daily red before they are rushed off the podium. I stand by a previous assertion that there should just be fewer awards overall. Top three regardless of group size and done.

 

[Committed]

I stand by a previous assertion that there should just be fewer awards overall. Top three regardless of group size and done.

I'm okay with fewer awards, for sure, but I'm not sure I would go as few as top 3. That really would keep the same top AA kids medaling.

Maybe go to top 5, which is what the majority of podiums I see are built to.

 

[ProudDad]

I am a first called last fan... I just wish they would be consistent with the stage setup... I have seen just floor level signs, stairstep podiums, staggered levels, sequential left-right and right-left, and seen odd-even with #1 in the middle - and that was just in one season . When the girls are all completely unsure of where the heck they are supposed to go or stand it makes it that much longer and takes away some of the focus from what they have just accomplished.