What Would You Like To Change In Gymnastics?

[lannamavity]

I used to have an issue with dance bonus/values and tumbling bonus/values in Womens Gymnastics, but it all washes out in the end.

You can't just plug a tuck jump double (D in the JO code...WORTHLESS in the FIG code) into a men's floor routine, add up the score, and say that it's too easy. It's not that simple.

There are tumbling special requirements and compositional deductions to deal with a girl who comes along and does +.5 in dance bonus and a few A and B tumbling skills. Level 10s have to have a minimum C salto in their last pass (.5 special requirement), and there is a "tumbling not up to the level", "lack of progressive distribution" and "lack of forward/side or backward saltos" deduction built into the code. Any athlete below Level 10 really doesn't get anything for doing a D dance skill anyway...Level 9's get a C and 8's get a deduction.

You kind of have to read the rules to see how the values work. A "D" jump or leap really isn't THAT valuable in JO gymnastics, and the truth is, that a kid who just chucks one of those jumps in a routine just leaves a bad impression, and accentuates what they obviously can't do...tumble.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I think thats where we are getting some confusion with the value of skills. The JO code is different to the FIG code. I don't know much about the JO code because in my country all levels use the FIG code.

In the FIG code, a double back tuck is a C for women and a double twisting tuck jump is a B.

 

[bogwoppit]

I also think the rules should accommodate specialists, like the men's rules do. I have known at least a couple girls who loved one event, but quit because they didn't like another. Allowing specialists would help keep kids in the sport. For example, all those girls who quit and do cheer leading instead could be floor specialists.

Now this is a great idea GT! In our school system you can qualify to Provincials (States) on one apparatus, you do not have to compete all four. This means that girls who are awesome on floor can get there even is they suck on vault.

In our civile system you won't get to provincials unless you are a strong all rounder, and I mean a very strong one. My DD group has 276 girls in it, only 32 will go to provincials.

I would like beam to be longer as you go up the levels, give a chance for more balance moves, right now the elites seem to have no time. As for more tumbling, right now most elites are doing four or five runs, that's plenty for me. I is called MAG and WAG for a reason.

 

[lannamavity]

The last post brings up the one thing I would change...

All athletes should be required to compete AA. The 6-5-5 format should be standard (or a version depending on number of athletes on teams ie. 5-4-4 or 4-3-3).

That's what the sport was based on...the ability to perform on all events. As an athlete, I definitely had events I struggled on, as well as some which we very easy for me. That's life...and I dealt with it.

"...or they will quit..." is not a good reason for opening the sport to specialists. How far is the sport supposed to change to "keep kids in?"

The truth is, girls who are "specialists" in WAG are gymnasts who can't do bars...with very few exceptions.

There are other sports which don't require bars: rhythmic, tumbling, cheer, etc.

Specialists water down the AA competition as well as the team competition.