WAG XCEL Gold Judges, Help

[gymdog]

These posts bring up so many questions for me I'm really not sure where to start.

But the bottom line is, surely you must realize that those skills are all many of those kids CAN do, right? The Xcel program was devised to provide an alternative pathway that would cater to the strengths of children who are into intending to pursue the JO level program.

As far as your daughter's skills, I'm left wondering why she wouldn't be competing level 4 or 5 this year, but that is neither here nor there. I would be curious to hear what her Xcel routines are. It doesn't sound like you know a lot about gymnastics, so you really haven't convinced me that such a skill discrepancy actually exists.

You seem hung up on the diving issue, but the simple way to explain the discrepancy here is that in diving, it's basically an age group competition. Kids need to have a certain number of dives to compete, so I guess there is a level in that sense because otherwise they'd need to do the recreational summer programs. In USA Gymnastics, the closest thing to age group competition (which we really don't have, per se, but the closest thing) is the JO level program. Right now your daughter is not competing in that division. In my state, the summer leagues have a compiler thing in diving. Kids with a certain number of dives compete in a more competitive division, and kids who aren't suited for that compete in another one that is more relaxed, requires less dives, and kind of just caters to what they can do. Your daughter is competing in that program right now.

Lastly, I would suggest that you become a gymnastics coach. If you're interested, there is an opportunity out there for you.

 

[gymdog]

Also, slightly off topic but to the person who said her daughter needed a second acro because her BWO BT counts only as a dismount, that's not true. If her feet start and finish on the beam, it counts as a back walkover on the beam, and also as a dismount. I don't know the silver rules enough to know whether she needs the handstand for something else (maybe another A). I actually thought they couldn't do the walkover until Gold anyway, so shows how much I know.

 

[Mish]

How did you guys find the you tube Channel? I'm intrigued by the basement tumble track

 

[duyetanh]

not sure if op will return to this thread or not, but if you do, i did find your youtube channel and your dd is indeed a talented little girl. i suspect, though, that based on the elaborate basement gym set up including a tumble track, and your spotting skills and such, that you might be a little too invested and take the scoring a little too personally?

my final thought to leave you with is try to not sweat these scores and definitely use it as a time to teach your dd that gymnastics is not the 5 days a year spent at meets- its the other 200 days a year spent in the gym doing what she loves. my daughter is competing level 7 now and has competed in both xcel and jo. with each year and new level, it tends to shuffle the girls in terms of placement so it is good to have your dd be used to scoring and placing both high and low. it will serve her well in future. best wishes!

Link please...I too am curious...

 

[Mish]

Link please...I too am curious...

Ah, was easy. Just put OPs screen name into you tube.

 

[Uppity]

I'm a diving coach.

Diving is the same. I would never have a child compete a front double over a clean 1.5 pike. I don't know about your scoring over there but here dives to feet rarely score above a 5/6. You just can't get the clean entry.

I work doubles in training, as eventually they will need to compete a 2.5 once they move up the levels/age groups.

It's called up training. You compete your clean dives, you train new ones until they will score as high.

I have seen many divers with relatively low difficulty win against those throwing the skills because their dives are clean, simple, and "rip". That will always beat a diver with fancy difficulty that is slightly over or under rotated, even by a fraction. I have also seen, many times, divers throw a big skill and get it wrong, losing the competition.

If you enter a competition and know you don't get difficulty bonus, you keep it as simple as possible. Throwing in big skills because you can leaves you open to more deductions with no benefit, so why do it? Like I said, it doesn't stop you training the bigger skills so they're ready to go when you move up.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

^^^^That is rather how I would think diving goes.

 

[momof2gymmies]

Also, slightly off topic but to the person who said her daughter needed a second acro because her BWO BT counts only as a dismount, that's not true. If her feet start and finish on the beam, it counts as a back walkover on the beam, and also as a dismount. I don't know the silver rules enough to know whether she needs the handstand for something else (maybe another A). I actually thought they couldn't do the walkover until Gold anyway, so shows how much I know.

That is my DD. Thank you. I thought the same thing, but she swears that is what her coaches told her. She's happy with her routine and actually does the handstand and walkover beautifully - it's all the jumps and turns that she needs to work on. Most of our silvers do a bwo, so def allowed in silver. She competed it last year as well.

 

[gymbeam]

Ah, was easy. Just put OPs screen name into you tube.

Yep, add word "gymnastics" and it's even easier.

 

[gymbeam]

At the risk of really coming off stalkerish, it's also pretty easy to see the professional photos of her recent gold meet. I really think those meet photographers should have to password protect their albums.

 

[Ali'sMom]

At the risk of really coming off stalkerish, it's also pretty easy to see the professional photos of her recent gold meet. I really think those meet photographers should have to password protect their albums.

I was thinking the same thing, but, theoretically, nobody would be looking by name if the name wasn't totally out there. Here I thought I was on the border of lack-of-anonymity with my screen name. Go ahead Google "Ali" all you want. Don't get me wrong, I have possibly put enough info out here somewhere for someone to be able to find my daughter on mymeetscores, but you won't find her anywhere else...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

She placed well in L1 and L3, not fully stellar or near perfect, but good.

 

[Muddlethru]

To OP,

If your ultimate goal for your daughter and your purported desire to help other gymnast to be the highest scoring, best gymnast in Level 3, then your concerns, passion and quest to make changes are valid. But if you want her to reach Level 10, do college gym or even be in the national team (which is a slim chance for even the best gymnasts in the country), know that no one will care how she does in Level 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and even 9. Though it is exciting for the parents, the girls, the gyms, the coaches to see a gymnast in any level do well, as you get to the higher levels, 9 and 10 perhaps, you'll realize no one really looks or cares about how a gymnast did in those levels because it does not mean much.

 

[ROMfan]

What I want to add--having looked at some of the videos such as 6 yr old's kip learned in the basement-- is what immediately strikes me is the form issues.

She is doing a very bent armed kip. its very hard to unlearn bad habits. That's the danger with all the at home learning big skills.

Not to mention you skipped her out of the compulsory levels, where though she may have been "bored" as you say, would have provided the form foundation needed to successfully advance, and to compete/win against others who have better form.

Judges (and those who love to watch gymnastics) would much rather see a beautifully executed back walkover on the beam --full split, pointed toes, T shape in and out--than see a harder back handspring with an undercut or open legs or bent knees ...etc.... Just an example. But you get the picture.

You chose a track that is known for its wide range of skills in a level. Given your mindset, compulsories may have been a better choice. But you say your concern is all the kids--they go into Xcel knowing that there is a minimum skill per level and a maximum skill per level. They choose what to compete, and they all start from 10. Make your routine accordingly, or move up a level.

Truthfully, having seen your daughter--she needs work on form. That will get those tenths. She is talented. Just needs that attention to detail.

And if she ever gets far enough, higher levels get difficulty bonus, and FIG scoring is completely skill-difficulty based

 

[NutterButter]

On FB she comments that Xcel Gold is a combination of L5 and L6. It is not. I wonder why she thinks this? And maybe that's why she is so adamant on what she perceives to be a discrepancy of skills? Maybe (maybe?) if I believed Gold was equivalent to L5 or L6 and then saw L3/L4 skills I would be confused. It is clear that she does not understand the program her DD is part of. I remember her posting awhile back about Xcel around the time that her DD was switching over...can't remember the specifics though. I would be curious to know if her gym steered her into Xcel. She is hoping her DD will compete L6 or L7 next year. Based on the pictures from the recent meet, her form on beam/floor will need a lot of cleaning up if she is going to be competitive.

OP - Please consider some of the feedback you've gotten on this thread. Especially regarding the home gym. Also consider whether her current training will be able to get her to the highest level (if that's what you desire). Do a google search and look at videos of state champs and other podium finishers in L4 - L7. What you will see is impeccable form. Your DD has loads of talent. Make sure you are educated on what she needs to fully realize her talent.

 

[Flyaway]

At the risk of really coming off stalkerish, it's also pretty easy to see the professional photos of her recent gold meet. I really think those meet photographers should have to password protect their albums.

It's pretty obvious she wants her videos seen. All of them are titled with the age of her child and the amazing skill they are doing at said age. Everyone who is trying to get their kid noticed knows the younger the kid is when doing harder skills, the more attention they get, even if it's unsafe or lacking form.

 

[gymbeam]

It's pretty obvious she wants her videos seen. All of them are titled with the age of her child and the amazing skill they are doing at said age. Everyone who is trying to get their kid noticed knows the younger the kid is when doing harder skills, the more attention they get, even if it's unsafe or lacking form.

oh yeah. op is definitely ok with putting her daughter out there intentionally for gymnastics, modeling, diving, etc... which is why i didn't see any harm in mentioning all of it here.

i just meant in general that it would be a good policy for photographers who are posting children's photos online to use passwords. that's how it was done at our most recent meet and i was grateful for that. i just discovered that when i google my daughter's name, there is one public album from a meet several years ago that comes up. i don't really like that. not enough to, like, contact them and ask for it to be removed, but it still just kinda rubs me the wrong way.

 

[fuzi]

I think we need to lay this thread to rest.

 

[Flyaway]

oh yeah. op is definitely ok with putting her daughter out there intentionally for gymnastics, modeling, diving, etc... which is why i didn't see any harm in mentioning all of it here.

i just meant in general that it would be a good policy for photographers who are posting children's photos online to use passwords. that's how it was done at our most recent meet and i was grateful for that. i just discovered that when i google my daughter's name, there is one public album from a meet several years ago that comes up. i don't really like that. not enough to, like, contact them and ask for it to be removed, but it still just kinda rubs me the wrong way.

Yeah I get that. It IS surprising. Most photographers I know password protect their online albums. I think it would be worth an email honestly.

 

[gymbeam]

I think we need to lay this thread to rest.

why?