As a coach I find myself bouncing back and forth between what is going to look perfect or hit 10 out of 10 times, to trying to add difficulty even though the execution may not be perfect! What do you go for execution or difficulty....obviously both would be nice
I judge about 20 events, including about 6 Worlds qualifiers a year. From what I see your odds are better focusing on execution.
Thanks Andre, I have always felt that way too but we are a Jam Brands gym and I feel they make it very difficult to focus on technique and execution when were worried about hitting all the difficulty to top out score sheet! So confused!
Sad thing is I am a judge as well and I always tell teams exicution but can't seem to follow that rule with my own program!
I'm a judge. EXECUTION, EXECUTION, EXECUTION! I would much rather see 6 solid straight up extensions, than 10 sloppy janky wobbly double ups to stretch.
It seems different companies look for different things. I honestly think there should be a good mix of both, but if you are going to throw the difficulty you still need to execute the skills well. Nothing more frustrating than Team A going straight up and clean while Team B has full ups with maybe a small bobble. Always easier to be super clean if you are super easy. You don't see the crowds gather to watch the routine that is just clean. Looking for the visuals and the excitement of hitting that difficult skill.
I agree - with Jam Brands, you get a really detailed scoring grid... but the downside is that you know that you can't score as high with simple, cleanly-executed skills than you can with more-difficult-yet-janky skills. I've had more than one judge tell me that they automatically score execution lower for lower-level skills (for example, for a level 1 rec team that has absolutely no kids with front/back walkovers but can do mean, nearly-perfectly executed team forward rolls out of jumps, I've been told (by a judge, not a Jam Brands employee, mind you, so I don't know if it is company policy) that they will automatically not score execution for front rolls higher than a 6. Period. Just because they're lower-level skills. To my mind, that's ... a bit silly. Why have both a difficulty and an execution section if you're going to judge execution based on difficulty?)
Execution, Execution, Execution!!!!! But I also know that for some reason as a coach I really like to get that difficulty in there too!!
I hear you but I really hate to see a level 5 team put up level 3 stunts and double out of them. I saw at Cheersport a team put up some straight up stunts and then had people faking high highs and still scored well. They were clean and would have been amazing if they were level 3. (btw they were not in my cp's divsion) I think some things should be required to make it level 5!!! Then whoever hits it the cleanest wins!!!!
As a parent...I would prefer my team to look clean and not a hot mess... BUT if your goal is winning you're not going to win by being simple yet clean and you need difficulty, it seems.
This. Forever and ever amen. I was recently told that my level 2 would never score a perfect difficulty for basket (straight rides only hello) no matter what---unless they're as high as a coed lv 5 team. Huh? Excuse me, so no matter how perfect their body positions or how much reasonable height they get they'll NEVER score a perfect difficulty? Difficulty is the skill correct? Execution is the height and body positions correct? Yes BUT......ok I am SO confused. Whatever.
My sister was a gymnast and my daughter is in competitive cheer. I noticed that getting her handsprings better in form has helped her move faster along with tucks and layouts, and I think the ultimate goal of throwing fulls needs to have well executed form. This might not pay off at the beginning of competitions but I think will make a difference in the long run!
