All-Star Match Play Order Choice

[Morgankay88]

The American Celebration, put on by American Championships, in SLC, UT it is a match play nationals. The gist (in case you have never heard of match play): Everyone competes, they do awards for that division and announce 3rd place and below. They announce the top 2 teams, but don't announce which was 1st and which was 2nd. Those two teams' scores are thrown out. They go warm up again. Then they walk out shake hands and do a coin flip. Whatever team wins the coin flip chooses if they go first or second. Then one team goes and the other team sits along the side of the floor and then they switch. Then the winner is announced.

So my question is... Would you choose your team to go first or second if they won the coin toss?

As coaches we have had mixed feelings about this. I first think well you want to be the last routine in the judges mind. But then I think of any of my mental girls... and I feel it could itimidate them to watch the other team first. And vise versa, you go first and do an amazing routine and then the other team could feel intimidated. Then I think that I could also be overthinking it. So what is your opinion?

Last year and the year before that, we either won the coin toss and the girls choose to go 2nd or lost the coin toss and went 2nd. So we haven't ever gone first in the match play nationals.

Thanks!

 

[Zinger_bebe]

Hmmmm...I can certainly see it both ways. I think I would choose to go second. Fresh in the judges mind and motivated to work even harder than the first team to be the best! Just out of curiousity, how did going second both times work for your team? if it didn't work I would definitely consider going first this time!

 

[Morgankay88]

Hmmmm...I can certainly see it both ways. I think I would choose to go second. Fresh in the judges mind and motivated to work even harder than the first team to be the best! Just out of curiousity, how did going second both times work for your team? if it didn't work I would definitely consider going first this time!

The first year both teams that made it into match play won. The second year only one team made it into match play and they got 2nd.

 

[chrisvcauthority]

I'm excited for this comp. VCA is making the trip this year and we're bringing our whole program. I love the whole match play idea, very cool

 

[luvhim381]

We have this in Florida. Put on by same competition brand. It's a really great idea, it's just suuuuuuuuuuuuper long.

 

[Morgankay88]

I'm excited for this comp. VCA is making the trip this year and we're bringing our whole program. I love the whole match play idea, very cool

You will LOVE it! It is very entertaining and motivating. Everyone loved it... parents, athletes, and coaches.

 

[Morgankay88]

We have this in Florida. Put on by same competition brand. It's a really great idea, it's just suuuuuuuuuuuuper long.

That's true. It is a very very long day!

 

[ssccxnce]

this sounds so sick i love the idea, personally i would always want to go first leave your impression and heart on the floor and leave it for the 2nd team to clean up haha

 

[imrichhowboutu]

Thats really cool. I would love to go!

And I would pick second. I always tend to watch the other teams when they go and it doesn't phase me.

 

[BlueCat]

Strategically, there is a slight advantage to going second, IMO. If the first team makes numerous mistakes, then you could potentially opt to water down your routine, knowing that you didn't need as high a score to win.

 

[tumbleyoda]

It depends on the mentality and heart of your team. If they are great under pressure, don't get psyched out (or get hero worship eyes - oh they are so good we will never beat them) watching their competition warm up, then perform perform second. Plus as BlueCat said you can potentially water down your routine, or just go in knowing they have to hit the routine and they should win. If they are new to that type of situation, are not as good under pressure, has more of a mindset of "will we hit" as opposed to "we will hit" or has the "I cant believe we are competing against _______ they are so good AHHHH" mindest then perform first.

 

[Morgankay88]

Strategically, there is a slight advantage to going second, IMO. If the first team makes numerous mistakes, then you could potentially opt to water down your routine, knowing that you didn't need as high a score to win.

Great idea about watering down the routine, except you have no time after the first team performs. They literally finish and your athletes stand from the side of the mat and set up for their routine. So as a coach you don't get to talk to them. If that makes sense. I guess with older teams you could prepare them for that and they could handle deciding. But with younger teams could you imagine the disaster haha.

 

[Gym D]

Strategically, there is a slight advantage to going second, IMO. If the first team makes numerous mistakes, then you could potentially opt to water down your routine, knowing that you didn't need as high a score to win.

The team that wins isn't by score, it's by judges choice... you get into matchplay by score (top two). A team with less difficulty can still win, but a team that has a harder routine and has a mistake can also still win.

 

[Morgankay88]

The team that wins isn't by score, it's by judges choice... you get into matchplay by score (top two). A team with less difficulty can still win, but a team that has a harder routine and has a mistake can also still win.

That is true.. I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Drkilluzionz]

The team that wins isn't by score, it's by judges choice... you get into matchplay by score (top two). A team with less difficulty can still win, but a team that has a harder routine and has a mistake can also still win.

I opted out of the event in FL this year due to the amount of subjectivity that lies within the final results. In a previous experience my team beat team X on the score sheet in about 4 out of 6 categories but came in second b/c the judges felt they were more "exciting."

In response to the original question, we normally choose to go first...just a matter of intimidation and not having to sit through your competitors routine before throwing yours.