CODE OF POINTS Blocks Program Produced and Published By: USA Gymnastics 132 E. Washington St Suite 700 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Author: Sarah Thomas National Junior Olympic Committee Chair Editors: Sarah Thomas Carisa Laughon Program Committee Chair Acrobatic Gymnastics Representative to the Board of Directors Copyright Ó 2017 by USA Gymnastics All rights reserved. Use of this publication is expressly subject to the USA Gymnastics TERMS OF USE, a copy of which appears on the USA Gymnastics website under Acrobatic, Administration. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from USA Gymnastics. All requests for permission should be made in writing to: USA Gymnastics 132 E. Washington St., Suite 700 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Program Director: Ryan Ward For more information on USA Gymnastics, membership in USA Gymnastics, or the Acrobatic Gymnastics program, please visit www.usagym.org or contact the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Director, Ryan Ward (rward@usagym.org).
Blocks Program Code of Points A. Introduction The Competitive Block Program is a coordinated program that is used to promote athlete participation within the Acrobatic Gymnastics discipline, and develop athletic skill within many gymnastics disciplines. This program is based on the Acrobatic Gymnastics Code of Points and FIG Table of Difficulty. This program upholds the belief that all athletes must have a solid foundation of basic skills and supports this mindset by implementing three levels of difficulty: novice, intermediate, and advanced levels. B. Purpose I. Retain athletes who lose Acrobatic Gymnastics partnerships II. Provide opportunity for athlete competition for those who do not have partners III. Strengthen overall athletic abilities in the sport of Acrobatic Gymnastics IV. Accessible to dance studios, beginner clubs, and existing clubs V. Aims to provide easily understood rules to help athletes and spectators understand and enjoy the new event C. Events I. There are 3 levels to the Block Program: Novice Intermediate Advanced II. There are no age groups/restrictions to any level III. All athletes may participate (male/female) IV. Competitions are allowed from Local to Regional (each region/meet director decides whether to add Blocks Program as a competitive event) V. Competitive levels may be competed simultaneously (different panel of judges per level) D. Judging I. In cases where necessary, 1 or 2 judges would be allowed to judge competition II. In cases where 2 judges are present, the CJP would do the job of both the CJP and DJ. Execution judge would remain the same III. Difficulty Calculations are based on the tariff sheets (athletes must perform what is on the tariff sheet for difficulty credit) IV. Bonus values will be added to final score (indicated on the tariff sheet in the link box) V. CJP applies short holds and applies special requirement deductions VI. Execution scores valued at a maximum of 10.000 VII. Execution requirements can be referenced in JO Code of Points
VIII. Final Scores can be no less than 0.000 IX. Skills must be held for 3 seconds or a short hold of.3 per second is taken X. A 1.0 deduction is taken for every missing element/special requirement XI. A 0.5 deduction for all falls XII. If a skill is attempted but not held for at least 1 second, they will receive the following: I. -1.0 for a missing element II. -1.0 if the skill was a special requirement III. -0.5 for a fall IV. NO.9 short hold is taken E. Scoring I. Difficulty + Execution Average (if more than one judge) Short holds = Final Score II. Difficulty = Skill Values of exercise + Bonus / 10 F. Apparatus I. Meet Director/Hosting Club must provide a set of Blocks (IE: stilts, canes, pedestals, etc.) II. Athletes competing may compete with personal Blocks, but must meet regulation requirements (See F. Apparatus Regulations) G. Apparatus Regulations I. Blocks must be at least 10 inches tall from base to top II. Blocks cannot be connected to or on a flat square base III. Block base must be triangular in nature H. Rules I. You may dismount at any time during the routine (dismounts are considered an end to a series) II. Must satisfy Special Requirements regarding the link of skills III. No more than 3 series are allowed per exercise IV. 3 different variations of a position may be performed for difficulty credit excess of 3, will not be included in difficulty calculations or special requirements V. Maximum of 2 shape repeats may be performed VI. The only time a 1 second is allowed is on the first element of the routine IE: the straddle before pressing. VII. No difficulty credit is giving to that 1 second start position VIII. Skill chart with values 1-10 will be used for difficulty calculations IX. Additional bonus points can be earned by pressing up and down between skills
X. Bonus points can also be earned by linking the entire routine with no dismounting or going to a position of no value (which constitutes an end of a series) XI. Only registered Athlete members of USA Gymnastics may compete XII. To be published by USA Gymnastics and Distributed by USA Gymnastics to interested parties XIII. Registration done in hard copy format during trial year XIV. Scoring to be done by hand during trial year XV. Online registration and scoring program to be introduced after the trial year I. Level Descriptions Novice 5 skills Max difficulty is V15 (15 / 10 = 1.5) Min 2 must be in link + 5 Bonus if all skills are linked Intermediate 7 skills Max difficulty is V30 (30 / 10 = 3.0) Min of 3 skills consecutively must be in link + 7 Bonus if all skills are linked No more than 3 series allowed 1 handstand position required Advanced 10 skills No maximum difficulty requirement Min of 5 skills must be in link + 10 Bonus if all are linked No more than 3 series allowed Min of 3 different handstand positions* required *Variations of the same type of handstand do not fulfill this requirement
APPENDIX A: Competitive Block Program Competitive Levels and Requirements Competition blocks must be minimum 10" high and have seperate bases (not connected). No flat plywood bases. The base of the blocks needs to be triangular in nature. Novice Level Internediate Level Advanced Level 5 skills 7 Skills 10 skills Minimum of 2 must be in link Minimum of 3 skills must be in link Minimum of 5 skills must be in link Bonus +5 if all skills are linked Must include at least 1 handstand Must include 3 different handstand posititons (not variations on the same shape) Max difficulty V15 (1.5) Bonus +7 if all skills are linked Bonus +10 if all skills are linked Max difficulty V30 (3.0) Difficulty is open, no max Note: At all levels, all elements must be completed within three (3) series. No more then 3 series of skills allowed. Score: FINAL SCORE = Difficulty score + execution score - time faults/sr Penalties Difficulty score is the sum of element values + bonus values / 100 There is a -1.0 for every missing element or missing special requirement All elements must be held for 3-seconds. Time fault penalty is -0.3/second short. Updated: 2/9/2017
APPENDIX B: Competitive Block Program Skills and Values Value 1 Value 4 Tuck Crocodile with legs together 2:1 straddle Value 2 High V Pike Straddle Value 5 Cross leg pike Straight handstand (legs apart, all variying leg positions - double stag, stag, cross legs, etc.) 2:1 croc Value 3 Crocodile Page 1 updated: 2/9/2017
APPENDIX B: Competitive Block Program Skills and Values Value 6 Value 8 Arch handstand (legs apart, all varying leg positions) 1-arm straddle 1-arm Crocodile 2:1 handstand Straight handstand with legs together Ring with 1 or 2 feet touching the hands Value 7 Value 9 Arch handstand with legs together (must be together from hip to 1-arm handstand Plange 2:1 arch Flag Deep arch with feet free Yogi Value 10 1-arm flag 1-arm arch 1-arm yogi 2:1 ring or deep arch Page 1 updated: 2/9/2017
Link Values & Bonus Values: APPENDIX B: Competitive Block Program Skills and Values - Pressing from tuck, pike, straddle to any handstand position (+2) - Pressing down from any handstand postition to tuck, pike, straddle, croc (+1) - 2:1 press up from straddle to any position (+4) - 2:1 press down to straddle from any position (+2) - 1-arm press up from straddle to any position (+6) - 1-arm press down to straddle from any position (+3) - Bonus: if all skills in a routine are linked together: novice = +5; intermediate = +7; advanced = +10 General Rules: - Holds can have variations on leg positions that count as different elements. For example, arch and arch with 1 leg bent are considered different postitions. A maximum of three (3) variations on a position may count towards difficulty. - Maximum of two (2) of the exact same hold are permitted in a routine. Additional identical elements will not receive difficulty or special requirement credit. - Linking means the skills are connected either by transition or press without dismounting the blocks. - Dismounts are permitted at any time in the routine, however all linking requirement for the level must be satisfied. Each missing link or skill is a -1.0 special requirement penalty taken from the difficulty score. Page 1 updated: 2/9/2017
Club Abbr: Coach: APPENDIX C: Competitive Block Program Tariff Sheet Club Full Name: LEVEL Novice Intermediate Advanced Athlete Name: 1 2 3 4 5 DIFFICULTY Elements & Links Value/Link 6 7 8 9 10 + Bonus Difficulty Value D-Score Value/Link All elements and links (no value and value links) to be performed in a routine must be declared on the tariff sheet in the correct order. Elements not declared on the tariff sheet will not receive difficulty or special requirement credit. Bonus credit should also be indicated on tariff sheet. updated: 2/9/2017
Club Abbr: Coach: APPENDIX C: Competitive Block Program Tariff Sheet Club Full Name: LEVEL Novice Intermediate Advanced Athlete Name: 1 2 3 4 5 DIFFICULTY Elements & Links Value/Link 6 7 8 9 10 + Bonus Difficulty Value D-Score Value/Link All elements and links (no value and value links) to be performed in a routine must be declared on the tariff sheet in the correct order. Elements not declared on the tariff sheet will not receive difficulty or special requirement credit. Bonus credit should also be indicated on tariff sheet. updated: 2/9/2017
Club Abbr: USA Coach: Coach A Athlete Name: Athlete B APPENDIX C: Competitive Block Program Tariff Sheet Club Full Name: LEVEL Novice Intermediate Advanced X 1 2 3 4 5 DIFFICULTY Elements & Links 13 Value/Link 1 2 0 2 0 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 + Bonus Difficulty Value 0 13 D-Score 1.3 Value/Link In this example, all special requirements are met. Arrows indicate links between skills. No additional bonus is given because the athlete dismounts after the tuck and croc. updated: 2/9/2017
Club Abbr: USA Coach: Coach B Athlete Name: Athlete A APPENDIX C: Competitive Block Program Tariff Sheet Club Full Name: LEVEL Novice Intermediate Advanced X 1 2 3 4 5 DIFFICULTY Elements & Links 23 Value/Link 1 0 2 2 5 0 5 1 2 0 6 7 8 9 10 + Bonus Difficulty Value 7 30 D-Score 3.0 Value/Link 3 0 2 In this example, all of the skills in the routine were linked, without a dismount off the blocks, therefore +7 was awarded for bonus. All special requirements were met. updated: 2/9/2017