Competition judging lets us down

[john mitchell]

Having just come back from my regional grade 3-5 competion I have to comment on the crazy judging system we have. I thought the new system might open up the range for marking, but instead all it's done is narrow it. So Kid's at grade 5 get the same range of marks as those at grade 3 and more often than not grade 2 and 1. As a coach I'm appalled. What do I tell my competitiors after weeks and months of training? You can improve your shape, point your toes more, get line out better, but it won't make any difference to your mark, so why bother? When there are more ways to take marks off than there are marks, it's no wonder that the marks at the Junior levels are squeezed into the middle ground. We need a marking system that reflects the aquired skill in a progressive manner. It needs to reflect what is important at the different levels.
For example Define acceptable or not
Grade 5 and 6 Judge on travel, shape and pointed toes, correct arm movement (0.1 deduction per item) plus 0.1 for overall impression and additional 0.1 added if kick out is present. Tariff plus form should determnine movement between 5 and 6.
Grade 4 and 3 Judge travel, shape, correct arm movement, pointed toes and kick out. 0.1 for each item. Tariff + form should then determine movement between grade 4 and 3.
Grade 2 Current judging rules
Grade 1 Current judging rules

Surely whoever decides the rules can come up with a system that helps coach, rather than one that simply says "No not good enough yet".

[john mitchell]

By the way, the last grade 3-5 competition in the eastern region, only 10% of grade 3 got a mark that qualified them to compete at their current grade! 0% of grade 4 reached the mark they should have had. And 89% of marks were squashed into 6.6 to 7.8. The highest marks were at grade 5 when it should be obvious that people at grade 3 are better than 5.
At one of the recent grade 2's only 3% would have qualified to compete at grade 2, let alone go up a grade and that's allowing for the extra tariff they they can have.

[Kristina]

Does any international coaches or judges in Britain?

[*Sarah*]

I thought the new system might open up the range for marking, but instead all it's done is narrow it. So Kid's at grade 5 get the same range of marks as those at grade 3 and more often than not grade 2 and 1.

As I understood it, the grades were judged on the old code not the new...
As for comparing the 5 and 3,2,1 scores, it's not a fair comparison as the moves are harder at grade 3 so different deductions - single bar in 5, two bars in 3; no saltos in 5 but saltos on beam and floor in 3.
As for the pass marks, they were being passed if they scored 70% weren't they? I heard that someone in another region thought it was 90% to pass, but that's for a distinction.

[BritCheer]

I'm an International Judge...judging especially in Asia, China Japan Thailand and Malaysia etc.... but i've judged in Britain also, Ireland.