Organisation Side Of Things

The club coaches liaise with the gymnasts and parents throughout the year about what competitions and competition grades they want to gun for, and of course need to make sure the entire group/trio etc. is available on the relevant date.

You get plenty of notice about the date, but you don't get to find out the running order and timing until a couple of days beforehand. The competition organisers produce a program that lists all the entrants; categorised into grades and disciplines. So for example you'll get a table showing all the grade 3 mixed-pairs, with gymnasts' names, the club name, and a competition number for each pair/group.

You use the competition number to find out the timing. The program has a separate table showing the running order. This shows a series of rounds with (hoped for) start times. There are normally two judging panels of around 5 judges apiece, and the rounds are designed to get maximum throughput. The round will comprise alternate performances from two different classes - and will be judged in sequence by the alternating judging panels.

Depending on the competition and the grade, the gymnasts might go on just once with a combined routine, or up to three times, with separate tempo and balance routines, and then possibly a 'final' peformance too. When competitions have a final, it will be say the top 8 that go through to it, and they choose which routine to repeat.

Sequence

The first priority (for the girls at any rate) is sorting out hair and make up. There's little clusters of people just about everywhere you look helping each other out with this. (I wonder what the blokes do?)

The day kicks off with a bit of pomp and ceremony. With a parade-like march-on of first the judges in navy blazers, and then the gymnasts - looking great in their matching club tracksuits. All this accompanied with loud, rousing music, and clapping from the audience.

Then the gymnasts are alloted time to orient themselves on the floor square in groups of around 5 at a time. It's best for parents to look away at this stage, because they'll do a few run-throughs and it always seems to me (ed) that much more goes wrong here than it does in the competition proper. There will often be just two orientation sessions - one in the morning, and one in the afternoon.

The rest of the time is structured around the programmed rounds. Before each round, the gymnasts competing in that round alone are asked to march-on, and line up in front of the judges - and present. Presenting is a ritualised, courtsey / bow like mini-performance.Then this group of gymnasts are given a few minutes to warm up on the floor square. And then the round proper starts.

The Performance

The announcer will signal the next group onto the floor and announce them - amid much cheering from their supporters in the audience. The gymnasts get into performance-mode at this point, and will gracefully/manfully, take up artful, static starting positions.

A loud beep comes over the sound system - indicating the music is about to start, and they're off. The relevant half of the judging panel will be eagle eyed during the performance - with different judges scrutinising different aspects. One for example will be making sure the performance follows the pre-submitted tariff sheet, another will be looking at technical aspects etc.

At the end of the routine the gymnasts leave the floor - still in performance mode, and incorporate another present to the judges. Once they reach the edge of the floor their performance is over. There is often an arrangement where they can sit on a special seat at the edge of the floor with their coach for a few minutes. I'm not sure what determines how long they wait here - you'd think it would be waiting for the score, but that can take quite a bit longer. (todo - somebody tell me or fix this point please).

The judges then deliberate under the auspices of a judging chairperson - and in due course publish the score. This can be signalled directly to a computerised scoreboard somewhere in the hall, or with a cricket-pitch style score board - or both. Sometimes you get to see the detailed breakdown, other times just the final score, eg 25.4 (out of 30).

Working Out Where You've Come

There's always a cluster of people around the score board - working out where they are in the running as the scores arrive. Of course you can't tell where you've come until all the competitors in your class have competed. There's no ceremony at the time, or any recognition of who has been placed in each class as these results emerge. Of course the gymnasts that think they are in the running, and their parents and coaches take a keen interest, but the only official recognition of the placings comes later during the medals ceremony.

Impressions And Emotions

All that procedure and detail is all very well, but what does it feel like? And what about the touchy-feely side?

Well the first impression you get is of excitement and a wall of noise. It's exhausting - even as a specator. But the excitement is combined with tedium. Gymnasts and spectators alike spend nearly all the time waiting, but then there's the rush of excitement during the peformances you're involved in, with the highs and lows of it going well or badly.

The gymnasts are naturally nervous. The mums often more so - and all torn up with pride.

The gymnasts will often shed a tear or two afterwards if they make a mistake. Who can blame them after weeks or months of preparation and build up? But it happens. If they are not doing things that are just plain difficult, then they are not competing. So things are bound to go wrong ocassionally. The dynamics within the group can be strained too, by a mistake from one of their number. Competitors of this age, don't always have the maturity to cope with this situation ideally.

Everyone is of course delighted when things go well. The coaches included, but coaches are not afraid to show when they are disappointed with a performance. It reminds you as a parent or a gymnast - that all the work building a group up to a competition is not just for the benefit of the gymnasts. It is for the benefit of the coaches too. They will often have devoted years to the sport and are pretty serious about their career-results.

Shall I Stay Or Shall I Go?

Competitions usually run over two days. There is an expectation that all the gymnasts will remain for the whole of the day they are competing on - to support the club. If they are not competing on the other day it is a bit moot. The club could do with the support, but it is a tall order for the family concerned. Many parents remain in the hall for the whole day and take a keen interest in the other club members' performances, and the competitors in their children's class. Others (like me) find it hard to be that dedicated and come and go a bit. Laptops and knitting are to be seen here and there.

Venues

Venues are usually sports centres; in some cases centres that specialise in hosting events - like Fenton Manor in Stoke. (see venues in Calendar / competions section). At the big competitions, things are organised a little differently. At the Nationals in Stoke for example, they segregate the gymnasts from the spectators and issue different coloured passes for different zones, and post security people at the gateways between them. They've got proper staged seating, fancy AV displays in the hall etc.

All the venues provide catering with very long queues. They universally say you can't eat your own food. The attendees universally ignore this.

Photos And Videos And Side Shows

There's always a professional photography company present - and they will sometimes set themselves up so you can see proofs of their shots while you're still there and buy copies while you wait. You're allowed to take photos and video yourself too, but it's not hugely successful. At the big competitions it's difficult to get near enough, and the weak indoor lighting (no flash of course) challenges everyday cameras. Even the pro's with their exotic equipment struggle to get really good shots, and even they can't get decent shots of the tempo stuff because of the shutter speeds they are limited to with the lighting present. Nb, changing the subject - if you want to get good photos - even of dynamic routines - try to get to an outdoor display - it's miles better

You tend to get a few other peripheral services at competitions too - like people selling leotards.

The End Of The Day

This is when the medals ceremony happens. They do another march-on - of the gymnasts that are due for medals, and all these gymnasts troop in and sit down on the competition floor in rows. They have the customary 2-1-3 mini podium and call out the winners in the traditional sequence.They usually ask a couple of judges to step in to dish out the medals or sometimes a local, or gymnastics dignitary.

And Finally

The knackered journey home. The onset of anti-climax. Tempered a little by watching your video the next day perhaps. Or just maybe, savouring your medal.

And then back to the grindstone. Back to training, that competition is history. Now then, what improvements shall we put into the routine for the next competition...