July 2000 - Summer Update

Table of Contents

Governing Board Ballot - Due July 14
Getaway Registration - Due July 14
Availability Form - Due August 1
Resume Form - Due ASAP
Active Status Information - Due October 15
Farewell letter from Ray Lyons
Current Roster of judges

Meetings & Clinics
1. Region VIII NAWGJ Board Meeting minutes
2. National NAWGJ Board Meeting notes
3. Summer Gym Jam & USAG State Meeting notes

PREP rules

Governing Board Ballot
Please thank those members who are willing to serve by accepting a position on the Board. We have to have an active year and appreciate their willingness to go above and beyond. You are asked to mark the ballot with your choices and return it as directed. We will schedule a Board meeting soon after the election is completed.
Note: Election is complete. See Board Members

Getaway Registration
It is important for you to make your selection and return this form by the due date. We need to make firm plans for this event and our host deserves some lead time to prepare for the event. Note: Getaway will be in Mandeville.
Because we would like to help send as many of you as possible to the National Judges Symposium next summer, we need to conserve our funds for that purpose. Therefore, we will ask our Elite judges to be clinicians for this event this year.
We will cover all changes in the program for the coming season, set a script practice judging Level 4-6, practice judge Levels 7-10, review all concerns, play games, relax, have fun and try to prepare for whatever may happen this year.
A detailed schedule will be available as soon as we know the number of judges in attendance. You will be able to earn Active Status Clinic credits. The exact amount will depend on how much of the clinic you attend.
Please let us know if there is something in particular you want discussed. This is YOUR meeting!

Availability Form
Our annual Availability Form must be returned by August 1st. Attempts to get dates for meets with no dates were futile. Please indicate weekends you will probably be available to judge. Don?orget to indicate a preference if there is more than one meet listed for a weekend. We want to honor the requests of Meet Directors but we would also like to honor your requests as well. Do note that we CANNOT assign those who have expired memberships. We also MUST assign those with current Active Status first.

Resume Form
It is time for you to send copies of your cards to the SJD. This must be done each year and every time you renew a membership. See forms.

Active Status Cards
Active Status Cards are due as soon as they are completed. The USAG is planning to publish a list of all judges with expired Active Status in the January or February issue of Technique. We really don?ant our Louisiana Judges to be on that list! EVERY judge needs Active Status, even Levels 5/6. Cards should be received by the Active Status Coordinator, Kristi Aguilar, by November 1st. Be sure to include a SASE, so she can send you a new card for 2001.

Farewell Letter
As most of you already know, Ray & Amanda Lyons have moved to Rhode Island. Enclosed is a letter sent to SC Patricia Boudreaux and faxed by her to the SJD with a request to share it with all of you. We thank Ray for his many years of service to our state and wish him all the best in his new endeavors.

Ray's Letter

Current Roster
Please check the current roster for accuracy. If your records differ from ours, please let us know. We will be publishing another MiniPhone Book and want it to be as accurate as possible. Use the Resume Form to reflect any changes needed. See Membership Roster.

Meeting Notes
The following information learned at recent clinics and meetings. They are printed for your information and do not pretend to be official. Always check Technique magazine minutes for the final word.

Region 8 Mini Congress (June, 2000)
Due to time constraints, we were only able to attend a couple of sessions. Marian Dykes conducted a review of various grips and Bars which was informative and helpful. A copy of her handout is included. Evelyn Chandler?ession on Artistry and Dynamics in a routine was interesting as well. As judges, we need to use this category to separate the good routines from the great ones. Practicing with various films can provide excellent opportunities to get experience evaluating these aspects of a routine.
Members in attendance: Patricia Boudreaux, Joy Schmidt, Liz Tortorich & Brenda Eberhardt.

National NAWGJ Board Meeting
This year?eeting was held in Minneapolis, MN. The National Board, RJDs, and SJDs were introduced. Our new National President is Carole Ide, from PA. A special presentation was made to out-going President, Yvonne Hodge, for her 10 years of service in that office. Betty Sroufe was also recognized as the only original NAWGJ officer since the inception of the organization in 1974. A review of office operation procedures was presented to the SJD?n attendance. It was announced that Robin Ruegg, RJS from Region IV will be developing a National Website for the NAWGJ. You will be notified when it is up and running.

The NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM will be held July 11-15, 2001, at the Hyatt Newport Hotel in Newport Beach, CA. The hotel is five miles or ten minutes from John Wayne Airport and has a complimentary shuttle. Room rates will be $135 for single or double, $145 for a triple, or $155 for a quad. These prices include a rollaway, but do not include tax. The rates will be guaranteed for up to 3 days before and after the meeting for your vacation pleasure. Registration forms and fees will be forthcoming and you will be encouraged to register early.
The National Symposium is a MUST for all judges. It is designed for all levels and experience. If you can attend only one clinic next summer, this is the one! The LaNAWGJ will assist any current member wishing to attend.

Breakout sessions were held on several subjects including fund raising, encouraging uniform wearing, assigning issues & financial concerns. Your SJD participated in these sessions to share information. Several good ideas were exchanged. We will review some of them at our Getaway Weekend. Many of the ideas we use at our Holiday Classic were enthusiastically accepted by others in attendance. We were also applauded for the fact that we have NO problem with our judges wearing the official uniform. In fact, Region 8 was signaled out in this regard as a whole. Thanks to all of you for making us 'look good' to the nation!

Nettie Awards were presented to the following:
Best Educational Article Massachusetts
Best Information Article Iowa
Best Feature Article Texas
Best Humorous Article Wyoming
Best Layout & Design California South (LA was nominated)
Best Educational Video Michigan
Best Humorous Video Minnesota
Best Web Site California North

The National Judges Cup will be held on January 5-7, 2001, at Roswell, GA. Host hotel is the Homeward Suites with room rates of $79.00 per night. Be sure to mention the Roswell Gym National Judges Cup when making reservations.
There will be a State Team Level 7 Competition and LA will once again send a team. Athletes for the team will be selected at the Holiday Classice in December. All judges are encouraged to volunteer their time for this event. LA will pay the expenses to send one of our judges to the National Cup. The winning judge will be selected at the Holiday Classic.
If you are affiliated with a team, please try to send them to this meet. It is open to Levels 4-10 and features 4 judge panels from across the country. It can be quite an exciting road trip for the gymnasts and since the meet is being held in our Region, it would be great for us to have some representation.

Summer Gym Jam & USAG State Meeting
This year's meeting and clinic were held in Mandeville at North Shore Gymnastics. The SJD report is included. Minutes and notes from the meeting can be found in Gym Talk.
Since some of the gyms will be competing PREP this year, we are including a copy of the most recent LA rules for this level. Please note that it was decided at the meeting that C level skills WILL NOT be allowed for PREP athletes. Performance of C skills will VOID the routine.

Clinicians Ludmilla Schobe and Elaine Wulf were wonderful. Our own LA coaches also did an excellent job. Many thanks go out to Susan Sommer and her staff at North Shore for a job well done. We would also like to thank Liz Tortorich for coordinating the food for the coaches and to all the judges who provided food for the clinic.

Elaine Wulf addressed Level 7 Balance Beam concerns, especially the Switch Leg Leap. After much discussion and verification by Connie Maloney and Cheryl Hamilton, the following is the most accurate information we have:
If a switch leg leap is performed on the BB at Level 7, and it the ONLY leap in the routine, the deduction is as follows:
-2.00 for performing a ?skill (even if the leap is less than 180 degrees) + ut 0.80 for insufficient leap of 180 degrees. The skill would fulfill the requirement of a large leap.

Members in attendance for all or part of the weekend were:
Kathleen Argyle, Cindy Beuerle, Mary Billson, Patricia Boudreaux, Sandra Carminati, Tammy Carpenter, Lisa Easterly, Brenda Eberhardt, Sheila Halker, Susie Moyal, Katie Nixon, Margie Pearce, Susan Sommer, & Liz Tortorich.

Have a great summer!

LA PREP Optional Rules 2000 - 2001

General Information

Compulsory level determines PREP level
Age groups are determined by Meet Director
PREP 6 & 6 have ONLY the listed requirements
PREP 7 MUST have 1 B element in each routine
Missing B = 0.40 deduction
No C elements are allowed.
Routines with C elements will be VOIDED
Emphasis is on routines with
Presentation, Rhythm, Execution and Poise
Use optional deductions for Execution and Amplitude Faults
 

Vault

9.00 SV for any Group 1 Vault
including
1/2 On, Handspring Off
Handspring On, 1/2 Off

8.00 SV for squat, stoop or straddle vaults

Use Level 7 Optional vault deductions for execution, amplitude and landing

Uneven Bars

9.00 SV is all requirements are met

SPECIAL REUIREMENTS
8 elements
1 bar change

SPECIFIC DEDUCTIONS
0.20 for each missing element
0.20 for missing bar change
0.40 for missing B (PREP 7 only)
VOID routine if C is performaed

Balance Beam

9.00 SV if all requirements are met

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Full turn on one foot
Gym series with two elements
Acro series with two elements - no flight required
Mixed series with two elements
Dismount must be an element in Code
Minimum Time: 1 minute

SPECIFIC DEDUCTIONS
0.20 for each missing Special Requirement
0.20 for undertime - NO overtime deduction
0.40 for missing B (PREP 7 only)
VOID routine if a C is performed

Floor Exercise

9.00 SV if all requirements are met

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Full turn on one foot
Gym series with two elements
Acro series with two flight elements
One salto or aerial element
Mixed series with two elements
Minimum time: 1 minute

SPECIFIC DEDUCTIONS
0.20 for each missing Special Requirement
0.20 for undertime - no overtime deduction
0.40 for missing B (Level 7 PREP only)
VOID routine if C element is performed

NOTE:
No salto requirement in acro series
No flight requirement in mixed series

LA clubs may choose to do PREP with some of their athletes. The Meet Director should let judges know if there are PREP competitors in the meet.