2009 Winter Newsletter

FIG BREVET COURSES
The FIG-Continental Brevet Course will be in Indianapolis, Indiana February 10-14, 2009. Region 8 will be represented at this course by the following outstanding judges: Sue Ammerman, Lucy Fox Joan Gnat, René Niccollai, Kristie Phillips-Bannister and Chelle Stack. Good luck to these fine judges.

Know Your R&P
Please remember that there is no video review at any Junior Olympic competition. Coaches should not request this and judges should not allow video review. If you want to reference this rule, you may find it in the Rules and Policies 2008-2009, on page 45, J (5).

Regional Availability Forms
Availability forms for 2010 Regional Championships on line at Judges Availability. You will not receive an individual mailing. That is right; there is no longer a paper form. Forms should be completed on-line. Your completed form will automatically go to Marian Dykes and Sheila Ragle in an electronic format when you complete and submit this form on-line. Forms must be completed on-line by June 1, 2009. You can also print a Region 8 In Gym Sheet from Region 8 web page.

Rules Clarifications - Shapes
The deduction of 0.10 for having more than 2 elements with the same shape on Balance Beam or Floor Exercise was clarified effective August 1, 2006. The definition of the same shape for this deduction is “a wolf or tuck position with or without turn or more than two straddle jumps with or without turns.”
EXAMPLE: If the following jumps were all included in an exercise, it would be considered overuse of dance elements of the same shape: Wolf Jump, Wolf jump ½ (180°) turn, Stride leap with change of legs to wolf position, tuck jump. Deduct 0.10 for overuse of the same shape.
 

• The new J.O. Code of Points is in force. It is so important for coaches and judges to familiarize themselves with the new rules.
• All optional judges are required to recertify in 2009. Compulsory ratings continue in force with no additional action on the part of the judge.
• Meet Directors should not publish birthdates of athletes in “pre-meet information.” Age groups may be listed using a range of birthdates.
• Meet Directors are responsible for the charges for the first checked bag when a judge is flying to a meet. Overweight baggage cast will not be reimbursed.
• Judges flying to a meet should deduct 30 miles roundtrip from mileage to the airport unless carpooling.
• For levels 7-10 it is recommended that all landing areas (vault, bars, beam) be equipped with 4” matting equal to the width of the landing area (base mat).
• If a hand placement mat is used, it must be placed on the vault runway Velcro side down.
• The required warm-up time for Level 4 is now 45 seconds.
• New music is available for compulsories. Either new music or old music is allowed.