USA Gymnastics Online: Technique: Rhythmic Minutes, August 29

Rhythmic Program Committee Minutes

Sunday, August 29, 1999
Sacramento, California

I. Roll Call

Members Present

Andrea Schmid, FIG Technical Committee
Maureen Broderick, Technical Committee Chair
Wendy Hilliard, Vice-chair, Rhythmic
Brooke Bushnell, Coaches Representative
Vanessa Vanderpluym, Athlete Representative
Suzie DiTullio, JOPC, Chair
Jan Exner, Rhythmic Program Director

II. Schedule

The RPC approved the proposed schedule from the JOPC.
April 1-2, Regionals (1-5)
April 1-2, Regionals (2-4)
April 8-9, Regionals (3-6)
April 8-9, ZONE 3 (Region 5-6)
April 15-16, ZONE 2 (Region 3-4)
May 6-7, ZONE 1 (Region 1-2)
May 13-14, JO Championships
June 3-4, Level 9 Championships
June 24-25, East/West
July 8-9, East/West

There has been a schedule change--the Rhythmic Challenge will be held in Colorado Springs on February 5-6. An Invitational Meet will be held in conjunction with the Challenge for optional levels (8-10). Meet information will be sent to all professional members the first week of December.

III. Format for Challenge 2000

The format will remain the same as in 1999. It will be a two-day event. The athletes will be ranked using the combined scores from both days. The Challenge will be for current National Team members only. The only exception would be the Junior Division; the competition will have a minimum of four athletes. If a current Junior National Team member does not compete, an invitation will be sent to the next ranked athlete from 1999 National Championships.

IV. Format for USA National Championships

The National Team will consist of 16 athletes--eight Seniors and eight Juniors.

a. Two Day Event

Day One--All-around competition: Four events, all competitors. All-around results will rank the National Team.
Day Two--Event Finals, top six Junior and Senior athletes in rank order from Day One.
The top twelve athletes from Day One, in the Junior and the Senior Division, will earn Elite status.

b. Qualification to Nationals will be through the two qualifying events: East & West Open.

20 Juniors will qualify to Nationals in rank order from the master list of East/West competitors.
20 Seniors will qualify to Nationals in rank order from the master list of East/West competitors.
Ties will be broken using the highest event score. If the tie cannot be broken using this method, both athletes will advance to Nationals.
The 20 athletes in each division will include exempt National Team members and any petitioned athletes (petitions must be received by 7/9/00).

c. Group National Competition Format

One Day Event: all Senior and Junior groups
Qualification to Group Nationals will be through a qualifying event to be held in conjunction with the Level 9 Nationals. A minimum qualifying score of 16.0 per event is required for any group to advance to Nationals.

The National Team title will be given to the 1st place group, if that group scores an 18.50 or higher per event. The group would then be given the title of Senior Group National Team.

Recommendation: In regards to the National Team Coach Representative, the group will count as (1) athlete. In regards to the Athlete Representative, the team leader will cast one vote. This applies only if a Senior Group has fulfilled the requirements and earned the National Team title.

V. Budget Considerations

Athlete Identification Program: A small task force will be working on the new program for release in 2001.
Recommendation to offer an Elite Camp for coaches and athletes sometime after National Championships.
The JO Program recommends the education of coaches as a prime goal using a Coaches Camp or Symposium format.

VI. National Rhythmic Judges Partnership

The RPC encourages the formation of such an organization; however, it strongly recommends the inclusion of all eligible persons along with the development of a positive and concise set of goals to be defined by the organizing committee.

An investigation into the expansion of the judges selection committee is currently being conducted. The RPC will ask both the men's and women's programs for their procedures and suggestions.

VII. Athletes Representative

There has been a question regarding one person holding two different positions within our committee structure. Currently the USAG bylaws allow the same person to hold these two different positions. Our National Coaches representative (RPC) also holds an AAC position (JOPC).

VIII. Level 9, 10 and Elite Clarification

Level 10 Juniors that turn Senior in 2000, must qualify to the East/West Open meet through the Level 9 Championships process. Elite Juniors that turn Senior in 2000, automatically qualify to the East/West competitions.

Current Level 10 and Elite Seniors also automatically qualify to the East/West competitions. A group that qualifies to the National Championships will earn Level 10 status. If a group scores 18.5 or above on both routines at Nationals, that group will earn Elite status.

This article appears in the November/December 1999 issue of Technique, Vol. 19, No. 10.

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