Acrobatic Gymnastics Selection Procedures 2016 USA GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS/2017 Las Vegas Acro Cup Junior National Team (12-18 and 13-19 age groups) I. Overview A. These are the selection procedures for the 2016 Junior National Team (JNT) 12-18 and 13-19 age groups. B. QUALIFICATION: Athletes may qualify for the JNT in one of the following ways: i. Automatically qualify from the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships according to Section II.A. below. ii. Be selected from competition at the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships according to criteria defined in Section II.B. below; iii. Successfully petition onto the JNT through the process set forth in Section III. iv. The Acrobatic Gymnastics Athlete Selection Committee reserves the right to select additional pair/groups for the JNT at the 2017 Acro Cup. The criteria for selection will be based on the same criteria as listed in section II.B. C. SELECTION: The selection of the pair/groups to the JNT will be made by the Acrobatic Gymnastics Athlete Selection Committee with final approval from the USA Gymnastics President. D. ELIGIBILITY: i. Only athletes who are United States citizens may be named to the JNT ii. Pair/groups must meet FIG age criteria for the respective age group in which they are competing (either 12-18 or 13-19) in 2016 and/or be age eligible in 2017 and/or 2018. iii. Athletes must compete at the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships and follow the selection process outlined. iv. Athletes trying out for JNT 12-18 must compete in the Junior Elite 12-18 category and athletes trying out for JNT 13-19 must compete in the Junior Elite 13-19 category in order to be considered. v. An athlete may not be named to the JNT in multiple events (i.e. men s pairs and men s group.) However, they are allowed to participate in multiple events at the selection event. E. TEAM COMPOSITION: The composition of the Junior National Team may include a combined (12-18 age group and 13-19 age group) maximum of (18) eighteen pair/groups from any or all of the following events (Women s Pair, Men s Pair, Mixed Pair, Women s Group, and Men s Group). Athlete Selection Committee is not 1
obligated to select pair/groups in all events or age categories or fill all available slots. i. Positions on the JNT do not carry ranking. If ranking is required for competition entries, etc., the ASC will determine team rankings via appropriate means, such as recent competition experience, video review, etc., at that time. ii. A maximum of (3) three alternate pair/groups per event may be identified. Alternate positions do not carry ranking. Alternates are not members of the JNT. iii. Alternates may be invited to become members of the team in the event of vacancies in the available team positions. Decisions to move alternate pair/groups onto the team will be based upon time in the season, available international assignments, number of current national team members in that event, and the pair/group s readiness for international competition. iv. If it is determined one or more alternate pair/groups will be moved onto the JNT, the Athlete Selection Committee will rank alternates via live or video review. F. Athletes not selected for JNT will automatically be considered for the International Club Team (ICT). II. Selection criteria for the JNT will be as follows: A. Automatic Qualification to the JNT Team: A pair/group will automatically qualify to the 2016-2017 Acrobatic Gymnastics JNT from the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships, if they meet all of the following criteria: i. The pair/group must finish in first place in their respective event at 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships, provided that a minimum of three pairs/groups compete in that event. ii. The pair/group must earn minimum artistry/execution scores as follows: 8.5 artistry 8.5 execution iii. The pair/group must achieve a minimum degree of difficultly in each of the three routines performed, as follows. JNT Balance Dynamic Combined 12-18 age group 10.0 10.0 10.0 13-19 age group 10.0 10.0 10.0 B. Discretionary Selection Criteria: Scores and performances from the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships: i. Score and ranking will be considered: 2
1. Close attention will be paid to the routines that will be performed in finals, which is the combined exercise for JNT, as specified in the FIG Rules for Age Group Competition. ii. Elements performed will be considered: 1. Types of elements, including difficulty and execution of elements performed; 2. Total exercise difficulty will be compared against the target difficulty. Target difficulty is the difficulty score before CJP deductions. a) JNT 12-18: Target difficulty is set at 10.0 for balance, dynamic and combined exercises. b) JNT 13-19: Target difficulty is set at 10.00 for balance, dynamic, and combined exercises. iii. Artistry and presentation will be considered: 1. Overall sophisticated choreography executed at the highest level. 2. Presentation ranking by the Acrobatic Gymnastics Athlete Selection Committee members; 3. Presentation scoring criteria will include but is not limited to the artistic judging criteria listed in the FIG Acrobatic Gymnastics Code of Points. iv. Overall performance and international caliber. 1. Length of partnership along with International and National standings will be taken into consideration however, new partnerships with outstanding performances will also be considered. III. Petitions A. Petitions to enter the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships if injury, illness, or unforeseen circumstances keep athletes from fully participating in the qualification process must follow the rules outlined in the Acrobatic Gymnastics Rules & Policies. B. For a petition onto the JNT to be considered by the Athlete Selection Committee, it must be submitted in writing to the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Director and meet the following requirements: i. A pair/group who fully participates in the process described above is not eligible to submit a petition; ii. A petition must be submitted to the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Director as soon as possible after the pair/group becomes aware of the inability to participate in the process described above, but no later than the conclusion 3
of the 2016 USA Gymnastics Championships competition; iii. Petitions will be considered for injury, illness, or unforeseen circumstances: 1. The petition must state the date and nature of the injury, illness or unforeseen circumstance that prohibited the pair/group from participating in the competitive selection process; 2. In the case of a petition based upon injury or illness, the petition must be accompanied by a physician s statement, and the nature and extent of that injury or illness is subject to verification by a physician selected by USA Gymnastics. 3. Additional documentation may also be requested to verify unforeseen circumstances. 4. All petitioning athletes must sign selection procedures by the deadline, or as soon as the illness/injury becomes known. 5. Petitioning athletes must submit a video for review. 6. Athletes submitting a video for consideration must pay the event entry fees. iv. Pair/groups submitting petitions are considered by the Athlete Selection Committee only after pair/groups that have fully competed in the process. IV. Team Obligations A. Pair/groups selected to the JNT will remain on the team until the 2017 USA Gymnastics Championships, unless removal, resignation or retirement occurs prior to the end of the term. B. JNT athletes must attend a mandatory team meeting on Monday, June 13 th from 8:30-10:00 am in Providence, RI (location TBD). Please book airline tickets accordingly (departure after 1:30pm). Athletes who do not attend this meeting may be removed from the JNT. C. Team athletes are expected to attend regional and national training camps when invited. Failure to attend training camps may result in removal from the JNT. D. Athletes must accept (1) one international assignment per season or they may be removed from the JNT. Considerations will be made for injury/illness and family emergency. i. Invitations for international assignments will be determined by the Athlete Selection Committee, according to the competition directives, number of pair/groups on the team, and age requirements. All JNT members may not be eligible to attend all events and competitions based on event requirements. E. Funding is not provided to members of the JNT. F. USA warm-ups will be provided to JNT athletes prior to their first international competition assignment as Team USA. II. Removal, Resignation and Retirement 4
A. REMOVAL: A pair/group may be removed from the JNT if any of the members of the pair/group violate the USA Gymnastics Code of Ethics, the USA Gymnastics Participant Welfare Policy, or the JNT Funding and Support Agreement. Removal may also occur for violations of the team obligations listed above in Section IV. Any decision to remove an athlete is subject to review through the USA Gymnastics Grievance Procedures. B. RETIREMENT OR RESIGNATION: Pair/groups may choose to retire from competition or resign from the national team. Resignation is required if there is a change in partnership (by 1 or more partners) and/or a change in competition level. i. Coaches are requested to promptly notify the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Director of changes in partnership status/level which may affect the pair/group s standing on the JNT and/or ability to compete. This may include, but is not limited to, the retirement of athletes, changes in partnerships, changes in competition level, injuries, etc. ii. Coaches should make all attempts to notify the National Office before the information is made public. This includes social media. V. Approval of the Selection Procedures - These Selection Procedures have been reviewed and approved by the Acrobatic Gymnastics Program Committee and USA Gymnastics President. 5
Acrobatic Gymnastics Selection Procedures Agreement 2016-17 Teams By signing this form, each coach and athlete participating in the selection process is acknowledging and agreeing that you have carefully reviewed and understand the terms of the applicable Acrobatic Gymnastics Selection Procedures for the respective team. A copy of birth certificate or passport (color copy, jpeg format) for each athlete must be submitted with the Selection Procedures by March 1 to: Amy White, awhite@usagym.org Selection for the teams listed will be conducted at the 2017 Las Vegas Acro Cup in Las Vegas. Please check the box for the team you wish to be considered for the 2016-2017 season (1 BOX ONLY): Age Group Team 11-16 (FIG 11-16) EVENT i.e. Mixed Pair Junior National Team 12-18 (FIG 12-18) EVENT Junior National Team 13-19 (FIG 13-19) EVENT Senior National Team (FIG 15+) EVENT Coaches Name: Club Name: Abbr: Email: Phone: Event: P/G ID: Age Group: Level: Top s Name: Middle s Name: Base s Name: Base s Name: (Note: Parent s signature is required if athlete is under 18 years of age.) 6
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