USAJR to FISAC

• There are only two major differences between USAJR judging and FISAC judging– Music (Presentation)– Frequency of notations (Content)

Music

• In USAJR music is only used at Grand Nationals, and no extra marks are “added” for the creative use of music

• “Note* Music will be judged for Grand National’s only. Presentation Judges will use the criteria above to grade that element of the routine.”

Music

• In FISAC judging, the use of music (jumping to the beat and using accents) is worth 15% of the total freestyle mark

Frequency of Notations

• In FISAC, difficulty judges are asked to attempt to record the value of every jump or skill

• In the USAJR, content judges are told– “Do not attempt to record the value of every jump

or skill”– Evaluate each group of 5 skills

• This transition to judging every skill will be the most difficult for USAJR judges

Frequency of Notations

• Difficulty judging starts as a series of “snap” guesses, and with practice becomes a series of snap educated guesses

• The FISAC difficulty judging system was designed by former jumpers, for jumpers, to be judged by former jumpers

• In North America many of the judges are parents who are not former jumpers, so the “intuitive” aspect of this judging requires lots of practice

Comparing Judges

• Presentation = Creativity• Content = Difficulty• Freestyle Head judge = Variation

Presentation (USAJR)

• Look for– Posture, Countenance (Technique)– Flow – Beginnings and endings– Acknowledgement of judges/audience

(Impression)

Creativity (USAJR)

• Look for:– How entertaining the routine is, (Impression)– Transitions and combinations, (Impression)– Directionality and movement (Movement)– Choreography (Beats & Accents, Impression)

Creativity (FISAC)

• Music• Movement• Execution• Impression

Notations

• + √ – above and below• Make notations every 3 to 4 seconds

• Versus• BEAM(I)• Repeat the mantra – Beats, Execution, Accents, Movement (every 3 to 4

seconds)

Notations – BEAM(I)• Every 3 to 4 seconds:– If the competitor(s) jumped on the beat, mark a “B”, if not leave

blank– If the competitor(s) performed the skills with bad technique

mark an “E”, if skills performed with good technique leave blank– If the competitor(s) present or land a skill on an accent, mark an

“A”, if not leave blank– If the competitor(s) stayed in one spot mark an M, and if they

moved leave blank– In pairs, SR Team and DD, each time there is an interaction mark

an “I”

Notations – BEAM(I)

• At the end of a routine:– Decide on an Impression mark, then– Count the number of “B”s – a routine executed to the beat

will have many, a routine that was not jumped to the beat will have few

– Count the number of “E”s – a routine with good technique will have few or no “E”s noted

– Count the number of “A”s – 10 or more accents gets a top score for this criteria

– Count the number of “M”s – a routine with continuous movement should have no ro few “M”s noted

Content

• The difficulty levels of each skill are very similar

• M = masters = 5• A = advanced = 4• I = intermediate = 3• E = elementary = 2• B = basic = 1

Content Differences

• USAJR - Look a sets of 5 skills, assign a mark, consider adding a + or -, and circle if a combination

• FISAC – every time the hands and/or feet touch the floor, assign a mark– Long and varied sequences are hard to choreograph to music

(therefore, long and varied sequences do not necessarily make sense in a FISAC routine – the use of music dictates judging each skill)

• No density marks in FISAC – good choreography sometimes makes pauses or stops in a routine appropriate

Required Elements/Variation = Freestyle Head judge

• The notations made by these judges are very similar

• The FISAC judge needs to make notations for each skill

Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge

• USAJR Required Elements SR– Multiple unders– Inversion or displacement– Speed dynamics– Spatial dynamics– Rope manipulations

Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge

• FISAC Required Elements SR– Wraps– Gymnastic skills– Power skills– Releases of which at least 1 is a level 4 for diff (2+2

points)– Interactions of which at least 1 is a level 4 (4+2

points)

Variation = Freestyle Head Judge

• FISAC variation• Multiples, crosses and multiples with crosses• Sets of at least 4 different crosses, which are

more difficult than the basic crisscross, in single bounce or multiples, but not combined

• Sets of at least 4 different multiples of which at least 2 sets are triples or better

• Sets of at least 4 skills done backwards

Variation = Freestyle Head Judge

• Mark the first skill as “F” for forward or “B” for Backward

• Mark single crosses as “C”• Mark multiple crosses as “O”• Mark multiples that are not crosses as “M”• Each direction change mark an “F” or a “B”• All other skills are marked as “-”

Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge

• USAJR Required Elements DD– Multiple unders– Inversion or displacement– Speed dynamics– Spatial dynamics– Rope manipulations

Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge

• FISAC Required Elements split between– Jumpers, and – Turners

FISAC Required Elements DD Jumpers

• Series of at least 4 power skills • Power skills of a high power level (ex. One

handed frog, one handed push-up, double under pushup, two foot frog, etc

• Gymnastics skills of which at least 1 is an aerial• All other skills are marked as “-”

FISAC Required Elements DD Jumpers

• Mark a “P” for each power skill executed and circle the “P” for each higher level power skill

• Mark a “G” for each gymnastic skill executed• When the routine is finished look for sets of

four Ps in a row

FISAC Required Elements DD Turners

• Turning skills as a turner • Jumping skills as a turner

FISAC Required Elements DD Turners

• Mark a “T” for each turning skill executed• Mark a “J” for each jumping skill executed