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