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INSTITUTION

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DOCUMENT RESUME

SP 013, 348

NAGNS Gymnastics Guide, May 1978 -bay 1980. WithOfficial Age Group Compulsories and OfficiatingTechniques.American Alliance 'for,Bealth, Physical Edueation,- andRecreation, Washingter, D.C. National Asacciation forGirls and Women in'Sport.78207p.; Marginally legible due tc ssall.printAAHPER Publications tales, 1201 16th Street, N.B.,Washington, D.C. 20036 ($4.50)

MF-$6.83 Plus Postage. BC get Available frch.EDES.*Achievement Rating; ithletic,Ccaches; Athletics;*Gymnastics; Physidal Education; Skill Development;'*Teaching Gaides1 *'training Techniques; *lichensAthletics

IDENTIFIERS *Regulations

ABSTRACT 0- This official guidebook on..wohenos gymnastics covers,

the folldhing topies: (1) instruction techniques fcr coaches; (2)national% dompulssTy routines for girls gymnastics:, (3) beginning,intermediate, anradvanced balance beas performance; 14) keginning,'.intermediate;' and advanced floor exercises; .(5) uneven barstechniques; j6) rules governing judging "perforwances: Body movementsare illustrated by line drawings. Gyinattics audiovisual aids and anannotated bibliography cn gymnastics are included. Aar)

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*********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDASare-the best that can be made *.\-,.* - from the original document. . . %T. **********************************************************v*************

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Gymnastics. MAY 1978 MAY 1980

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a.)

a.

,Gymnastics_MAY 1978 -MAY 1980

Guide Coordinator, RUTH GUNDEN,Goshen College, Indiana

Girl& Chairperson,. DELENE DARST,Cincinnati, Ohio

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GIRLS& WOMEN IN SPORT '

American Alliance for Health, 7N-:Physical Education, and Recreation

%SlEripublic-a kmCopyright © 1978 by the

National Association for Girls and Women in SportAmerican Alliance for Health, Physical Educatioi, and Recreation

Published by the-AMER ICAN.ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH,

PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND RECREATION

1201 Sixteenth St., N,W: Washington, D.C.,20036_

5

CONTENTS .. .

Foreword. Carole Oglesby andRuth Gunden 5

NATIONAL ASSOCNTION FOR GIRLSAND WOMENIN SPORT ' ' 7Standards in Sports fgr Gres and Women '9National Coaches Cadricil 10Sports Academies of the National Coaches Council . . 11NAGWS Sports Guides Committees Interest Indicator . 33

. , ./. -..COMMITTEES AND ARTICLE I

- NAGWS Gymnastics Guide ComIthittees 15 ,Women's Gymnastics Certificati6n.Cbminittee ,. of the NAGWS-USGF .' `.- 16Alternative Instructional Patterns for .

Gymnastics Claslq - -Ruth Ann Fdirfield 17Side 'Horse Vaulting . Jim Gault 21Integrate Knowledge and CommuniCate. George McGinty /5Body Waves and ContraCtion for

z Gymnasiics Margaret ,Pappalardo 3}Creating Bettei Rhythm on the BalamcBeam

Kathy GleasonpleasonTibbetts 369'Forwar 1Vi Front Somersault Vault. .William

. .

A Unique igh School Program: FIG\if

Rules intohio Carolyn Bowers_ 45.'Intercollegiate Gymnastics for Women Chic Johnson 51How To Become .a Gymnastics Judge Varfna French 57Interpretation and Application of Changes in

FIG Code of Points , Jackie Fie 59Gymnastics Audiovisual Aids. . Xaren Pt:We 69'

tilio 71.\Annotated Gymnastics Bibliography Diane DciROUTINES1975-80 National Compulory Routines for Girls 77

. .OFFICIATING .

NAGWS Affiliated Bbards of Officials 178Statement of Philosopthy - 180,How To Establish a,Rating in Gymnastics 181Standards for Officials' Ratings in Gymnastics 182Information for Affiliated'Boards 185Techniques of Officiating Gymnastics: 189 .Gymnastics Study Questions , 203 ,

r v \\\

FOREWORD

On behalf of the National Association forGirls and Women in Sport, it is a pleasure-tocomniTinicate (even if in' irectly) with, you, thepeople who utilize NAGWS Guides. We areproud of our Guide publicatrons. Now, andthrough the lon/ GWS "herstory," the Guides

I have . been the products of individuals withsport- expertise and a deep dedication td the,good of those who play. This is the timelesspromise of these little oolts".

We am very proud, d you, toe. Your effortshave kept girls and 'women's sport programsalive through the lean ears and are now pro-viding the energy and direction for the fastestgrowth of sport programs ever. Your continueduse of the Guides provides support to they

CAROLE A. OGLESBYNAGWS President

With commitmentto those who play:

in that we neverchange.

tire range of activities in which NAGWS is intolved on behalf of youand girls and women everywhere. r

n 31:

With - the publication of this Gymnastics Guide, NAGWS contin-ues to provide a unique service to its congtituents. To produce usefulmaterials in a rapidly changing sports situation is a task of immenseproitortiips. NAGWS solicits your aid in determining future direc-tions in this publishing endeavor. The timineof publicatidns to co-- incide with Olympiads and the separation of

rules and articles into two Guides in some. sports illustrate recent changes initiated by

users of the materials.The publication of NAGWS Guider is de-

pendent upon the voluntary effoit of manypersons and chiefly the chairperson of the sportCommittee. Without lYelene Darst and her com-mittee who solicited, -edited and selected arti-cles, this 1978-80 Gymnastics Guide wouldnot have been possible.

FOREWORD 5

RUTH GUNDENGuide Coordinator

_ .

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORGIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORT

The National Association'ofor. Girls and Women. in Sport is a non-profit, educational organization designed to serve the needs of par-ticipants, teachers, coaches, leaders and administrators in sportsprograms for 'girls and women. It is 'one of seven associations of theAmerican Alliance for 'Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

PURPOSE

The purpose -of the National Association for Girls and Women inSport is to foster the .development of sports programs for theenrichme 't of the life of the partiCipant.

BELIEFS

The N tional Association for Girls 'and Women in Sport belie'vesthat:

Sports re an integral part of the culture in which,we live. .Sports programs.are a part of the total edui:ational experience of

the participant when conducted in educational institutions. .Oppor unities for instruction and participation in sports appropri-

ate t he skill, level should be.iniluded in the experience of everygirl.

Sports skills and sports participation are valuable social andrecreational tools-which maybe used to enrich the lives of women inour society. , 'n-

C.ompetition and cooperation may be demonstrated in all spcfrtsprograms, although the type and intensity of the competition andcooperatioirowill vary with the degree or level of skill of theparticipants.

An understanding of the relationship between competition and. cooperation and the utilization of both within the. accepted'framework of our society is one of the desirable outcomes of sportsparticipation.

Physical activgy is important in the maintenance. of the generalhealth of the participant.

Participation in sports contributes to the development of self-, . confidence and to the establishment of desirable ihterpotsonal

relatiOnships.

FUNCTIONS - ...

The Nation-al Association for Girls and Women in Sport promotesdesirable sports programs through: ,-.

L.)

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORT 7

1. Formulating and publicizing guiding principles and standardsfor the administrator, leader, official, and player.

2. Publishing and interpreting rules governing sports for girls andwomen.

3. Providing the means for training, evaluating, and ratingofficials.

4. Disseminating information on the conduct of girls andwomen's sports.

.5. Stimulating, evaluating, and disseminating research in the fieldof girls and women's sports.

6. Cooperating with allied groups interested in girls and women'ssports in ordefto formulate poliCies and rules that affect theconduct of women's sports..

7. Providing opportunities for the development of leadershipamong girls and women for 'the/conduct of their sports.programs.

N..

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

STANDARDS IN SPORTS FOR GIRLS ANDVOMEN .

Standards in sports.activities.for girls and women should be basedupon the following:1. Sports activities for girls and women should be taught, coached,

and officiated by qualified women whenever and wherever

2. Piograms should provide every girl with a wide variety ofactivities.

3. The results of competition should be judged in terms of benefitsto the participants rather than by the winning of championships

. or the athletic or commercial advantage to schools or organiza-tions.

Health and Safety Standards for Players

Careful supervision of the health of all players must be providedby-1. An examination by a qualified physician2. Written permission' by a qualified physician after serious illness or

injury3. Removal of players when they are injured or overfatigued or

show'signs of emotional instability4. A healthful,-safe, and sanitary environment for sports activity5. Limitation of competition to a geographical area which will. permit players to return at reasonable hours; provision of safe

transportation.

General Policies

1. SeleCt the members of all teams so that they pla'y against those ofapproximately the same ability and maturity.

2. Arrange the schedule of games and practices so as not to placedeniands on the team or player which would jeopardize theeducational objectives of the comprehensive sports program.

3. Discourage any girl from practicing with, or playing with, a teamfor more than one group while competing in.that sport during thesame sport season.

4. Promote social events in connection with all forms of com-petition. .

SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND SERVICE

All requests for information about services should be addressedto: Executive Secrthry, National Association for Girls and Womenin Sport (NAGWS), AAHPER, 1201-16th Street, N.W., Washington,D.C. 20036.STANDARDS IN SPORTS FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN- 1. 71 9

(NATIONAL COACHES COUNCIL

The National- Coaches Council was formed by. the NAGWS to:

(1) provide a channel of direct communication among coachesat all. educational levels

(2) assist in the formulation and dissemination of guidingprinciples, standards and 'policies for concluctinicompeti-thre sports prograins for girls and women

(3) keep members informed of current coaching techniques andtrends

(4) sponsor clinics'and conferences in sportsand coaching skills(5) provide input from coaches to USCSC sportS committees

and representative assembly(6) promote cooperative efforts with other sports-centered

organizations(7) provide a united body. for positive political action in the

realm of girls and women's athletics.

Academies for 10 sports have been established. (Note the appli-cation blank for specific listings;) Membership in each Academy isope'h to any coach of girls or women's, sports or any,intgrested per-son. Annual dues for AAHPER members are $5.00 for one Acad-eipy. Non-AAHPER members pay $15.00 annually for member-ship in one sport Academy. Membership for each additional Acad-emy is $2.00. The 510.00 non-membership fee may be applied atany timg toward AAHPER membership.'

Get involved . .. JOIN NOW.

10 NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

4 4S

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0la Sp Ms Academia oft th'e NATIONAL COACHES COUNCIL

J I 1 i 9 , A 421

rf i National Asisociation for Girls anitWomen in Sport.: AMIPERmi i

1 0. ' 1201 It6th St NSW . Wishingtoff, 11( 2006' ec. t 't P40IF

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FOR OFFICE USE .

CK. 1771.4/774"6f ,4

,,,city state' ' . zip, . ra 4 r .

AAHPER MEMBERS. Membership number as it appears on' your journal labc1.,

TeachineCoa;tiing level (please check): _College -,___ Jr. College HigIrSciloolJr.

k iligh.,_. Flementary Other' '1'. i .Please check the academies,you wislisto join:* 0 Badminton 0 Basketball .0 Field Mackey:

0 Gymnastici 0 Softball 0' Swimminaivirig '.0 Synarioni7,ed Swim1i ing10 Tenois i,0 Track & Field 0 IitVolleyball if .

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I am Willing to serve on an'Aoacle0pmrnittee.Y0

AAHPER members: $5.00 jor one Academy ind $2.00 for each additional Academy. Non.AAHPER,

members: $100 fOr one Acolemy and $2,00 each additionalAcademe($10.00 nonmembership

fee maybe applyg at any time toviard AAHPER membership,).

a Please send AASIPER membership information! yes Rio,

4:-NAGWS SPORTS GUIDE COMMITTEES

INTEREST INDICATOR

The NAGWS Sport Guide Comniittee is endeavoring to bioaderiits base of personnel and to strengthen services to Guide readers. Thepurpose of this form is to offer readers an opportunity to join us inmeeting this need. Please complete this form and fend it totheAssociate Guide Coordinator-elect, Mary Beth Cram , Penn StateUniversity, White Building, Unixersity Park, PA 16802

Name )Professional:Addreks -

City State ZIP Code"

1. Check the Sport Committee(s) which would, be of interest toyou:

_Aquatics. _Fencirig _Soccer_.._Archery ' _Field Hockey _Softball_Badminton _Slag Football _._Speedball_;Basketball . _Squash_Bowling __Gymnastica Synehapnized Swimming_Competitive Swimming _Lacrosse Team Handball

-_Cross-country Track __Orienteering _Tennis_Cross-country Skiing ,_Racquetball _Track and Field

_Skiing VolleyballWater Polo

2. Would you like to serve as member of a Sports Guide Committeeof yo- ur mteriit?" '

3. Would you consider submitting an article to a Guide Committeeas a prospective author? _Yes _L. NoPossible tope' or title -

4. Can you suggest topics for articles which you would like to haveincluded in future Guides? (Please indicate sport )

5. Are there others whom you would recommend for considerationas poksible committee members or authors? Please indicate below.(Use additional paper, if necessary.)

Name Sport(s)-

Professional Address

Zip CodeProspective Author (Check one)

City = StiteSports Committee Member

NAGWS SPORTS GUIDES COMMITTEES INTEREST INDICATOR 13

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUlarruMMITTEE*1975-1977

DELENE DARST, Chairperson, 767.8 Cathedral Hill Dr., Cincinnati,OH 452441

MARGIT GRETE TREIBER, Past Chairperson, Indiana State Uni-versity, Physical Education Department, Terre Haute, IN 47809

CHERYL WAGNER, Chairperson-elect, 458 South Clovis Ave.,#10S, Fresno, CA 93727

RUTH FAIRFIELD, 2921 H. Cottage Place, Greensboro, NC 27405MARGARET PAPPALARDO, Boston State College, 625 Hunting-

ton Ave., Boston, MA 02115DIANE DATILIO, 67 Winnicut Road, NorthHampton, NH 03685JAN HEINEIKE, 2373 White Chap' el Court, Columbus, OH 43229KAREN PATOILE, 199 Silver Lane, Apt. 21, Eugene, OR 97404

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE COMMITTEE*1978-1980

CHERYL WAGNER, Chairperson, 458 S. Clovis Ave., #105, Fresno,CA 93727

JOANNE PASQUALE, 204 S. Armin, Fullerton, CA 92631KAREN PATIOLE, 199 Silver Lane, Apt, 21, Eugene, OR 97404PAT HATMAKER, 2428 W. Lake Samr9amish Rd., S.E., Bellview,

WA 98008"LYNNWTL-LIGT574 N. 50th Place, PhoenixTAZ-8-5008

DEE BILLOTTE, 11505 Ciltis, Houston, TX 77029GAIL DAVIS, :258 Waterman St., Providence, RI 02906

The current Guide was prepared by the 1975-77 Committee; the 1980-82Guide will be prepared by the 1978-80 Committee.

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE COMMITTEE 15

WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS CERTIFICATIONCOMMITTEE OF THE NAGWS-USGF

SHIRLei BRYAN, Chairperson, 2619 N, Hampden Co icaIL 60614

STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS:Certification Coordinator: VARINA*FRENCH, Route #1, Box

Box 245, Forest Grove, OR 97116Committee on Written Examinations: LU WALLACE, 290 Rich-

ards Bldg., Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602Committee on Practical Examinations: JACKIE FIE, P.O. Box

312, Jefferson, IA 50129Committee on Compulsory Routines: MARL GRETE

TREIBER, Indiana State University, Physical E cation De-partment, Terre Haute, IN 47809

Committee on Policies'and Proceduies: SUE AMMERMAN, 97Lions Head Drive East, Wayne, NJ 07420

14

1

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

. Atterniative Instru-ctiopal Patterns forGrinasticsi Classes

RUTTI ANN FAIRFIELD

Ruth Fairfield. received her B.S. degree from SpringfieldCollege and her M.S. from-Boston-Bouve College, NortheasternUniversity. At present, she is a doctoral student at the Uni-versity of North Carolina at Greensboro. She began her coach-ingicareer in Andover, Massachusetts and has since taught atNdrtheastern University, Wake Forest. University and UMBC

. Most recently she served as the USGF National Age GroupProgram Chairperson. :

. Instructional patterns in the gymnasium are based on manyfactors. What are the prime criteria by which a teacher selects thepatterns of organization' and instruction in gymnastics? Often pro-gram content and instruction are based on programmatic regulari-ties of unit time, number of students, amount of equipment, safety,etc. Although these are important criteria, they should be con-sidered only after the, critical issue of consistency. Consistency isa quality we strive to develop in top-notch performers, and one we .'need to adhere to. in developing instructional patterns. It is consis-tency between beliefs about learning and students that best deter-mines content, instructional p,attems, and evaluation: Consistency'is a benchmark of top performance in many fields. Good programs

)

II I a I :1 11 1111 W. II . 40 . M, I. I I I

or theory, instruction and evaluation.The following alternative models of instruction are based on dif-

ferent beliefs about learning and students. Not all beliefs are repre- .sented, and there is some overlap in the positions. Each readershould be able to identify the position most closely related to his/her own. Once that belief or basic tenet is identified, several al-ternative instructional- patterns are listed and followed by appro-priate evaluation concepts. ;

14 you read, see if you can identify your, instructional patternand its consistency. Are there alternative ways that you can look at

. the concepts in gymnastics instruction and still be consistent withyour belief system? Do you utilize rotating small groups or indkvidual choice to achieve maximum participation and involvement?

Position A: Each student will develop required fundamentalskills in allgymnastics events..ALTERNATIVEINSTRUCTIONAL PATTERNS FOR GYM CLASSES 17

1 r

. .This belief is based on the assumption that all students need

identical fUndamental skills in ordej ;o reach their Taximum po-tential in gymnastics. This belitf implies absolute progressions. Ifyou are a teacher who holds this belief, then your instructional

. pattern may be agonized in the following ways.:1. Required compulsory routines on.all evertts. ./. Required compulsory routines established by component gym-

:rustics groups. For example, the component groups might be floororientation (tumbling, acrobatics, and clones skills), air orientation(vaulting; mini- tramps,' and trampoline), and swing and 'rotationalorientations (apparatus).

3. Required compulsories that are developed by key movementthemes. -For example, swinging and casting, flexibility and/or copression, balancing and inversion, vaulting,, rotation, and Icippine

In this position, instruction can be programmed and individual-ized by kvels appropriate to the student's ability. The basic teachingproceduke is, to teach the individual skills or routhr. This can bedOne in numerous ways, including peer tutoring, media and resourcestations, or demonstration and discussion. Evaluation that encom-passes developing these skills to perfection would be appropriate.This implies actual judging of routines, providing interclass meetcompetitions, or any other procedure that imposed a standard of ex-cellence .on a particular skill or routine.

Position. AB: Each student will develop suitable and comparablefundamental skills and will improve and develop individual attain-ment in skills or routines of her choice. .,

This belief is based on the asstimption that there is a balance be-tween whit everyone should know and the indiiidual's own develop-ing potential. If you are a teacher wh holiils this belief, then yourinstructional patterns can be organized , the following ways:

I. Design required compulsory routines on all events and allowstudents to select a prescribed number of events only. Students maydesign their own routines in some events.

2. Divide events into categories, tkat emphasize different compo-nents, such as,flodenrientation, air orientation, and apparatus; thenrequire comp ftone; t on one of these component elements and op-tionals on the other component areas of.the student's choice.

3. Require demonstration and understanding of the key move-ment themes. (i.e. , swinging, flexibility, balancing, vaulting, rotation,kipping, and strength) by performing one movement illustrating eachconcept or by letting the student develop an optVnal routine thatincludes two or three key movement themes that can be named, ex-plained, and performed by the st4ent.

,*Evaluation should include a &lance 'between judgments of a

standard of excellence and ability to demonstrate progressive learn-

111. NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

ing in accOidan9e with the student's choice of area and ability lakellIn concert with the Olympic philosophy, the athlete performs com-pulsories for comparisons, while optionaLallo.y the athlete to cap-italize on strengths and minimize weaknesses. In evaluation judg-ments, tfrere should lie a balance attained by requiring minimumlevel performance in some ooncepts and self-evaluation of a student'sperformance in the other concepts, skills, or routines. Routinesshould be performed as if the entire class were planning and present-ing a show or exhibition. eam competition can be appropriate ifperformers arm allowed to choose. the *events or key movementthemes they would like to perform. Additionally, contracting meth-odology can be effective if a balance is attained between requiredand optional contract items.

Position B: .The student will plan and administer her own pro-gram for meaningful learning in gyinnasti The student's objectives,however, will be. comparable to the br ad objectives for Ste gym-nastics unit. The teacher Will be a guid and resource persoliNto aidthe student in achieving the broad goals the unit in a personallymeaningful way. -

This belief is based on the assumption that students know howthey learn best and can set up and develop their oJin learnings. Ifyou are a teacher whi5 holds this belief, then your instructional pat-terns will be very personalized and can be organized in some of thefollowing ways:

1. Provide an open setting for the- student to eplore gymnasticsand define and develop her own objectives.

2. Provide media resources, instructional materials, and people toallow for total persOnalization of instruction.

3. Use individual events, component elements, or`liey movementthemes as concepts to relate to developing knowledge.

For this belief, one appropriate introductory method is to devel-a learning center composed of five or six small centers that ex-

plain the broad objectives of gymnastics and give samples of thevariety of ways in which these objectives can be met. This is oneform of exploration. Exploration can also be developed by guidingquestions concerning the various events to allow for contrast. andcomparison-of nts and other appropriate' concepts. Instructionalpatterns. incluM in this belief position involve a great deal ofimaginative planning to create settings that provide stimulatinglearning environments.

-Evaluation based '.on this belief would include self-appraisal andevaluation friSni' the criterion objectives set jointly by the studentand teacher. The'stu'llent might write her own contract, write anautobiographical account of her leanthigs and their personal mean-ingfulness, log her own activities and insights and include 'questions

ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PATIEANS FOR GYM CLASSES 19

r

that she and the teacher might discuss, .or demonstrate progress ather chosen activities or concepts. Teachers whb employ this methodin settings and evaluation Will need to lie creative in discovering hoWa student has. been 113%Ittc? integrate dhd interpret her gymnasticslearnings to movement "lifd" 'concepts. jt is this interpretationthat allows content to be personally meaningful. Evaltiatioh evolvesas subjective experience is translated and shared with the teacherandothers. t . . -- Up to this point, consideration. of instructional patterns has been

based on learning related to motor and cognitive skills. Gymnasticsprovides many opportunities to develop, affective objectives. Stu-dents do face feelings of fear, lack of self-confidence; frustration,

"and also moments of high elation. Teachers can integrate affectiveobjectives into all of the thstructional positions, although some posi-tions provide more emphasis on these feelings. Often; as teachers, we

.do not plan for "teachable momehts." A teacher who provides foichoice in instructional patterns is saying-something about caring forthe uniqueness of styles of learning in his/her Glass! Affective c$cepts are experienced by almost all persons, even .top-leirel perform-

For example, a lesson or part of a lesson can be focused on howfeelings affect learning in gymnastics. The student might be asked toattempt a skill that she has never tried before or .to perform whileothers are watching. Often we do these things in our programs anddo not capitalize ;on how understanding:these areas can be used to-increase self-awareness, self-acceptance, confidence, and shared per-sonal experiences. The student, after attempting tie new skill fivetimes, can be requested to talk with a peer about what she experi-enced during the Live tnaLt Guiding questions might be establishedbefore-hand or developed from the responses of the 'students. Stu- Xdents may discover that they hays common fears of the unknown;that they feel more secure with spotting or encouragement; thatrepeated trials make them less fearful and more oriented; that hon-

->dlt self-appraisal is a good criteria for selecting a new skill; or thatfrustration may be caused by a lack of physical strength to performthe skill. These kinds of general concepts can be very valuable toincreased learning and personal meaningfulness of the gymnaiticscontent.

Regardless of your belief position, A, ABolor R,- iyayiety of in-"structional patterns can be used. The vital criterion for developinginstructional patterns is consistency. The teacher must first assesswhat he/she believes about learning and students in motor, cognitive,and affective domains. This assessmentwill insure' a matchrbetweenbeliefs, instructional;: patterns, and evaluation. It will' also result ina teacher who is consistently working at becoming better.

201 n

(.} NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

side Horse. Vaulting

JIM GAULT

Jim Gault graduoed from. San Jose Spate Univ"Vsity and i,the. head coach and owner.* therHablo Gyptnastics Club,Walnut Creek, California. lie is a member bf the USGF For-eign Relatioris Committee and has coached US teams to Japan,South Africa, .New Zealand, and England. He is .the.vaultingcoordinator for the USGF Junior Elite program.

, . .Women's side horse vaulting involves a unique: comb ion of

precise skits that require a progressive system* of instruction andlearning. There are usually no shortcuts to the development of suc-cessful vaulting techniques. Keendnimind-the basic reason for vault -;ingfifight. By using the body and the appmptus correctly, dynamic-ally beautiful flight can be attained. ProlPEr. emphasis .on the basiselemehtt--the run, the hurdle step, ths takeoff, and repulsion isnecessary. If these elements are efficiently performed, a variety of'different vaults is possible. itThe ten

a

Emphasis on correct running form is,probably the most neglected '-'part of women's vaulting. The speed and efficiency of the approachto the board will ultimately determine the distance and araplittideofthe flight. Running for vaultingrequires good sprint technique: (a)a long stride with fairly high knee lift and elimination bt dny inward.or outward rotation of the knees; (b) relaxed arms, hands, and shoul-

. ders (arms are slightly bent and move in thp direction of the run)-,'(c) erect stance with slight forward lean; ankmost importan y, (d)a continual buildup of speed from the start through the hur e step.Gymnasts should practice correct sprinting during every rkoutand always take several all-out sprints down the vault runway beforeactually doing any vaulting. Another method is to move the horseout of the way and run right across the board and landing area.

The run must be free of interruption by slowing down, shorten-*.ing the length of the stride ("chopping"), or running flat-footed.,, These are often very difficult habits to break; and a progressive and'

repetitive system of learning is essential. .

The Kir& vs.._

The hurdle step is the preparation movement that enables thebody, with the use of the board, to convert its horizontal momen-n ,-,SIDE NORSE VAULTING ,

fum ,to' an upward trajectory. There are various methods of hurdling,but the following mthod appears to be best for developing an effi-cient takeoff. For most vaults', the hurdle step is usually long andlow, with the traili4log moving-forward quickly to join the takeofflee. Both feet then ad the body to thq, board. At the moment ofd'ontact- with' the board, the body's, center of gravity is behind thefeet, allowing, for the "block" ;action which is necessary for convert-ing horizohtal tp upward momentum. The height and position of,hecentet pf gravity over the feet during the hurdle step is adusted bythe g91nnast according to the particular vault being performed. ,

The hurdle step is acccernplished with a circular, pnderarm swingwhich -occurs during the quick flight stage from the takeoff to thebounce or "punch" from the -board. Knee lift is minimal, andltecenter of gravity stays fairly low so that maximum rebound can oc-cur. The underarm swing is important in positioning the body. sothat arrival on the board is correctly,balanced and, controlled.

The Takeoff 'mot_Contact with the board shOuld be before the "crown" section,

about 15" to 20" from the front edge, Legs must'flex and straight-en very fast, as must the angle betwelthe foot and ankle. Speed ofthe punch is often a critical moment, as it will determine the rise ofthe

gymnasts seem Ave natural spring (faster reflexes) and cane center of gravity thus affect the remainder of the vault.

leave the board with quickness and light/iess, while others must prac-tice the takeoff over and over. Punch drills after workouts can bevery helpful. ..

Different vaults require different angles of takeoff, which thegymnast learns as she begin nderstand how each vault differsin technique and direction. Mo importantly, regardless of the angleof takeoff, the body' must m tain tightness, especially through thelower back and hip area. -,

Repulsion

That explosive moment when the hands leave the horse is knoWnas repulsion. The height and distance'of the afterflight is determinedby*the force and length of the repulsion phase. These elements aregreatly affected by the speed of the run and hurdle, the speed and

"angle of takeoff, aid the amount of muscular tension through thelength o the body.' For handspringslind other inverted yaults, gym-nasts sho d pradtice repulsion drills, such as `.hand bounce" exer-cises on e floor. Any such -exercises require careful attention tohead position (head betWeen the arms) and tightness of the body.22 c") NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

4,

-4101, \The Handspring Vault ,

The handspring vault if now generally used as a lead-up skill inpreparation for the more difficult twisting and so.e.-ulting vaults.There are two different methods of performing this vaat-. The gym-nast should be able to perform either variation or at least understandthe difference when selecting an appypriate optional vault to use incompetition. , '.Method 1Balanced flight handspring

This vault is`performed with both pre- flightand after- t beingfairly equal in height and distance. The takeoff.angle is cl ser to ver-tical? with rotational momentum of the body somewha slower sothat the gymnast does not turn over too fast. She should contact the :,horse between 55° and 65° from the horizontal, with her'hands ontop of the horse. for maximum amplitude and distance in the sec-ond flight phase, she should leave the horse after she has passed thevertical at between 100° and 1.Z0°. This technique is important inle g suck optional vaults as the 1/2 twist on-34 twist off, the 1/2 .twist n-1/2 twist off, anckthe 1/2 twist onfull twist off.

Metpod 2Low on High j, high off flight 1The technique -of- performing this vault is important in develop-

ing the skills -involved in learning the newer and more difficult op-tional vaults, such as {tie Yamashita, the O'Shaw (Tsukahara), hand-spring fronQomersault etc. The critical difference is the angle andspeed necessary from the board to the ,horse. The gymnast mustkeep to hurdle step dawn aniLinta the board so that her center ofgiavity is somewhat forward. This enables Nero be much more di-rect in her flight to the horse. Hand contact is toward the front topedge of the horse (but not on the front side); and her angle atcontact may be between 35° and 45°. Her body is rotating faster, ""and she leaves the horse slightly more toward vertical, allowing heroff-flight to be considerably higher and farther than ill Method-I.The gymnast now has time to perform coipplex twisting and somer-saulting movements during the afterflight phase of the vault.

The. Twist Op% Twist Off Vault

This vault is best perfoimed by using handspring method 1. Thegymnast must understand that the 1/2 on-1/2 off is a balanced flighthandspring with a slighrtwist on each side. The twist is initiatedfrom the shoulders just as the gymnast leaves the board in an ex-tended, stretched body position. It is not a,vigorous twisting action;she doe not hive, to "throw" a twist. With a balanced flight herdoe

t fists with the upward portion of the flight, the twist being..SIDE RSE VAULTING 4 4 4 23

comple d just as the body begins its downward direction. A sim-ilar act n occurs as the body leaves the horse, wish the/twist nowbeing tiated subtly from the hips.

It essential that the gymnast keep her body. in proper align- .men no lower back arch, head between arms, chest angle open(chest angle = angle' between arms and chest), legs together-landdoes not over rotate the first flight.

The 1/2 twist onfull twist off uses basically the same te ique,except the on-flight- is slightly lower, and the repulsion/t isting

ase, from the horse will be a little more vigorous. The arms shouldbe epl upiduring the full twist, as the body can twist effectivelyin th position if it is held tight and sufficient twist action is in-itiated emeriiber, the twist does not have to be "thrown."

ThgAiccepted technique for the above ...vaults now requires thatthe tw's continue in the..same direction,le., a 1/4 twist on to thehorse twisting toward the left will continue twisting to the left asthe body leaves the horse. This will give the appearance of a twistoccurring in two different directions;' since the gymnast is passingfrom an upright to an inverted position.

The Handspring Full Twist

Handspring method 2 is generally recognized as the preferredtechnique for performing this vault. This is a more dynamic andexplosive type of vault. The full twist action begins after the gym-nast leaves the horse (probably Ito 12" from the horse). Thebcidy assumes 'a slightly contracted or "hollow's-position and thenstretches out to a straight body (not arched) as the twist is initiated.If theegymnast twists to the left, her right a will drop downwardand across her body toward the opposite p. Her left arm willstretch upward (not befla and backward in the direction of thetwist. The twist occurs quickly yid should b completed- at the topof the arc (body at horizontal) in the afterfli t. The gymnast raisesher right arm back to vertical as she descends the mat,

Finishing- the twist effectively depends a eat deal on the tight-ness within the body and the direction of the afterflight. Sin'ce twist-ing on the vertical akis will.increase rotation around the horizontalaxis, the gymnast cannot over rotate the on-flight portion of thevault. If she dOes, she will usually over rotate the second flight and

. step or fall forward upon landing. A good lead-up drill is to learnhandspring method 2 to a flatlback drop position on a foam pad.A trampoline placed behind tie horse can also be used.to learnthis skill. If the gymnast hits her heels first, she is arching.or turningher body over, too rapidly. An effective twisting drill is to practiceback drop, full twist', back drop on the trampoline utilizing the samearm action described above.24 2 2 NAGWS.GYMNASTICS GUIDE

Integrate Knowledge and

Comnlirriicate

GED.RGE McGINTY

George McGinty received his A.B. degree from the Uni-versify of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, his M.Ed. m the Uni -versity of ,Maryland, and is presently completirtg ork on hisdoctoral degree at the University of North Caroli Greens-boro. He has taught and coached men's and wom n's Opines--tics...on -the elementary, secondary, and colle e levels since1957. Currently, he is Associate Professor of Physical Edu-cation and-Women's Gymnastics Coach at Towson State Uni-versity, Baltimore, Maryland. Since his tenure at TowsonState, beginning in 1966, the women's gymnastics team hasbeen nationally rated several times.

Excellence in teaching gymnastics depends on many things beyond the willingness of the teacher and performer to be,successfuLIntegration of kinesiological concepts and mechanics, kirledge ofthe physiological and anatomical aspects of the individual, andunderstanding the psychological attributei of a given performer pro-vide the teacher with distinct adtrantage which can lead to in-creased teaching pe ance levels. With these foundations, theteacher can implement knowledge in logical sequences relative to theindividual learner. Thus, the dogma of "h -to" secrets can beabandoned in the teaching of gymnastics skills:

It is far more beneficial for the teacher; and student to conveyinformation to each other based on knowledge. This process re-quires communica4io' n supported by those aspects mentioned above.Obviously, the processes and methodologies of imparting and gain-ing knowledge toward gymnastics improvement are as numerous asthey. are effective. Each teacher needs to encompags different tech-niq'ues suitable to the wide variety of persons being taught.

Knowledge ei MechanicsVv.

Knowledge in physics and kinesiology permits the teacher tounderstand and apply the principles necessary for the execution of aspecific skill, i.e., a forWard hip circle. The mechanical execution ofa forward hip circle, however, is not concerned with the "correctform" demanded in competitive gymnastics. Instead, mechanicalexecution allows the teacher to depict the relationship of weight,INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE AND COMWIJNICATE

2425

distributions, force, and speed and the rotational factors and balancerequired for a specificperformer. Mechanical principles will Rot pro-vide the teacher. with absolute answers to*perfect and correct. form..for any movement pattern! Buj they will assist the teacher in solyingproblems required in tht execution of skills patterns.

Individual Differences

Human beingi, while having similar..physiological and anatomicalaspects,'are all differentFor example, two gymnasts with identical'morphologies can vary iireatly, in flexibility, strength, power, antici-pation time,-dreaction time, Movement time, and, balancing ability.

Physical physiological readiness to learn gymnastics skills plays'anninportant- part in learning..Gymnasts have varied lea'els of endur-ance in. their cardiovasFular-respiratOry'systems; they have differentlevels of strength in individual muscles%ss well as their numerousmuscle systems; and they Kaye tremendous differences in ranges ofmotion 'around the joints of the bOdy. The question.shdpld not behoar, a teacher 'calf teach two different persons the, same identicalgymnastics skill. Instead, the concern should be how a teacher canteach the underlying principles of 'a specific gymnastics skill to twodifferent Persons. Skills need to fit: th person rather thanthe personfit the skill. Understanding the principles of movement and the dif-ferences in . persons will enhance teacher effectiveness with thegymnast. .

The glide kip can be used, to illustrate possible physical diffe-ences in two gymnasts with similar morphologies.Assume that gym-nast A and gymnast B are equal in all physical aspects except flexi-bility. Gymnast A has excellent rangepf motion in all body joints.Gymnast. B has ;limited shoulder; abdominal, and leg flexibility.The teacher may teach both of these gymnasts the glide kip withidentical principles of movement, but the results will be quite dif-ferent. Gymnast A will be capable of performing a glide kip with along, strpiched glide, a fast closing of -the body with the hip anglereduced almost to zero, and a strong upward-outward ro tion andlift for the ac p. Gymnast B, due to flexibility pro ms, willhalm a shorter'lYlei with a sharp angle evident in the shoulders, .aslower closing of the bOdy with the knees flexed, and a reoptnincof the body for the kip with more outward and downward rotationand lift. Until gymnast B increases her flexibility range, her glide kipwill be less efficient and will not meet the standards of form de-manded in competitive gymnastics.

Psycholcsieal Attributes

The psychological attributes of a given individual create definiteeffects that result in various_ levels of performance. The influences

25 NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

...,.,,,It

that result *from intrinsic and extrinsie- factors an dominate the in-dividuat from within. Ever-increasing influencea,from social faCtorsand group dynamics also play an-important-role in.the development .of skills performance. The importance of a vcirki4knowledge. 9f in-.dividual and social ,iychologi. canhol be niegleotedi This iS Where'the founilation for motivational.Processes..can -j)r f011pq and imple-mented to t the gymnast in "aftaining.greateciPtifferinarice tevels..

Motivation factors can he either intrinsiccor,exttinsic in nature;!IntrinAc moth, ris should4uro4ke PlimarY influences for excef-,,,

r lence in. performance, :simply -because they, tetrad to be long fasting:The factors of "I enjoy, I feel.good, I like the persbnalthallenge of

; doing", when performing gymnastics-skilli!"usirally haye a' more en-during influence than external, factors suclfas winning first place ortte . pbssibility of ceiving 'a rifedab However, extrinsic influence*have frequently n -the , prim motivation for gymnasts, e.g.,

ythalcing the Olympic team or ofing 3-2."voints as an aTharound inspartieufar competition.' , . ,_, The - teacher should make every effort to discover what type.of

..

altuatiOns and objettives' motivate each individuargymnat. In doing,-- so, 'the teacher will find tat 'influences' from both internal and

external ctors will dominate . . -.. .,!.--: t indifferent situations.-t br -exa ple, a' gyinriait ma , e initially invOlved with gynl-

; niitics % cause' it looks like :': . AiOonth later, she !nay continue., thespoKt because aft, wants tO.Afilelt proiiCiency in- performing cer-

tain skills. Two months later, she milyTWant tolnake the competi -'fffiitteam. Four months later, she may wanIrtó-irichgr the bar.team.Five months later, she may Contiture, gymnastics Mainly because ofher feeling for the, coach or team. -Eight months liter, she may real-ize that gymnastics is a strong paftfof her inner self, and she contin-ues ot.(Ahe-sitisfaction-dgivel ft om performing physicalskills. The use-bfirafferent motivational techniques by the teacherwill epend on thelaifferent situations, iri which die gymnast placesherself. Whether inernaFgr external in- nature, the factors invOrved

, in ntotivation will generally be in specific Aituations. What motivatesin one situation will fall flat in another. Thusr.the teacher neediter

' -know and understand the psychology of the individual gymnast f6attain better pefformailce results. ; t' ' / '. ( , 0 , 4 .Habit and Success

Dominant responses often are called, "well-le ed habits." Aportion of th ominant 'habit development within the gyrnnast will,beccime 'the onsibility of the. teacher. If the teacher iS a soundtechnician communicate with ,fie gymnast, proper execu-tion of can be realized, assuming the perfOrrner is ready tolearn the movement, both physically and mentally. Readiness meansINTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE AND COMMUNIcAtE 26, 27

.

. that the gymnast has the necessary strength, flexibility, endurance,and prior skills mastery required for the learning of new skills. Inaddition, mental readiness assumes proper motivation, control offear, and the understanding of how the skilLis to be performed with-in the gymnast's physical capabilities. 5-

The development of dominant skills responses comes with repeti-tion in practice. The teacher and gymnast work together in buildinga new skill; that is, they communicate while the skill is beinglearned. As long as satisfactory progress is being made toward-properexecution of the skill, the teacher should encourage continued prac-tice. The gymnast will be building a proper "learned habit" se-quence. As the gymnast continues to build habit strength with prop-er and correct execution, the dominant habit will begin to develop.However, what happens when the gymnast constantly executes theskill incorrectly? Frequently this happens when the gymnast lacksthe necessary readiness, has trouble communicating with the teacher,or has a "bad day in the gym." Too many times the teacher willpermit thg gymnast to continue skills practice incorrectly with thephilosophy that the gymnast.needs to work the skill out herself.This is nonsense!

Continued incorrect skills practice without progress toward prop-er execution builds an improper dominant response habit. The gym-nast actually develops an incorrect well-learned habit! When thegymnast continues to practice a skill without improvement in soundexecution techniques, the teacher should have the gymnast ceasepractice of that skill until a better readiness level is reached. Whybuild bad habits that will show up later in competition routines or inlearning new skills? It seems logical to have gymnasts practice skillsas long as progress is being made toward correct technical execution.

Conversely, skills pfactice should cease when no progress is evident.

Communication

The gymnast and teacher need to be able to exchange ideas andthoughts without hesitancy. The teacher should be able to com-municate with the gymnast using logical sequences to explain exe-cution techniques. It is vital that the gymnast understand what theteacher is saying. It is equally vital that the teacher understand whatthe gymnast is saying and feeling!

How often, for example, during tumbling practice, have coachestold the gymnast of numerous faults in execution after every pass?How can the coach'expect the gymnast to remember multiple faults,much less make corrections for each fault? And if there are severalcoaches working the same gymnast simultaneously, or separately,and if each coach is offering different corrections for faults, how canthe gymnast possibly figure out which correction is right? Unfor-28 2 NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

tunately, what one ends up with is a rather confused and frustratedgymnast! Actually, there is no need to fill the gymnast's head with amultitude of things to do. Execution implementation and fault cor-rection should occur logically.

Assume the gymnast is in excellent readiness to begin learning thefront handspripg. Assume aLsoi that the teacher 'has explained themechanics of the handspring in sequential -order and that the gym-nast has a clear understanding of how the skill will work. After thefirst attempt to perform the handspring, the teacher should not tellthe gymnast that she did four things wrong; the teacher shouldwatch the gymnast attempt the skill numerous times without com-ment. If this is done, a pattern of execution will emerge, allowingthe teacher to analyze mechanical problems. At this point the teach-er may ask the gymnast, "what do you think you are doing" or"what do you feel as you do the skill?" The answers giveti by thegymnast are important feedback from the performer's point of view.This information can give ,the teacher the cue needed to begin exe-cution correction. Suppose the gymnast tells the teacher that she felta very rapid rotation and loss of contibl. The teacher has observedthe gymnast attempting the handspring with bent legs, bent arms,slow push off the floor with the hands, and the body somewhat in atuck position. Obviously the teacher can tell the gymnast numerousthings to do, but which would be most important to correct first?The teacher can ask the gymnast how to slow down the fast rota-tion. The gymnast might possibly reply, "make my body longer andtighter." This, exchange of information is sound and should do muchto -eliminate the numerous flaws of this .handspring. More import-antly, the correction made is positive! Nothing was said about whatwas actually done but, rather, what needs to be done. Furthermore,the gymnast participated, in examining what could make the skillwork better. Instead of confusing the gymnast with numerous cor-rections, the teacher, by communicating with the gymnast, madeknown one major point for improvement. The teacher actually saidlittle, confusion was avoided, the exchange of thoughts was evident,and important feedback was provided the gymnast. Granting that

(the example giveitls sin2plified, the process of communication usingshared knowledge is a point worthy of consideration by all teachersand coaches.

Summary

The type of teachiip.philosophy discussed in this article ob-viously does,not suit the 'toss and catch" coach. Coaches who usethis method are not interested in the process of learning and acquir-ing gyinnastics"skills. Their interest is the end result. In the long runit is the gymhist who suffers, mainly because large numbers of gym-

INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE AND COMMUNICATE 211

oasts end up dropping the activity. It seems more logical to turn peo-ple on to the sport. This can be facilitated by teaching with a logicalapproach based on the integration of mechanics, individual differ-ences, and psychological attributes of the gymnast. The communica-tion between the teacher and gymnast permits the exchange of ideasand thoughts based on knO-wledge. In this respect, the gymnast be-comes more than a performer of skills. She is more able to assumeresponsibility for her own actions and decisions. Gymnastics thenbecomes one of the tools that affords growth toward maturity andadult life.

2930 - NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

Body Waves and Contraction

. for Gymnastics

MARGARET PAPPALARDO

Margaret Pappalardo received her B.S. and M.S. degrees inphysical education from Indiana. State University, where shewas a gymnastand later assistant coach. She ii coordinator ofall dance and gymnastic activities at Boston State College. As.Gymnastics Chairperson for the Boston Board of Officials sheis training USGF-NAGWS officials in ,the grAter Boston area.She is Co-Director of Eastern Gymnastic Academy, Lynn, MA.

Fluid use of the spine is essential to a supple and dynamic.presen-tation on the beam and in floor exercises. It is important that thecontractions include the pelvic area and are not isolated in the upperspine. Good dance technique is essential in attaining proper controlof the spine to aid in all gymnastics movements and allow for thecontrolled contraction anck release movements that separate the ele-gant gymnast from the novice. Every gymnast should be involvedin a dance technique class at least once a week and lave the basicprinciples reinforced every day by her coach.

Forward Body Waves

Tht forward body waves consist of a fluid motion from a round-ed starting position, through an arched position, ending in astretched hollow chest position. This is executed by beginning inthestarting position, (Figure 1) pushing the knees forward (Figure 2),thighs forward, pelvis forward, rib cage forward into an arched posi-tion of the spine (Figure 3), with the head and arms finally comingforward to finish in the stretched hollow chest position {Figure-4).This is easier to practice at the bane' or by plicing one hand On thebeam to aid in balance. The simultaneous arm motion is to bring thearms forward, down, back, and up to the original positi6n. Havingstudents practice only the arm motion first is very helpful. _

The following exercise suggestions for teaching the forward bo:lywave are done to a time waltz rhythm after the basic technique ismastered.

1. Count 1, step forward on the right foot into the rounded start-ing positfon. Count 2, wave through to the arched position. Count 3,stretch to the erect hollow chest position. Step forward left on thefirst count of the second measure and repeat the process. When firstBODY WAVES AND CONTRACTION FOR GYMNASTICS 31

30

Figur* 1. Starting Position.

32

41,0'

_Eigdis 2. Pushing knew forward.

Figure 3. Ardwd position. Figure 4. Stretched "dna position.

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

..g,kr_ :

teaching this exerciie, you can use two measures or six counts foreach, sequence. It is also beneficial to move one measure and rest inpreparation for the next measure. With this technique mastered, it is..interesting to step forward, on each count of the measure while per-form' g the body wave as in the study that follows.

Count 1, step forward right into starting rounded position.E nt 2, step forward left into arched position. Count three, step

rward right into the stretched position. Repeat the sequence in re-verse left, right, left.

Forward body wave with half turn. The 1/2 turn body wave is exe-cuted the same as a simple squat turn. As. the body turns from backto front, the knees lead the thighs, then the pelvis,,rib ca , andfinally arms to finish in a hollow position. Place the left foot frontof the right in fifth position, S t the weight forwar om therounded position while perform' a 1/2 squat turn to the right on theballs of the feet. Teaching the udent to end in a hollow positionprovides the most secure landing.;This is especially true whef?...per-forming-a full turn body wave on the beam. .

Forward body wave with full turn. Place the left foot across theright foot, shift the weight forward from the rounded positi tothe arched position while performing a full squat turn to the t;continue turning from the arched to the hollow stretched' post nas you complete the full turn. The balanced position is extremelyimportant in this turn, which is a superior -difficulty move on thebeam. -. N.0

Reverse Body Wave

The reverse body wav begins in a hollow position and continuesbackward through an arch position, down, and upward to the hol-low position. Start in the s tched hollow position. Lean back withhead and arms (Figure 5) hile tilting pelvis back so sp ss inarched position (Figure 6). ontinue down and back as fingertipsbrush floor (Figures 6, 7, 8), and continue up (figure 9) to thestretched hollow position (Figure 10). The same exercises may berepeated with the reverse body wave when the technique:_ is mas-tered.

Exercises to improve body waves include the following:Cat back. Student is on floor in .a hands and knees position. As

head is raised, the spine is shifted into an arched position. Head istucked to the chest, and the spine isrounded with the pelvis tuckedunder as much as possible. These are the two extreme, positions ofthe body wave. To strengthen the muscles involved, one student canpress down on the back of the other student while she is executingthe exes,cise.

BODY WAVES AND CONTRACTION. FOR GYMNASTICS 33

3`)

34

Figure& Starting position.

Figures 6, 7, & Ardwd dropping Position.

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

Figure 9. Lifting position.

Figure 10. Sur:Weld warring position.

Stationary pelvic tilt St, lading in proper alignment, shift pelvisforward and head back as you assume an arched position. Reverse,shifting pelvis back and hollowing chest. .

Locomotor pelvic tilt. Standing in proper alignment, step forwardon the right foot into the hollow positiop, then step forward on theleft root into the arched position.

Forward body wave to time stepping' on the first or accentbeat. step arch contract

Count 1 Count 2 - Count 3Forward body. Nave to time stepping on each of the three

beats. step, step, step,arch, contract arch, contract arch, contract

Count 1; Count 2 Count 3Note: Figures 1 through 4 indicate sequence of the forward body.

wave.Figures 5 through 10 indicate sequence of the reverse bodywave. , t.

BODY WAVES AND CONTRACTION FOR OTM611119 33

)Kathy Tibbetts is a graduate of State University Collegeof Buffalo and was a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic Teamand 1971 National Collegiate Champion. She presently coach-es her own team, the Niagara Frontier Gym Club, in NiagaraFalls, New York, For the past two years ;fie has been a gym-nastics instructor at Niagara County Community College.Kathy is also the present USGF Regional Age Group Develop-ment Director for Region VFand in 1976 served as the USGFNational Age Group Development Director.

Rhythm is the controlling but active force' in any movement.Many coaches realize that the rhythm inherent in a specific skill,when executed correctly, facilitates the ease of execution of thatparticular skill. Yet many coaches overlook the importance of estab-lishing sound, logical rhythmic patterns when composing a balancebeam routine.

Motion created by the body establishef rhythm through the useof space, the amount of energy used, and the duration of time..Space is relatively limited on a beam so effective use of dynamics(change in rhythm) and quality of movement is essential. Energy'should flow through one harmonious rhythmic pattern into another.This produces continuity in &routine. Because of the relatively shorttime it takes to complete a tieam routine, the correct use of qualityand dynamics cannot be stressed enough. The following list of ele-ments of movement interspersed at logical places keep the routinefrom becoming monotonous and boring.

Five basic elements of movement, or the way the force of energyis applied, follow.

Swinging Movement. In swinging or pendular movement theimpulse is noticeable, the momentum is continuous, and the follow-through unrestrained. Swinging movement is executed by the arms,legs, head, and/or torso moving in limited fashion in various arcs,from one plane to another, or in any direction. The moving part orparts may sway from side to side or rock forward or backward.

Sustained Movement. In sustained movement the impetus andcompletion of movement are not easily discernible. The -musclegroups involved are equally balanced in force, resulting in a fusion

3i NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE35 . .

Creating Better Rhythm on the

Balance Beam

KATHY GLEASON TIBBETTS

of the impulse and the f011ow-through--comparable to a slow motioncamera.

Percussive Movement. Percussive movement shows a marked im-pulse with a completely checked follow-through. It is staccato inquality and is executed against resistance. Any part of the body maybe involved in the use of percussive mcipment_The body-may movepercussively in a sharp, forcefulo lashing movement as though strik-ing something; in a sudden and dynamic shifting of the body posi7tion; or in an abrupt tensing of certain parts of the body.

Vibratory Movement. In vibratory movement the impulsei occurso rapidly that the contractions and relaxations come very closetogether. The sharp, powerful impulses exert0' with extreme in-ten.y against the resistance 6f the body itself or of surroundingspace give the effect of repetition and produce a shaking, quivering,or tremulous quality of movement. Obviously this type of move-ment could not go on indefinitely, or the-muscles would becomefatigued and cease to function.

. Suspended Movement: Suspended -movement, though not staticin quality, is characterized by a momentary interruption of thecontinuity of movement. In this type of movement a lower part ofthe body becomes a stationary.axis that supports one or more partsto be suspended above it. It is initiated with a marked inipulse, sothat movement continues until certain parts of the body reach theirpeak of eleyation. At this point the essential forces are so balancedthat movement appears to stop completely. Actually the movementis prolonged, bringing about an eitualization of forces -required tomaintain-..the suspension. After this delayed follow-through, the-sus-pended pad" -.4ir parts return ip the original position or continue with..a new moiement.'

Establishing a basic rhythmic pattern and employing variationwithin the rhythmic structure produces a dynamic and-interestingroutine while lending a logical progression on which to build.

It is extremely useful to familiarize students. with these fiveelements of' movement. By breaking students into groups and hav-ing them make up their own examples of various types of move-ments, theyl can later use these movements in combination to pro-duce varied and interesting rhythmic patterns. This will allow themto gain a better understanding of how a beam routine can be en-hanced by effectiliely using various dynamic movements in a rhyth-rnic pattern They may also use their existing routines and inter-sperse these`, five types of movement at appropriate intervals.

Norris, Dor thy and Shiner, Reva P. Keynotef to.Modern Dttnce. Minnea-polis, MN: Blogess Publishing Co., 1965. p. 31: ' `CREATING BETTER RHYTHM ON THE BALANCE SEAS 0. ,

Because every student is unique physically, emotionally, andmentally, rhythmic patterns will vary from individual to indiv-idual. An energetic twelve-year-old will probably employ, a faster-paced beam routine with dynamic and percussive movements atmore frequent intervals than her more mature and docile seventeen-year-old counterpart.

..This is why a basic understanding of rhythm and dynamics ofmovement is crucial to the gymnastics coach. It is the coach's dutyto bring out and enhance each individual gymnast's -.personality asshe performs. Just as rhythm is evident in all aspects of life, eachgymnast also has her own stylized rhythmic pattern. When undercontrol and used in logical progression, it insures regularity, unity,and harmony in a balance beam routine.

Bibliography

Norris, Dorothy E. and Shiner, Reva P. Keynotes to Modern Dance.Minneapolis, MN: Burgess Publishing Co., 1965.

Murray, Ruth Lovell. Dance 'in Elementary Education, New York:Harper and Row, 1975.

Wagner, Cheryl. Judges Course 'Outline. Unpublished to date.

3$

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NAGWS GYMNASTICS CU IDE

Forward 11/2 Front Somersault Vault

WILLIAM B. VALENTINE

William D. Valentine, (Bill) is a native of Shreveport, La.,with a B.A. degree from Texas Christian. University and .enM.S. degree from George Williams College, he is Director andHead Coach of the Arlington Gymnastics Club and teaches in'the Physical Education Department at the University of Texasat Arlington. He has coached gymnastics for 17 years and hashad many national competitors and National Champions. Thelatest is Lisa Cawthron, the .1977 Elite National VaultingChampion.

. . .The hansIstrin* vault with 1% front somersault in the afterflight

is an tottrnaticioal class skill that is difficult, to execute and con-trol propdtly.. Because of the difficulty in execution and controland the inherent injUry hazards of this vault, the coach must takecertain precautions and considerations into account before teach-ing this skill, while teaching this skill, and even after the skill hatbeen 'taught andclearned by .the pexformer. These precautions andconsiderations should be constantly kept in mind 3nd applied bythose teaching this vault. .

The first consideration in teaching the handspring wit 14.1pontsomersault is the gymnast who is learning the skill. She ffogo be ofthe advanced level with experience in all eliesnts and the slOty.tocontrol her body and to perform under pressuie. She shonlilbe afast, powerful runner, with good dynamic Clocking ability. In other ,words, she shauld bean expellent vaulter with the ability to performmany advanced' level vaults, especially the handspring (Vault 3, FIGCode of Po/nil:for Women) and the Yamashita (Vault 4, FIG Codeof Points for Women), with obvious dynamic rise of the hips andbody in the aftbrflight of theyault and the ability to land with con-trol and lightness. . r*

The next consideration, and fine as important as the fast,power-ful run, dynamic blocking, and controlled landing, is the gymnast'sability to do front someriIult,i. She should be quick in her frontsomersaulting and have good-kinesthesia (movement perception).in

"Ibis article is concerned 'with the teaching; spotting, and safety aspects ofVault 19, Group IV. (Viatiwith turns around the horizontal axis) in theInternational Gymnastics Federation Artistic Gymnastics for Women Codeof Points, 1975 edition. 1;

FORWARD 116 FRONT SkiAER*AULT VAULT 38 lf1;

6

r,. .,. .

forward. rotation. around the horizontal axis. If the gymnast has the.bisic :abilities,.the, cOickmay. train her to develop a fast, powerfulrun, dynamic: 6lockink;,:contr011ed landing, and somersault aware-ness, but it. must be: dbne.thorOughlY and learned properly, or thevault. should nOt be tanglitr

.

A .clear: -distinctiOd.`'must be made between the single rotating.front somersault from feet 'to feet, the double rotating front somer-sault from feet to. feet,..the 16h rotating front somersault from feetto hands, and the..onemkitli which thit article is concerned, the 11/2rotating front sornersiult.from hands to feet. lithe gymnast has theability. to execute .thee frbiit somersault with quickness of rotationanti' movement pereeption'and.to open and land on her feet withsureness of control, tfienshe:can. be trained in the double frontsomersault. Excellent training aids are the trampoline, mini-tramp,.vaulting .board, and most definitely an overhead spotting rig, Start-ing with the trampoline, the. gyinnait is.trained to execute the dou-ble frodt, feet to feet; Ari a spattirig.belt using the overheactrig. SheshOUld learn'the.Sicilfsecurelyon thpfrainpoline and work at it untilthe belt can be remoyedand she can execute:the Skill without fault.

. The next step in thefprogression would betolearn the double front'somersault from the mini-tramp*.i.or vaulting board, again using theoverhead spotting rig plus the addition, of-...!ajiatidspotter and a goodlanding mat and 'crash, pad: Whenithe gYmnast. is able to execute the-double frOnt somersault off the yaultingtoard.with quickness andsureness and without the aid of .either"the spotting rig or hand-

' spotter,,then she is ready to move to the lifintritself... . .: . . . . ., . .

. One very good way to start the gyrnnastr. Oritigs vault is to use anoverhead: traveling spotting rig, the basi it4nblin7 spotting belt andmini-tramp, one spotter handling the ropes of the overhead rig, andone. spotter behind the horse to assist' the 'gymnast in rotating andlanding. If a traveling rig is not available: then there should be twospotters behind the horse, one to help in the rotation and one toassist', the gymnast in landing. A quick, responsive vaulting board,may be preferred over the mini-tramp: Among the advantages of themini-tramp. are that the gymnast will be able to practice many morev ults with les. stress and wear on her legs and she will not have to..ccij. cOtrate quite as much on running an good board contact. If am tiamp is not iyailablp, then the trampoline can be used in diefollowing manner. Elevate; one end of the trampoline 12" to;24".Pike the horse at the 'Other encl. By using the trampoline as theimpetus for the preflight, the gymnast can learn the rotation of the1 4front. somersault 'from hands to feet, and spotters can help her

..th ughout the learning process. However, the vaulting board musteventually. If the mini-tramp is used in learning. the vault,

40.

NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

: 'then the gymnast should ptactice her basic handspring and/orYamashita vaults daily, using the vanliing board, during that period,

In analyzing the tectmical and diomeehanical aspects of the fronthandspring with I% ffont somersault, here:are-several things. thatare necessary .to the successful. execution of this vault. The first.thingthe fast,..poweiful run-5annot be stressed'enough: It is essen-'tial to the execution of the vault. The gymnast must be running veryfast at the thiid or fourth step, and be gaining speed constantly.throughout contact with the board and horse. The:speed or velocityof the body that was developed in the bin should not diminish inthehurdle,and contact with the 'nulting'board. The velocity is best.maintained by using a low hurdle, thrusting the feet forward intothe attart of 'the board: Upon' contact with the bo the gym-nast snip* have a t forward lean in her upper torso, nd herhips, Icnees, and ankles ould be flexed. The arms ar0.,ithei ving 'upward-or ire alreatlj, the head should be ina neutral position..With 'a very quick, .reflexive action, tiie gymnast extends the hips,'loves:, and ankles in a powerful' thrust.upwardand forward into thehorie: The legs ars lifted rearward tb invert the body during the pre-flight: 'In preflight, the, maintenance of velocity, the aestheticzsualityof the flight, and the 1Yarrd%rft)f the vault are very important. Thedistance betwpen the bo el the horse most often determines.the 'quality of the preflight and 'balance of the 'vault. The boardShould not be so far away :..ftorn the -horse that the velocity of thet..forWard. movement of .gymnast is diminished greatly, nor should,the:board be so close' to die horse as to diminish the aesthe#C4.icy 'af .the preflight and balance of the vault, DeperiljrieupOntire, &power of the gymnast, the .cleistanc'e betweeniffre:board and4o stiourd be between 4%'.and 6':- ,.- ...'!. ...; s.1-. .'

c o the horse and blocking: (?epulsion) action should-ocebeihnost simultaneously: The tioclythOuld be extended,and atan anXbetween 60° and 75°- tovkaiiti vertical upon hand :contactwith thectiorse; and the block must he powerful and dynamic, forc-ing the bOdy upward off the horie. The hantircontact, the extendedbody movement toWald vertical, and the dynamic blocking action-are among, the most 6ritical points in the vault, because it is herethat the forward horizontal rotator; is initiated. The center' ofgravity of the gymnast is moving upward and forWaTthwith greatvelocity. The head moves forward, the'radius of the bbdy it short-ened by tucking the knees, and rotation.Occurf. The rotatioir beginsover or slightly in front of the.hotte (see photo). If the gyip nast hasgained'sufficient velocity :andthe,ight. on blocking, the-4 time tocomplete the ;forward B, soniersault. An important 'factor to keepIn mind is that the speed at which the radiui of the. body is short-ened and how, small the radius b'ecomit by tucking will determine,

FORWARD 1' FRONT SOMERSAULT VAULT 4 0. .. 41

Aar

Handspring vault with 114 somersault; rotation on ,or slightly in front ofhorse.

for the most part, how fast the rotation occurs. The gymnast shouldnot attempt to focus her eyes On any one particular point duringrotation or rotation will stop.

Another critical point in executing the vault is stopping the rotat;;.,tion and landing. Rotation is stopped by lengthening the body ra71.:dius, in other words, by opening the body from the tuck position4othe extended position and by fpcusing the eyes. on a fixed opiht..Hopefully, the work on double fronts ort the trampoline, mini-tramp, and off .the board has helped the gymnast develop her kin-etic senses to the extent that opening and landing will be natural.The landing should be made with the feet flat on the mat and slight-ly in front of the hips. The torso should be straight, chest open, armsin an upward position, with no lean forward or backward. The headshould stay in a neutral position with the eyes focusing at a pointforward and upward. The hips, knees, and ankles should be ,tightbut not stiff and shold'act 4,s shock absorbers for the body.

The gymnast mes.t'ncit thl-ow her head back when she opens herbody to stop rah*. Her'back will be loosened or arched, and thisaction could precipitate severe neck or back irljiity. In, addition, thisaction stops,,t(5,ttion tom qUickly, and the chandes of landing on herback are alsest 'certain-. Ncir should the gymnast tuck heihead for-42 NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

ward and focus her eyes on the landing mat:This will cause her tocontinue her forward rotation and fall forward, and she will have toroll o.ut, run out; or catch herself with her hands. Injury could resulfrom 'any of these reactions. _

It should be.,pointed out that there' is a discrepancy between thdescriptive technique in thii:article and the line drawing in the FRCode of,Foints for Women of Van 11,19', Handspring Vault with 13Front 'Somersault in the Afterflight: 'DLit discrepancy concerns thpoint at which the forward horizontal.rotation takes place. The lindrawing shows the rotation occurring on the back- side-flanding sideof the horse; the description in this article has the rotation occurriiiover the top of. or slightly in front of the horse. When a gymnasexecutes the vault' as described in this &tide, she obtains greateheight on the afterflight, a faster rotation, and a more secure landing. The hips (center of gravity) are, moving upward with the bloc.off the horse, and a better blockint action occurs at a 60° td 75angle toward vertical. If the rotation occurs after the body passethe vertical, then' the body travels downward toward horizontsbecause of the biomechanics of the front rotation, the afterflighwill be low, and rotation will be slower, resulting in the gymnashaving less time to complete the vault. Slow motion video tapes cgymnasts who are successful and those who are not successful ithis vault will verify the techniqUes described here.

One of the main safety factors to consider is the landing areawhich must be well padded with landing pads and crash matIdeally, a vaulting pit, 8' wide by 14' long and 7' deep, filled witfoam rubber chips would be the safest. However, vaulting pits arnot. easy to come by, and there are not many in the country. A lancing area with ample room, 2' to 3' clearance on each end of thhorse and at least 16' behind the horse, is a must, and this areshould be covered with gOtod landing pads at least 4" thick. On thtop of the landing gad; behind the horse, anctin the immediate arewhere the gymnast will be landing, a crash pad 12" thick is alsessential.

The spotting technique for this vault is simple, but it needs to bclearly understood. The first spotter stands behind the horse; as thgymnast blocks and starts her rotation, the spotter reaches up anpushes on the gymnast's lower buttocks in the direction of the rctation, much like pitching a two-handed basketball shot. If thspotter reaches to the lower back or to the upper hips and buttockthe rotation will be stopped or slowed. The spotter can turn and folow the line of movement of the gymnast and assist her on landinjhowever, this is very difficult and not always successful. If the gynnast needs assistance on landing, then a second spotter should bused. The second spotter becomes a catcher and catches the gyn

FORWARD IV: FRONT SOMERSAULT VAULT r)a-

nast from the back under the arms. The Second spotter can keep thegymnast from landing too hard on..her 'back or buttocks and canslow down over rotating. Often the: second spotter can be more ofhindrance than a help and Should .bthe 'first to be discontinued.When spotting a skill-,on'Athis- an' 4with the inherent dangers inthis vault, the spotter. Icti:p*::thegymnast thoroughly, befamiliar with her idiosy4iVie.:s.,--1161.* motion perception abilities,and reaction respOnses; be; tensitive;as to how much to help or nothelp, and be aware as to.li&W)tired or charged up she may be. TheSpotter needs to have workawith a gymnast over a long period oftime in a variety of skills and situations.

Finally it should be, emphasized that many factors go into teach-ing and learning skills. The rapport between _coach and gymnast, hoWsecure and safe the gymnast or coach may feel about a skill and theability to perform or spot that skill, the value of a particular skill tothe gymnast or coach are all very important in the success of coach-ing and learning. The handspring I% front somersault vault is suitedto a certain type of gymnsIst, and it is the coach's responsibilityto recognize that fact and so proceed.

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NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

A Unique High School Program:FIG Ryles in Ohio

CAROLYN BOWERS

. Carolyn Bowers received her B.S. degree from the Uni-versity of Michigan and her M.A. from Ohio State Universitywhere she was an assistant professor until 1969. She was in-strumental in the development of the gymnastics program forhigh school girls in Ohio and is currently tjie rules interpreterfor girls' gymnastics for the Ohio High School Athletic Associ-ation. She was a member of the First, Second, and Fifth Na-tional Girls Sports Institutes and the 1965 and 1967 NAGWSGuide Committees; she was 1969 chairperson of the GuideCommittee and chairperson of the National IntercollegiateGymriastics Championships for 1970 and 1971. She is co-author of Judging and Coaching of Women's Gymnastics andis currently a nationally rated judge.

High school gymnastics competition for girls generally functionsunder one of two rule books: the Federation of International Gym-nastics (FIG), used worldwide and interpreted by the U.S. Gymnas-tics. Federation, or the National Federation of State. High SchoolAssociation's rules, written by a committee of representatives fromthe states that use these rules. The decision as to which set of rulesshould be used for girls' high school competition should be bothphilosophically sound and practical for each individual state.

The organization of any girls' sports competition must take placewithin the rules and policies of each state high school governingbody. The policies may differ from state to state. In Ohio, the highschool governing body is organized under the name of the Ohio HighSchool Athletic Association (OHSAA) The superintendents andprincipals of the member schools serve on district boards and an,elected Board of Control. Full-time, paid, profesSional men and wo-men act as commissioners to administer all aspects of high schoolcompetition. Together, these people face a tremendous task andprovide outstanding. service to the benefit of all Ohio high schoolathletes and each athletic program within the state.

*Ohio High School Athletic Association, 4080 Roselea Place, P.O. Box 14308,' Columbus, OH 43214.

A UNIQUE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM: FIG RULES IN OHIO 43.1 A

Ohio has chosen to operate under the FIG rules for girls' gym-nastics. This choice involves the organizational development of girls'high school gymnastics competition, the philosophy that is thefoundation of this competition, the willingness of the Board of Con-trol to consider recommendations made to them, and-the developingcooperation among competitive groups within the state, such as theUSGF, NAWGJ, intercollegiates, and high schools.

Development of the Girls' Gymnastics Program

- Girls' high school gymnastics in Ohio is unique in that thegroundwork for competition was developed at the grass roots levelsta g in 1964, before any of the existing organizations involvedwith girls' activities recognized the coming of competition for girls.A group of dedicated and persistent women began teacting gymnas-tics to coaches and judges by writing and filming their own com-pulsory routines, teaching the techniques and judging involved, andholding "performance days" which were a cross between competi-tion and the playday- concept. It took several years to establish a net-work of leadership throughout the state and solvency for the finan-cial aspect of such a program. Coaches judged and learned, the workwas volunteer, and the program grew.

By 1969 there were established districts with 339 gymnasts par-ticipating. The new NAGWSUSGF national compulsory routineswere implemented, and workshops emphasized optional routine con-struction.. In 1970, a well-organized proposal was accepted by theOHSAA and DGWS (now NAGWS) for the first proVisional statehigh school competition. From 546 gymnasts participating in dis-trict competitions, a limited number of gymnasts were qualified intothe state level in order to provide a quality final competition. Com-pulfory and optional routines were both used, with a minimumscore requirement set for the compulsory as a requirement to. per-form .an optional. District meets were uses to qualify 30 gy.ufastsper event. The state meet consisted o.f.'"both comp,ulsorY 'and optional routines And then only indiivichial .conipetition,ganization of the me as patterned 4fieil national meets:. -

An organization lected sandol- coaches- was established,!*to be in charge- businewlaiact to have an input, into devel-.oping A: rotating' governing board, and district represents=tives established .duties for board members intl published'a yearly.handbook with district workshbps and Meet information, policies,rule-changes, and suggested aids for dual meets..

In 1973 the girls' gymnastics- board was granted permission to'function directly under the OHSAA, where it still services the sportin most of the same capacities. Changes in policy of procedures must44 NAGWS GYMNASTICS GUIDE

' 45

be presented to and approved by the State Board of Control. Rec-ommendations from the girls' gymnastics board have always beenthoughtfully considered, with a majority of proposals approved.

In 1976 the first team championship was proposed and accepted.'The state championships in 1977 involved individual, all-around,and team competition in a two-day compulsory and optional meet.The divisor to determine the number of_qualifiers from each dis-trict for the 30 individual competitOrs involved 176 competitiveschools (Class I). The all-around competitors qualified a scoreof 60 (C & 0) or higher, and the team qualifiers-Were eitheinlie firstplace team from each district or any other ttam achieving a districtscore of .160 points or better. (A team may have a maximum of fourper event; the top three scores for compulsory and for optional inall four events are totaled for the team score.) The all-around andteam competitors are in addition to the 30 individual competitors,although there is some overlap. The minimum compulsory scorestill applies to all competitors.

Philoiophical Considerations

1. A gymnast should develop basic competencies in movementbefore she is thrust into an optional routine with rated difficulties.The true sport of gymnastics for women is a harmonious composi:tion of a variety of abilities, including dance, basic locomotion,tumbling, balance, and total body strength. In an attempt to ensurethat coaches take the correct approach and not allow competitionwith a number of difficulties that are simply thrown together, aminimum score of 6.0 is required on the compulsory routine be-fore an optional routine may be performed in that event at thesectional-district meets.

2. The high school gymnastics season is limited. All levels of theNAGWSUSGF national compulsory routines are utilized for teamdual meet competition to ensure logical learning sequences for thedeveloping athletes. The high school seasonal schedules allow par-ticipation for all levels. Experimentation is now being conductecionhow to best score a dual meet while Class I, II, and III compulsoryroutines are all being used. The district and state championships are.ensured of the best high school athletes by the exclusive use ofClass I compulsory routines. _Class II and III gymnasts may cul-minate the season by competition in a district invitational meet.

Conditioning for an athlete may begin at any time. Actual coach-ing, team selection, and team training may begin on the first Fridayof October. The first day of competition may not be prior to thethird Friday in November. The season officially ends the last Satur-day in February, with the state championships being held on thefirst weekend in March.A UNIQUE HIGH' SCHOOL PROGRAM: FIG RULES 114C4410 47

Ohio high school athletes may not compete at the same time orduring the same season for other t