Rules & Regulations

Maine Rules and Regulations

2011 - 2012

Meet Fee Caps

Local Meets

$36 for Compulsory and Prep Optional

$40 for Optionals

Theme Meets

$50 for Compulsory and Prep Optional

$55 for Optionals

NOTE: “Theme Meets” are meets that are held in your gym and must have all of the following criteria to exceed the local meet fee cap:

1. Must exceed R&P for awards

2. Medals, trophies, or plaques must be used in place of ribbons

3. Must include a participation memento (goodie bag, t-shirt, etc.)

4. Two-judge panels are required.

5. Team fee of $25 may be charged but clubs may opt not to enter into the team competition.

Invitational Meets

Invitational meets are held in outside facilities where the additional cost of gym rental and equipment rental are involved will not have a fee cap.

Bid Forms for Hosting State Run Events

Any club wishing to host Sectionals, States or Clinics must complete the attached Bid Form to the SAC by October 15, 2011.

Gate fees

Local Meets - $5 adult; $3 child/Senior (12 & under; 65 & older)

Theme and State Run Meets - $7 adult; $5 child/Senior (12 & under; 65 & older); $20 per day family rate

1. Clubs may want to consider charging a family fee for local meets.

2. Adequate seating must be available if you are charging admission.

3. Admission charges should include a program. If the admission fee does not include a program the spectators should have a rotation sheet available to them at no cost.

4. All equipment for state meets must meet R & P specifications.

Xcel/Prep Op Rules

Maine will follow Massachusetts Prep Op Rules for the 2011/12 season using the following levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Superior (for athletes who have competed Lv. 8 or higher).

Maine’s Prep Op minimum age for the 2011/12 season is 9 years by States. Numbers of Prep Op athletes within the Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Superior levels will determine whether or not there are age groups this year.

To download the rules go to www.massusag.com.

Qualifying Scores for 2011-12 Season

All Around

Levels 3, 5 and Xcel 30.00

Levels 4, 6 and up 31.00

Level 8 32.00 for Regionals

Level 9 34.00 for Regionals

Event Specialists

- Level 9/10 Event Specialists: must declare in writing to the State Chair by 2/18/12

- Levels 7 and 8 must have achieved a score of 8.5 at sectionals and one other sanctioned meet on the even/s to qualify for states

- Level 9 must achieve a score of 8.7 or better on the event/s to qualify for states and a 9.0 or better at States to qualify to Regionals.

Age Groups

Per 2011-12 USAG Rules and Policies (P. 20) for invitational and qualifying meets, the Meet Director may determine the age divisions and must publish such information in the pre-meet information.

For meets under the jurisdiction of the State, the Administrative Committee will determine the method by which age groups will be divided. See Age Determination, 3, a & b. This will be decided and published before the competitive season. Any age group with 15 or more competitors in it must be subdivided in any sanctioned qualifier, sectional, or state meet. The subdivision must remain within the boundaries of the original age group. For instance: 9-11 age group could be broken down into two groups – 9 year olds and 10-11 year olds.

If a gymnast competes in the wrong age division, her scores are invalid for the meet (may not be used for AA, Individual Events or Team awards); however the score achieved may be used for level mobility.

AGE DIVISIONS FOR STATE-RUN MEETS 2012 SEASON

Level 3 5-7 8-9 10+

Level 4 6-7 8 9 10 11+

Level 5 7-9 10 11 12+

Level 6 7-9 10-11 12+

Level 7 10-12 13+

Level 8 11-12 13-14 15+

Level 9 NA

Novice Xcel 11 & under 12+

Intermediate Xcel 12 & under 13+

Advanced Xcel one group only

Drop Back Rule

As soon as a gymnast competes at a sectional meet at a particular level she must stay at that level and not drop down. She may however move up. Please see pages 20 and 21 for more specifics re other provisions for dropping back through the levels.

Mobility Score to Advance to Next Level

-Per 2011-12 USAG Rules and Policies - see pages 19 & 20.

-There is no opportunity for mobility into or within JO levels from Prep Op.

Meet Warm Up Times

Per 2011-12 USAG Rules and Policies - see P. 41. Exception: Maine will allow 45 seconds warm up time for Level 3.

Qualifying to States

A gymnast must achieve a qualifying score or better at one sanctioned meet and one sectional meet. Levels 8/9 only have one opportunity to achieve a qualifying score at sectionals. If an athlete does not achieve it, she must submit a photocopy of the results of an additional sanctioned meet from the current season showing a score equal to or greater than the state qualifying score by March 7, 2011.

If a gymnast is sick or injured she must submit the following to the state chair:

1. A physician’s written verification of the illness or injury and date of release for return to gymnastics activity within three days of that meet.

2. A photocopy of the results of one sanctioned meet from the current season showing a score which is equal to or greater than the state qualifying score on or before March 7, 2012 - Lvs. 8 & 9 or March 26, 2012 for all other levels and Prep Op.

If a gymnast competes at both sectional meets but does not receive a qualifying score she may still qualify for States by submitting the following to the state chair:

1. A photocopy of the results of one sanctioned meet from the current season showing a score which is equal to or greater than the state qualifying score on or before March 26, 2011.

Awards

At Sectionals and States we will award all ties.
At Sectionals Levels 3, 4, 5 will receive achievement awards for four events; AA medals for everyone. Levels 6 and up and Xcel will receive placement ribbons for four events: AA medals for everyone.
Every gymnast will receive a custom championship medal at the sectional meet when she qualifies to States .

* At States all levels/all participants will receive medals for events; trophies for AA. * Graduating Seniors will receive a recognition gift at their state meet.

* At States banners will be awarded to the top 3 teams per level. Top 3 scores count.

* Regional Qualifiers will receive

- a state warm up suit (Levels 8-10)

- State Leotard (Level 8)

Regional coaching staff will receive a state coach's shirt and a state jacket if s/he doesn’t already have one.

Judges for States

Maine’s criteria for selecting judges for sectionals, states and regional competition consideration are:

Professional member in good standing with USA Gymnastics and NAWGJ
Judging actively at the levels for which they are being considered (2 USAG sanctioned meets/season) Meets may be in-state or out-of-state.
Exhibit a high standard of professionalism in attire and demeanor at meets
Volunteer a minimum of 3 hours at in-state clinics or gyms that are not their own/season
Attend Regional/National Congresses and/or participate in judging educational opportunities.

Parking at Meets

Handicap parking spaces should be provided and marked as such.

Spaces should be reserved for the judges somewhere near the entrance. The Judge Assignor will provide the meet director with the number of spots to be reserved after she confirms the carpool arrangements.

Meet Director’s Responsibilities After Each Meet

Send sanction report form and coaches sign in form to USA gymnastics Member Services per instructions in the sanction packet.
Send copy of sanction report and coaches sign in form to the State Chair and Region VI Chair. See Page xi in R & P for mailing information
Send $1.00 per athlete to Region VI Chair, Kathy Ostberg, 365 Spring St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545
Please send or submit to Kate Poulin within 48 hours of the meet in ProScore. per Rules & Policies

E-mail: katelmackenzie@yahoo.com
Mailing address:
Kate Poulin
17 Boston Ave., #2
Winslow, ME 04901

Miscellaneous

Please be familiar with and adhere to the USAG Code of Ethics, Duties and Responsibilities of Professional Members found on pages 7-12 of R&P. These include but are not limited to the dress code for meets, professionalism, acceptable and unacceptable behavior and consequences of same.
Please make your gymnasts aware of their rights and obligations as athlete members. These can be found on page 13 of R& P.
USAG participating clubs are assessed $100 annual fee that is due and payable to USAG-Maine by 10/15/11.
As of the annual Pro Membership Meeting, September 2011, it is required for all clubs hosting a sanctioned meet for optional levels to have vault a runway of at least 1 and 3/8 inches (+ or – 1/8 inch).
Maine’s focus this year for Level 8 Regionals is childhood cancer. It was decided that our fundraising rep would secure prizes for raffles to be conducted at any state run meet, the proceeds of which would be dedicated to childhood cancer projects at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital of Maine Medical Center and the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing Children’s Programs of Central Maine Medical Center.

MEET DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

I. Minimum of 30 days prior to the competition:

A. Send “Request for Sanction” form to USA Gymnastics Member Services with appropriate fee. Include late fee if past the deadline.

B. Send a request for Judges form with appropriate fees to the Judge Assignor: Deb Smith, 462 Dover Rd., Charleston, ME 04422.

II. Once date is secure:

A. Send out Meet Information Invitation to clubs.

B. Include the following information:

1. Date/Site (driving directions and address)

2. Contact person w/phone number and e-mail

3. Levels

4. Awards

5. Entry fee/Spectator admission fees

6. Equipment

7. Formal

8. Tentative schedule

9. Entry form and deadlines

10. Hotel accommodations if appropriate

III. Accepting Entries

Accept only entries with complete information and entry fee
Avoid telephone entries
DO NOT overload sessions. Refer to page 41 USAG R & P as a reference.

IV. A minimum of 10 days prior to the meet

Confer with meet referee or judge assignor on meet organization/event assignment.
Number of gymnasts per squad
Number of events that will run concurrently

B. Send pre meet information to the clubs and judge assignor by Monday prior to the meet.

V. At the meet

A. Open the gym early. Make sure it is heated appropriately.

B. Make sure sound system is in good working order

C. Welcome visiting coaches/athletes/parents/officials

D. Coaches must sign in before proceeding to competition floor

E. Conduct coaches meeting and review the following:

1. Warm ups

2. Touch procedure

3. Scratches

4. Confirm age groups

F. Be prompt with rotation and warm up times. Stay on schedule.

G. Have judges sign sanction form

VI. After the meet

Make copies of the Sanction Report Form and Coaches Sign In Form to USAG Member Services per instructions in sanction packet.
Send copy of sanction report and coaches sign in forms to the State Chair, Donna Landau, 29 Chickadee Ln., Kennebunk, ME 04043 and Regional Chair, Kathy Ostberg, 365 Spring St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545 within 48 hours.
Send $1.00 per athlete to Regional Chair
E-mail ProScore file of meet results to the Kate Poulin who will track qualifying athletes.

VII. Officials – Meet directors should be familiar with contracts. See pages 67-79 R&P. Highlights are:

Meet fee
Hourly fee that can be broken into halves
Minimum payment of 2 hours (Officials who travel over 100 miles one way, the minimum payment will be 3 hours)
Officials must submit a breakdown of their expenses (per diem, mileage, tolls, fee and rate.
Pay officials at the end of the competition unless prior arrangements are indicated on the contract. (For any State run meet, the State Chair will submit the officials’ invoices to the USAG national office immediately after the competition. Checks will be issued by the national office on Tuesdays and Fridays directly to the officials.

B. Travel – Officials deduct 30- miles from Round Trip mileage

1. This DOES NOT apply to officials who carpool

2, Mileage will be paid to the driver @$.51/mile (as of 1/1/10)

C. Per Diem – When meals are not provided

1. No per diem for meets that are less than 3 hours (exception: officials with round trip mileage of 100 miles or more)

2. $15 when site responsibilities are at least 3 hours but less than 8 hours.

3. $30 when site responsibilities are 8 hours or more.

D. Overnight competitions: All meals not provided by the meet director or club are compensated at a rate of $15/meal to a maximum of $40/day.

E. Break Time

1. Minimum of 30 minutes after 3 ½-4 hours of judging time

2. Minimum of 45 minutes after 7 hours of judging time

F. Hospitality Considerations:

1. Reserve Parking – Judge assignor should notify meet director as soon as she knows about carpooling

2. Comfortable room for judges’ meals, between sessions, etc.

3. Light refreshments upon arrival and during competition (coffee, tea, water, muffins, donuts, crackers, candy at tables. The happier you keep the officials, the better the meet runs.

4. If you are providing meals, they should be nutritional and not concession type food (i.e. hot dogs, popcorn).

Annual Financial Report – Click here to view.