Competitive Programs

Five Dock Leisure Centre Gymnastics Club offers opportunities for those gymnasts who wish to train more seriously to become a member of a squad. Known as our Competitive Program they are split into two categories known as Men's Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) and Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG). MAG and WAG are part of the national competitive program and allow the gymnast to compete at State, National and International competitions with other gymnasts from other clubs and states.

Men's Artistic Gymnastics

There are six apparatus for Men. In Olympic order they are Floor, Pommel Horse, Vault, Rings, Parallel Bars and High Bar.

The Australian Men’s program is divided into 2 main competition streams:

• An Age Group
• An Open Division

This provides a pathway for development based on an individual’s physical ability. The objective is for all gymnasts to attempt to compete within their appropriate age group for as long as possible or to develop into an age group if they start gymnastics at a later age.

Competitions allow the gymnast to achieve a pass mark and advance to the next level. Level 1 – 6 competition season begins from April through to State Championships in September. Levels 7- 10 compete from November with State Championships in May.

Registration

All competitive gymnasts must be registered with the NSW Gymnastics Association (NSWGA). Competitive registration is $70 and is a compulsory fee that FDLC must collect and pass on to the NSWGA. This fee includes insurance and participation in relevant sanctioned competitions at Regional, State and National Levels. A gymnastics pack is also issued to registered gymnasts.

Attire

Gymnasts must come to training properly attired. They should also bring a water bottle to training. Leotards, crop tops or fitted singlets and gym shorts are appropriate because they will not get caught in gymnastic equipment and allow the coaches to assess the shape and form of the gymnast.

All gymnasts are required to compete in the club leotard and club tracksuits. A club polo shirt is also available.

If your child is selected into the WAG Level 1 – 3 State Team, you will need to purchase an additional leotard from the Regional.

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

There are four apparatus for women, in Olympic order they are Vault, Uneven Bars, Beam and Floor.

The Australian Women’s program is divided into 4 main components:

• National Development Program (NDP 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
• National Levels Program (Levels 7 – 10)
• International Development Program (IDP 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 10)
• International Program (Junior and Senior International)

Level 1 – 3

National Development program (NDP) has been designed to cater for a large variation in potential, providing the gymnast/coach with options within each level. Within each level there is a choice of 2 routines. There is a preparation routine for the level and the level routine. Gymnasts compete either all the routines in the Preparation Level or all the routines in the Level. Gymnasts working within the NDP have the option of moving within a level (ie. Moving from Preparation Level to Level) or upgrading to the next level. Competition season begins from April with State Championships in September.

At Five Dock Gymnastics, we provide three streams they are:

• Junior Development
• Levels
• Preparation Levels

Junior Development is designed to follow the IDP levels, Levels follow the NDP level routines and Preparation Levels follow the NDP preparation level routines. On joining the competitive squad you will notice that training hours will increase as the level does.

Level 4 – 6

Gymnasts must demonstrate competency by attaining the set pass mark. Levels 4 – 6 is based on the performance of optional routines structured around the set requirements for each level. On Bars, Beam and Floor there are core skills, an exercise consisting of core skills only will be judged out of 5.00. Bonus skills that are included in the exercises receive a bonus of 0.20, provided they are performed to the technical specification listed.

The maximum bonus that can be awarded per routine is as follows:

Level 4: 0.40

Level 5: 0.60

Level 6: 0.80

Bonus skills listed have been chosen to enable gymnasts to extend within each level and also better prepare gymnasts for the National Level 7 – 10 program. Competition season begins from July with State Championships in November.

Level 7 – 10

Routines for Level 7 – 10 consist of elements ranked with different difficulty values to make up a routine. On apparatus, there are a number of composition requirements that the gymnasts must meet. Each composition requirement has a value of 0.50 and may be fulfilled by any skill or series within the routine. Competition season begins from November with State Championships in May.