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

2. Music In USAJR music is only used at Grand Nationals, and no extra marks are added for the creative use of music Note* Music will be judged for Grand Nationals only. Presentation Judges will use the criteria above to grade that element of the routine.

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

4. Frequency of Notations In FISAC, difficulty judges are asked to attempt to record the value of every jump or skill In the USAJR, content judges are told – Do not attempt to record the value of every jump or skill – Evaluate each group of 5 skills This transition to judging every skill will be the most difficult for USAJR judges

5. Frequency of Notations Difficulty judging starts as a series of snap guesses, and with practice becomes a series of snap educated guesses The FISAC difficulty judging system was designed by former jumpers, for jumpers, to be judged by former jumpers In North America many of the judges are parents who are not former jumpers, so the intuitive aspect of this judging requires lots of practice

6. Comparing Judges Presentation = Creativity Content = Difficulty Freestyle Head judge = Variation

7. Presentation (USAJR) Look for – Posture, Countenance (Technique) – Flow – Beginnings and endings – Acknowledgement of judges/audience (Impression)

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

9. Creativity (FISAC) Music Movement Execution Impression

10. Notations + – above and below Make notations every 3 to 4 seconds Versus BEAM(I) Repeat the mantra – Beats, Execution, Accents, Movement (every 3 to 4 seconds)

11. Notations – BEAM(I) Every 3 to 4 seconds: – If the competitor(s) jumped on the beat, mark a B, if not leave blank – If the competitor(s) performed the skills with bad technique mark an E, if skills performed with good technique leave blank – If the competitor(s) present or land a skill on an accent, mark an A, if not leave blank – If the competitor(s) stayed in one spot mark an M, and if they moved leave blank – In pairs, SR Team and DD, each time there is an interaction mark an I

12. Notations – BEAM(I) At the end of a routine: – Decide on an Impression mark, then – Count the number of Bs – a routine executed to the beat will have many, a routine that was not jumped to the beat will have few – Count the number of Es – a routine with good technique will have few or no Es noted – Count the number of As – 10 or more accents gets a top score for this criteria – Count the number of Ms – a routine with continuous movement should have no ro few Ms noted

13. Content The difficulty levels of each skill are very similar M = masters = 5 A = advanced = 4 I = intermediate = 3 E = elementary = 2 B = basic = 1

14. Content Differences USAJR - Look a sets of 5 skills, assign a mark, consider adding a + or -, and circle if a combination FISAC – every time the hands and/or feet touch the floor, assign a mark – Long and varied sequences are hard to choreograph to music (therefore, long and varied sequences do not necessarily make sense in a FISAC routine – the use of music dictates judging each skill) No density marks in FISAC – good choreography sometimes makes pauses or stops in a routine appropriate

15. Required Elements/Variation = Freestyle Head judge The notations made by these judges are very similar The FISAC judge needs to make notations for each skill

16. Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge USAJR Required Elements SR – Multiple unders – Inversion or displacement – Speed dynamics – Spatial dynamics – Rope manipulations

17. Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge FISAC Required Elements SR – Wraps – Gymnastic skills – Power skills – Releases of which at least 1 is a level 4 for diff (2+2 points) – Interactions of which at least 1 is a level 4 (4+2 points)

18. Variation = Freestyle Head Judge FISAC variation Multiples, crosses and multiples with crosses Sets of at least 4 different crosses, which are more difficult than the basic crisscross, in single bounce or multiples, but not combined Sets of at least 4 different multiples of which at least 2 sets are triples or better Sets of at least 4 skills done backwards

19. Variation = Freestyle Head Judge Mark the first skill as F for forward or B for Backward Mark single crosses as C Mark multiple crosses as O Mark multiples that are not crosses as M Each direction change mark an F or a B All other skills are marked as -

20. Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge USAJR Required Elements DD – Multiple unders – Inversion or displacement – Speed dynamics – Spatial dynamics – Rope manipulations

21. Required Elements = Freestyle Head Judge FISAC Required Elements split between – Jumpers, and – Turners

22. FISAC Required Elements DD Jumpers Series of at least 4 power skills Power skills of a high power level (ex. One handed frog, one handed push-up, double under pushup, two foot frog, etc Gymnastics skills of which at least 1 is an aerial All other skills are marked as -

23. FISAC Required Elements DD Jumpers Mark a P for each power skill executed and circle the P for each higher level power skill Mark a G for each gymnastic skill executed When the routine is finished look for sets of four Ps in a row

24. FISAC Required Elements DD Turners Turning skills as a turner Jumping skills as a turner

25. FISAC Required Elements DD Turners Mark a T for each turning skill executed Mark a J for each jumping skill executed