Points of Clarification on rules from the National Competitions Committee!

Warm Ups

This is a time allocated for performers to run through routines, warm up their muscles and for them to become acclimatised to the competition beds and surroundings. It is NOT supposed to be a training session, as all the necessary training should have been done prior to the competition.

There are three things that have been happening regularly at recent competitions:

1. Performers taking turns of well over the allotted time (30 seconds per performer per turn) during the general warm up.

2. Performers who are not ready for their turn (be it warm up or competition) because they are either not paying attention to the marshal or they are waiting for their coach and/or spotters

3. Performers who take too long to complete their controlled warm ups.

It is acknowledged that although under 11 performers can easily get through a complete routine in 30 seconds, competitors in the under 18, 18+ etc age groups will find it very difficult, or even impossible, to complete a full routine (with in-bounces) within 30 seconds. As such, there is no intention to stop competitors warming up their full routine — but competitors who abuse the warm up time will be penalised for doing so.

To clarify this further, below are a few examples that would be considered abuse of warm up.

A) During the general warm up. performer gets on trampoline and requires the presence of their coach who is currently assisting another performer. Performer waits for coach to arrive before they begin. This is considered abuse of warm up as it is delaying the warm up for other competitors.

Solution: Performer should tell the marshal that they need their coach to be present for their warm up and the marshal should let the next competitor on while they are waiting for the coach to arrive.

B) Coach puts mat in after first couple of skills. Performer discusses the skill in question with the coach and then runs through the whole routine.

C) Performer does first half of routine, stops and discusses it with coach and then runs through the whole routine.

D) Performer completes eight moves of a routine, stops and then does the last half of their routine.

E) Coach uses the time for coaching (i.e. stops the performer and coaches, then performer restarts) rather than watching/supervising the warm up and speaking to the performer after their turn.

To summarise: the time limit for warm ups is, and will remain, 30 seconds, however this rule will be enforced within the guidelines discussed above. The warm up marshals will monitor all general warm ups and the Assistant Chair will monitor the controlled warm ups. Anyone not respecting the time limit, or the marshals who are there to apply it, will be reported to the Chair of Judges and may well have 0.3 deducted by each judge.

BG Push-in Mat Rule

Regarding the qualification/experience of the person using a push-in mat. The following statement has been released from the BG Coach Education panel(June 2003)

The issue of using push-in mats was discussed and the following statement issued:

It is the responsibility of the Coach to ensure that the person sliding in the push-in mat both in training and competition, if not a qualified coach, is trained, experienced, familiar with the performer and of sufficient maturity.

As the Chair of Judges is responsible for the safe running of their competition, he/she is responsible for deciding whether the person holding the mat is ‘sufficiently mature’ to carry out the job safely. if the decision is ‘No’, the performer will be asked to nominate another mat pusher.

Spotters

The Chair of Judges is responsible for the safe running of their competition and is therefore responsible for ensuring that the spotters are big enough & strong enough to do their job i.e. catch a failing performer. Until we find a foolproof method of testing spotters (which does not involve having the competition halt littered with splattered competitors and spotters) the decision on the suitability of spotters is the responsibility of the Chair of Judges and his/her decision must be accepted.

Jewellery

It has been brought to our attention once again, that with the latest BG ruling on jewellery, a coach has to sign (in advance, at check in) to say that no-one from their club is wearing any jewellery whilst on the trampoline. If, subsequently, it is found that a competitor has been wearing any item of jewellery /body piercing, then they will be disqualified, Remember to remove all items of jewellery (including those not visible during competition).

BG Trampoline policy on“Body Piercings

No body piercings will be allowed with effect from 1.1.2003 during competition.

A number of belly button piercings have been ripped out on front drops. They should be removed before trampolining. Single plasters are not effective. An eyebrow piercing has also been ripped out!!”

Nova Trampoline Club policy on “March Ons and Presentations”.

It is a club rule that members involved in competitions remain available for all March Ons and presentations. This applies to all events, both Regional and National. This must be in “Competititon attire”.

Failure or refusal to remain until these take place is disrespectful to the sport, the organisers, the club, your team-mates and to fellow competitors. Only in exceptional circumstances will permission to absent yourself from these occasions be granted, and then only if informed to the team manager/coaches well in advance. MEMBERS WILL BE EXPELLED FROM THE CLUB FOR FAILURE OR REFUSAL AS OUTLINED ABOVE.