USSA Sport Education Coaches Tip of the Week: April 16 2013
Each week the USSA Sport Education Department will post a Coaches Tip of the Week. The information will rotate through the ski and snowboard disciplines so check back each week to see the newest tip!
This weeks tip comes from the Freestyle/Freeskiing Competition Guide:
What are the judges looking for?
Part 1: Execution, Difficulty and Amplitude
{From the Freestyle/Freeskiing Competition Guide}
The judges will score the run by evaluating the overall impression criteria, including the execution, difficulty, variety, amplitude, combinations and progression of the run and the routine attempted.
Execution: Execution encompasses many things: takeoff, landing, grabs, air, control, breaks in form, hand drags and crashes. When determining execution each judge should ask themselves the following questions:
- How clean were the takeoffs?
- Always set clean, or were rushed and started prematurely?
- How long were the grabs held for?
- Did they maintain control in the air, or were there arm swings or flailing?
- Did they slide the rails cleanly to the end? Or did they come off early?
- How clean were the landings?
- Any hand drags or butt checks?
Difficulty: It is important to estimate the difficulty of a trick. Consider the following when determining difficulty:
- Amount of rotation
- Direction of rotation (left/right, natural/unnatural)
- Direction of movement (switch/forward)
- Different grabs can make a trick considerably more difficult especially in greater rotations
- Axis of the trick: upright, off-axis, inverted, flat-spin/rodeo, double-cork
- Creative lines and transfers can definitely make a run more difficult
Amplitude: Bigger amplitude can accentuate a clean, well-executed trick and leave a strong impression. Consistent high amplitude all the way down the pipe should be rewarded. Maintained amplitude requires excellent takeoffs, landings, line and travel through the flat bottom.
Check back soon for Part 2: Variety, Combinations, and Progressions