Hello Team Virginia!
We are proud to announce that we will be hosting a Virtual Honorary State Championship meet in March 2021! We have been keeping our eyes on the COVID-19 developments and it has reached the time where we must decide what can be done for those who have been training to compete this year, virtually or otherwise. It is logistically impossible to plan for a live state meet, especially with the restrictions still currently in place locally and statewide. However, we are expected by USAG to host a State Championships and we have a plan that has been approved by USAG.
The State Meet will be Virtual but will not be live. We will be using one of several virtual platforms that we are currently considering. The format will consist of coaches and athletes uploading videos of their athletes competing in their own gyms. Coaches and athletes will be given two or three weeks to put together all their video uploads and there will be a deadline for submissions.
Uniforms: We understand that some gyms have not purchased uniforms for their teams this year. Knowing that, we have made some exceptions to the rules for this year’s Championships. We recommend uniforms or a team t-shirt and long pants/shorts.
We know that everyone has a different gym setting; some will have to land on mats in a pit, some may not have a full FX mat to perform on, some may lack the required equipment specifications that are mandatory for a live state meet. We do not want your facility or finances to be an issue that keeps your gym from participating.
We plan on calling this what it is: An Honorary State Championships with Honorary Awards.
The playing field will be as level as we can make it. Everyone will have to understand the limitations of this format. This is a celebration of overcoming adversity, competing despite COVID-19.
Athletes will be evaluated by judges from the Metro Judging Association. The meet will be as fair as we can make it. We want to honor your commitment to the sport.
There will be no qualification procedures. Every athlete, Level 4-10, JD D1 and D2, all Xcel Levels, will be invited to participate.
This will be a USAG Sanctioned Event. Therefore, all participants, coaches and athletes, must have a current and active USAG number/certification.
The Virginia State Board of Directors will be meeting at the end of the month to go over the specifics. We will look at the cost of hosting the meet as well as which virtual format we will use. We will have to charge assessments for those participating in the State Meet, along with meet entry fees. We plan on coming up with a cost that is fair and allows us to host this event, keeping last year in our thoughts.
There are no more details available at this time, but your feedback is appreciated. Please email Kevin Hallinan, using the email at the top of this newsletter, with any feedback that you have.
We do not know if there will be a Regional Championships. We do not know if there will be a National Championships. That all depends on COVID-19. We do know that it is possible to have a State Championships.
Thank you all for listening and we look forward to putting this together for all of our students and yours!
Take Care,
Kevin Hallinan Virginia State Board of Directors
State Director
