Below will show flow charts of competitions and explanations of competition routes.
Grades into Levels
Regional grades are done within the region which you compete in, for Coalville this is East Midlands there is no national finals. If a gymnast is in age they will either start with Regional 14 or Compulsory 5. From grade 14 the following year the gymnast can either participate in Grade 13 or Compulsory 4. You can do regional grades out of age down to regional 9.
National grades will follow onto national finals for the top 4 in the region. These grades can be done in or out of age and all gymnasts compete against each other regardless of their age. Gymnasts can start their national grades from regional route or compulsory route. In order to go down to national finals with these grade the gymnast MUST pass their range and conditioning in the region even though they then do not have to perform it nationally.
Compulsory 5 is a regional competition and rules vary in each region depending on what the region thinks the gymnast needs to do at that level. There is no out of age for this level. Compulsory 4 and 3 are the only two compulsory grades that the top 4 from the region make the East Midlands team for national finals. In order to pass any compulsory grade you have to pass your range and conditioning. The gymnast will be given a chance to re-take their range and conditioning however if they fail for the second time they will have to re-take the whole grade again. Compulsories can be taken out of age however out of age gymnasts will not be eligible to be selected for the national team. Compulsory 2 and compulsory 1 are both national competitions, again these can be done out of age following these grades the gymnast can then move onto the British championships.
Levels
Levels are done in and out of age in the region. In age level 4 and level 3 gymnasts have the chance to make the regional teams for national. Like grades the top 4 are eligible to make the team. When a gymnasts reaches level 2 in age the one way in which they can make it to national finals is by passing their compulsory 3 grade previously there is no team for level 2 national finals it is just an individual competition. If the gymnast has completed their compulsory 2 and 1 they can then move on to doing Espoirs at the British Championships as well as in the region and move to juniors then to seniors. Gymnasts that have not done their compulsory grades are able to do their level 2 however will not be able to compete down national finals they will then have the chance to go to challenge cup as seen in the previous image to compete as a Espoir, junior or senior. From challenge cup there is a chance to cross over to the British Championships if the gymnast is to score the desired score. Levels within the region can be competed at any age and will be put into the different age group categories. The same level can be repeated for following years to make sure gymnasts are not doing skills they are not ready too. Each level has certain requirements that gymnasts are desired to reach before moving up through the levels.
Leicestershire Levels
Leicestershire levels are purely competed within Leicestershire. They offer a larger range of levels giving more gymnasts the chance to compete starting with level 7 and 6. Non of these levels move onto national or regional teams however the in age rules and requirements are the same as the national rules so is good practice for the gymnasts. Within the Leicestershire competition gymnasts can be awarded medals for each piece and an all around medal.