BEGINNER DIVISION

First time ever entering a yo-yo contest?! You have found the right division for you!

Age Divisions are 5-9, 10-15, 16 and up.

The Tricks Are As Follows:

1. Gravity Pull
2. Sleeper
3. Walk The Dog
4. Creeper
5. Jamaican Flag

6. Forward Pass
7. Around The World
8. Rock The Baby
9. Pop The Clutch
10. Breakaway

Tie Breaker: Most consecutive Trapeze. (NO flip over allowed)

For Trick Descriptions and Video visit www.YoYoExpert.com

Rules:
Yo-Yo Contestant receives two tries per trick. They receive five points if made on the first attempt, and three points if made on the second attempt, for a maximum of 50 points. Highest placing contestants win.

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Pick Your Trick (Intermediate)
This division is broken into four age groups: 10 and under, 11-15, 16-29, 30+.
You pick 10 tricks from the available 20 tricks below:

Tricks and Point Values

Elevator	1	Matrix	6
Rock the Baby	1	Pop-n-Fresh	6
Brain Twister	3	Plastic Whip	6
Dizzy Baby	3	Slack Trapeze	6
Trapeze	3	Gerbil	6
Double or Nothing	5	Iron Whips (3 reps)	8
Drop in the Bucket	5	Cold Fusion	8
Split the Atom	5	Suicide (2 rep)	8
Mach 5	5	Spirit Bomb	10
3 Eli Hops	5	Black Hops	10

There are a total of two rounds. Contestants are randomly organized and will be called to perform their first 5 tricks of choice. Scores will be posted after the first round so you can see where you stand and build a strategy! You only get one try per trick - if you perform the trick you earn those points.
You choose the order of the tricks, and which tricks you want to do for each round.
The second round contestants are called in the reverse order so everyone has a fair chance!

So what will you do? Play it safe and stick with easier points or take a chance and go for the win?! The choice is up to you!
The winner is the player with the highest score. Tie-Breaker: Eli Hops.

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Pick Your Trick General Rules

One attempt per trick is allowed. A trick is complete when the string is fully wound around the axle and back in the hand. The yo-yo may return to the throwing hand by utilizing a bind. An unsuccessful bind will be considered a miss. The yo-yo must be caught with one hand, the hand that originally threw the yo-yo, and not trapped against the body. More than five inches of string remaining outside the yo-yo when caught is considered a miss. String misses or significant loss of control of a yo-yo will not be allowed on any tricks.

A trick starts and finishes within the trick box. A player must keep feet planted unless the trick requires movement. If a player's feet leave the trick box during a trick it is considered a miss.

A throw made within the trick box counts as an attempt. Outside the trick box a player may only toss a throw-down, spinner, forward pass, a single loop, a single hop the fence, or string adjustments. Practicing a contest trick outside the trick box during the judging session is considered a miss.

A player may adjust the yo-yo and string. An unintentional broken or knotted string may be replaced. A yo-yo may not be dismantled during the judging session.

Any yo-yo may be used. You may change out a yo-yo only one time between the rounds. A judge has the discretion to allow a replacement yo-yo if the original yo-yo is damaged.

Good sportsmanship is expected. Interfering with another contestant may be cause for disqualification.

An appeal must be discussed with the judge before the end of the judging session. No video challenges will be allowed. A judge's decision is final.

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Specific Rules for Junior Single A and Single A

You must be between the ages of 6-14 years old to compete in this division.
In a 1A freestyle, at no time shall there be more than one yo-yo in play (including slave or prop yo-yos)
at the same time. During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc.
In a 1A freestyle, at no time shall the yo-yo be removed from the string (i.e. no offstring tricks are allowed). During any periods of time that this rule is violated, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style but shall deduct points for any mistakes, loss of control restarts, yo-yo replacements, etc.
In a 1A freestyle, Mobius style is allowed. Skyrocket type tricks are also allowed. In a 1A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: mounts, dismounts, string hits, hops, grinds, lacerations, release catches (like suicides/Iron Whips), slack catches, regenerations and binds.

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Specific Rules for Offstring (4A) Freestyles

In a 4A freestyle there is no restriction on the number of yo-yos that may be in play at the same time.
In a 4A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: launches, tosses, catches, regenerations, grinds, intentional bounces off body parts or the stage back to a catch, boingys or other types of bounces between strings.

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Specific Rules for Counterweight (5A) Freestyles

In a 5A freesstyle there is no restriction on the number of yo-yos that may be in play at the same time.
In a 5A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: launches, tosses, catches, regenerations, grinds, intentional bounces off body parts or the stage back to a catch, boingys or other types of bounces between strings.
In a 5A freestyle, points shall only be awarded only while the counter weight (or multiple counter weights) is in play, or in the act of being moved from hand to hand. Any trick done while the counterweight is being held for the entire duration of the trick shall be considered 1A trick, and shall not be scored.

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Specific Rules for X-Division (2A + 3A)

In a 2A freestyle, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style unless both yo-yos are in play simultaneously.
In a 2A freestyle, typical scoring elements include looping style tricks but transitions between tricks may involve tanglers, worlds, grinds, wraps and similar elements.
In a 3A freestyle, the judges shall not grant any points for Technical Execution or Performance Style unless both yo-yos are in play simultaneously.
In a 3A freestyle, typical scoring elements include but are not limited to: 1A type string tricks, however transitions between tricks may involve tanglers, worlds, grinds, wraps and similar elements.

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CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISIONS (Junior 1A, 1A, 5A, X-Division)
JUDGING CRITERIA

The MA State Contest will not use one-minute preliminary freestyles for any division.

Contestants will have a total of two minutes for their freestyle performance.

Freestyle scores will be based on the accumulated point total of two components: Technical Exectution and Performance Style. A net score will be calculated for each contestant based on the algebraic sum of the plus and minus scores as determined below.

Technical Execution - approximately 85% of total score

Positive points may be awarded for advanced level tricks performed successfully, including string hits, pops, wraps, transitions, regenerations, release catches, whip catches, and other yo-yo maneuvers. The styles of tricks should be representative of the division in which the player is competing. Tricks, which a contestant has already completed, will not be scored in a second attempt.
Additional points may be awarded for difficulty, originality, long sequences on same spin, extreme amplitude of a maneuver, and similar yo-yo moves.
Negative points may be deducted for trick misses, loss of control, and restarts. The substitution of a yo-yo for another will count as a multiple deduction if the yo-yo string becomes jammed or knotted. Generally a single point deduction is taken for each miss, loss of control, unsuccessful bind, or similar error. Two points are generally deducted for rewinding/restarting the yo-yo. Three points are deducted for changing out a yo-yo.
No points shall be awarded for any tricks or antics done before the start of the 2-minute freestyle or after the two minutes has elapsed.

Performance Style - approximately 15% of total score
A contestant, while performing advanced level trick elements, may earn points for, but not limited to:

Stage Presence
Choreography
Amplitude
Elegance of control and line
Maturity of yo-yo maneuvers
Originality
Movement (and use of "yo-yo space" up, down, back and forth)

Crowd reaction, entertaining antics, or other elements, which occur when not performing with a yo-yo, do not add to the performance style points.
Final Score
The total points accumulated from the combination of technical and performance points (minus any deductions) will be independently normalized for each judge. Ties will be broken based on which contestant has the highest preliminary score. In the extremely unlikely event that there is still a tie, the judges have the ability to devise an appropriate tiebreaker, or can declare a tie. The judge's decision is final.

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