Team Gradings

HOW DO CVI WORK OUT THE GRADINGS?
The decision for grading placement goes through many facets before the final list is revealed, and each element is looked at in turn, while also in conjunction with every other element.
Who decides?
The grading is decided by the CVI Grading Committee, which is a sub-committee of the Board of Management. Members of the Grading Committee include retired and non-active coaches (not active coaches to reduce possibility of conflict of interest), adjudicators, competition administrators, and past pupils. All members are impartial in their decision making. Several members have been on the committee for well over 15 years, so there is a lot of experience.

The starting point for deciding the grading list is the aggregate score system. Each club is given a score dependant on their place at each competition. There is a 20% bonus score calculated for both CVI State Championships and RSSS competitions. The score is then converted to an average, which will place you in order for your Division.

The committee has at their disposal all the information about what occurred at each competition - not just what the audience hears. They have the points breakdown for every item, they know which teams receive penalties and they have video of the work if available. By using the expertise on the panel they can assess more deeply than the aggregation if necessary.
They also take into consideration the history of the team. If they have only had one year in championship they will stay there for another year, even if they came last, because it is deemed important to give everyone at least two years to prove themselves. Obviously if a team is ready to come up and the lowest placed team cannot yet go down, this is where a decision will be made on which other team will go down.
If a club goes down a division it is considered very carefully before it is finalised. The committee doesn't like to see teams struggle and not win any places - it is better to be in a more appropriate competition and do well.
Remember, there are many factors that go towards a decision, including coach history and experience, extenuating circumstances and individual results. The committee are happy to answer any questions and discuss your situation with you.

Some common misconceptions and questions...

How well you do at CVI State Championships will determine your grading for next year.

Every competition you compete in goes towards your aggregate score. If you win both the CVI and RSSS competitions for two consecutive years you will go up to the next Division.
There is no point appealing - it's already decided.

If you feel your club has had changes that will affect it's opportunities in the following season, and the grading committee doesn't know about it, then you should send an appeal in. Circumstances could include a change of coach or an influx of girls from a higher division.

If you are appealing your place it is important that you make it as easy as possible for the committee to understand your reasons. If you include a video or DVD of your work ensure it includes a menu and only include work relevant for assessment, not the whole concert. The committee doesn't need you to provide information they already have - make it easy to read/watch and only provide them with the extra information that you believe proves your case.

Interstate clubs are favoured for grading over Victorian Clubs.

Interstate clubs don't take precedence over any Victorian club. Interstate clubs are graded only when requested, and this is usually only so they can compete in Ballarat. They are judged in the same way as Victorian teams, using their local competitions and video as part of the process. Interstate teams are not eligible to compete at CVI State Championships.

Will my team be disadvantaged because we only competed at 3 competitions?

No, your aggregate score is worked out on an average, so you will not be disadvantaged for competing in fewer competitions. If you have a team member absent for a competition, and grading is important for your team, you would be better placed to withdraw from a competition and not have it counted at all than to attend and come last (considering loss of points in each item). If you compete with less than the required number let the committee know.

My team went up down two divisions which doesn't seem fair?

Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, one of the divisions will become overfull. When this occurs the Grading Committee will create a new division, as has happened this year. The new division is usually created in the middle of the list, but is reflected by a new number at the bottom of the list. Therefore it might appear you have gone from division 6 to 8, but they might have split division 3 and so all divisions under 3 become the next one down.

We went to a combined competition - will we be disadvantaged?

You might be. If you are in the lower division in a combined competition your points will be counted the same as if it were a single division competition. If you would normally have gone well, but the division above you is strong, you will not be compensated for this in the scoring system, so think carefully about what will be gained for you by attending this competition. You can call and find out what the breakdown of teams is for a combined competition before the day. Remember, it could be beneficial for your team to be exposed to the higher division, and might only be one competition, so it isn't necessarily a bad thing to be the lower division of the two.