WAG 2022 TOPs testing

[Kolabola29]

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The last TOPs testing is this weekend, and the score cut-offs won’t be released until after then. Anyone have any idea what scoring distributions have looked like?

 

[JBS]

Nope… the program basically seems to be lost in the shuffle.

 

[Kolabola29]

My daughter just did her TOPs testing today. She was only able to try at this final testing, so hope it went well enough! I have no idea what kind of score will be necessary to make it--aside from seeing some IG tinies getting like 57s, I don't have any idea of how the scoring distribution looks. Guess we'll find out in about a week!

 

[JBS]

My daughter just did her TOPs testing today. She was only able to try at this final testing, so hope it went well enough! I have no idea what kind of score will be necessary to make it--aside from seeing some IG tinies getting like 57s, I don't have any idea of how the scoring distribution looks. Guess we'll find out in about a week!

How many athletes were there?

 

[Kolabola29]

These are all taking place by Zoom. This was the last day of TOPs testing, with four sessions each with a max of 60 gymnasts doing it at any one time. At my daughter's gym there were maybe 6 or 7 girls testing? Link Removed

 

[JBS]

Hopefully your daughter will do well... we had great times in that program with our daughter.

 

[Kolabola29]

Thanks! It's very strange doing it in a year where everything is revamped and where you have to qualify from physical abilities to get to do skills testing. No one really has any idea what the cutoff score will be--a 48 (basically an average of 8/10 for each physical ability), which it seemed like were maybe some of the cutoffs for in the prior iteration? Or much lower, like a 35 or 40, to give girls a chance to go to skills testing in the spring, which will be followed by another culling process to make it to national testing? It's all a huge mystery.

 

[JBS]

Thanks! It's very strange doing it in a year where everything is revamped and where you have to qualify from physical abilities to get to do skills testing. No one really has any idea what the cutoff score will be--a 48 (basically an average of 8/10 for each physical ability), which it seemed like were maybe some of the cutoffs for in the prior iteration? Or much lower, like a 35 or 40, to give girls a chance to go to skills testing in the spring, which will be followed by another culling process to make it to national testing? It's all a huge mystery.

Yep... they are eliminating all the state coordinators as there was too much junk before. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out. They want more control over it.

One thing is for sure... they are looking for the best of the best. They are trying to find those that have a chance to be elites... not those that can do 20 leg lifts.

 

[JBS]

Keep us updated on this... it's very interesting. We used to have tons of TOPs parents on this site back in the day... not so much anymore.

 

[Whyhellothere]

Wow sounds like it has completely changed since when my daughter did tops. Good luck to your daughter!!!!

 

[Vaarnik]

Is the minimum score out yet?

 

[Kolabola29]

Just posted: Link Removed

 

[Vaarnik]

Oh wow a 30!

 

[JBS]

Oh wow a 30!

Wait... wait... wait... um... did the program scoring completely change... or did the program just tank?

 

[Kolabola29]

The physical abilities testing is out of a total score of 60. And the cut off of 30 is not national qualifying cut off, instead it’s just the cut off to be able to do skills testing in the spring. From there, they will rank participants and only some will be invited to national testing. And from there some will be invited to tops camp.

 

[JBS]

Interesting... not very many involved at this point. Definitely opposite of how they were running it before. It looks like there are less than a couple hundred even testing skills.

 

[Kolabola29]

Interesting... not very many involved at this point. Definitely opposite of how they were running it before. It looks like there are less than a couple hundred even testing skills.

Yeah though interestingly there were only 240 available testing physical abilities testing slots each weekend and five weekends. So a max of 1200 testing and most kids I suspect tested 2 or 3 times. So probably more like 600 did physical abilities testing, whereas I understand that the prior system had thousands at the state level (which doesn’t exist anymore—it’s all been centralized). So I’m curious whether this is what was expected or if there was less participation. I’m guess this is a bit of trial and error and it’s a learning experience for next year?

 

[JBS]

Thank you USA Gymnastics!

According to the email released to State TOPs Managers today...

The IEC met last week to discuss the TOPS program and expectations moving forward. It was determined that all athletes who qualified from the physical abilities testing with the minimum score of 30.00 will be invited to attend TOPS National Testing in June 2023.

What does this mean: For the 2022-2023 TOPS season, skills testing will take place at TOPS National Testing and NOT at invitationals, Elite Qualifiers or Nastia Liukin Cup qualifiers. By delaying the skills testing to the spring, the IEC is hopeful that this will allow participating athletes and coaches the opportunity to properly prepare for TOPS National Testing.

It is also recommended that State Committees invite the TOPs State Managers to all state meetings...

Additionally, it is strongly encouraged that State Committees invite the TOPS State Managers to attend meetings as voice, no vote. This will ensure that the TOPS program information is being communicated efficiently.

 

[JBS]

With the basic elimination of the TOPs State Managers it is clear that the program bombed fully. This line in the email makes it clear too...

As the number of qualifiers per state were very small

 

[JBS]

The TOPs program was a very important part in my personal development into a much better coach. It was the gateway to a network of connections and coach education. This program needs to be a large program... large as possible... coach education is very very important.