Parents Xcel Regionals

[KimmeeA13]

My DD competed at Xcel Regionals this past Friday and what an experience that was! Our gym doesn't normally send Xcel gymnasts to regionals but because it was only a hour away from us this year, they made it an optional meet.

It was a real eye-opener for me regarding how different states and different gyms use the Xcel program. (You may remember that my DD is almost 9 and competing for the first time this year on the Xcel Bronze level.) There were a lot of skills being thrown around that were above Bronze level and a lot of very high scores. Hey, I don't fault anyone for doing what they feel they need to do in order to win but wow! In the session after ours, one girl scored a perfect 10 on beam. My DD had her personal best on beam (9.375) and did pretty well, I thought, considering she was in her first year.

The top half of each group medaled, and everyone got a medal for AA. We had been watching the scores so we tried to prepare DD for the likelihood of not placing and she seemed to be listening to us. She DID medal in floor (tied for 9th place) and was 15th AA. There were girls crying all over the place and sobbing in their parents' arms. These are girls who are used to *everybody* getting something for each event at nearly every meet they go to. I was very proud of my girl for not getting upset because as we all know, life doesn't not always give us "participation awards". I thought it was a good lesson for them because as they progress they won't always get a medal every time either, and they have to learn to win gracefully and lose gracefully as well.

It was a good experience for my DD, although I have to say if I'd had to travel and pay for a hotel, food, etc., we wouldn't have gone. We only did it because it was so close by. Anybody else do Regionals?

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Yes, Indeed we did absolutely spectacular. My dd was in the session with the girl who scored the perfect score on beam. My dd got 9.55 on beam, her perdsonal best. The girl who was1st AA nd who got the perfect ten has been doing bronze competitions for 3 years now. My dd was saying that its not fair. I explained to her whats not fair is the other girl had to compete three years, my dd just started Another thing is too I noticed that alot of gyms make their girls compete jo in the fall and then xcel in spring.
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[KimmeeA13]

I keep trying to steer my DD toward aiming for improvement each time and not just racking up medals. I'm not sure how well I'm doing but I'll keep telling her how proud I am of her and telling her that all I expect is that she do her best and have some fun. Maybe it'll soak in eventually.

Did you see the beam routine that scored a 10? I would have liked to see that. I did see a girl in our session do a bridge kick-over on beam that was pretty awesome for Xcel Bronze. I saw a couple of ROBHSBHS on floor in our session too. I couldn't believe my DD tied for 9th on floor when she only did a cartwheel (not even a round off), although to be fair it was a pretty tight cartwheel.

I knew from hanging out at the CB that some gyms compete JO in the fall and Xcel in the spring so I was kind of prepared for the level of competition we'd see. After all, why spend hundreds of dollars and travel hundreds of miles if you don't expect to win or at least do well?

All in all I'd much rather see my DD move up and be challenged than stay down in an effort to trounce the competition, if indeed that is the reason for someone competing Bronze for 3 years. Let's just say I'm very happy with our gym and content to let our coaches decide what level my DD should compete.

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

I was just so proud and happy for my dd, I didnt see it. Our coach told us about the top 3-5 repeating the bronze competitions. Im just proud of her. She wants to be challenged. SHE wants to go to gold. I told her ok, only if she gets a 38! Lol, because although I think she can do the skills, Id rather her spend time in lower levels...then we will see. Our county is starting a jr/highschool gymnastics teams this year with our school being first.


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[motigymnasticsmom]

Kimmee, good luck to your dd for the next level/season!!!!

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[Gymmom495]

9.375 and 9.55 on Beam are both GREAT scores!!! You and your daughters should be very proud, especially if this was their 1st year!!
Girls who repeat levels or coaches who have girls repeat levels only for the reason of boosting a score for their club and not for the benefit of the gymnast does not even count in my book. It's like a 5th grader taking a 1st grade math test so the school looks better to the state, it doesn't prove what a good student he/she is just that they can do basic math. Same goes for these girls at these meets, they don't prove what great gymnasts they are doing the same level merely for boosting scores. Take those girls out of the equation and what place would your girls have come in?? Either way you should be commended on what great parents you are for raising girls who have good sportsmanship. Your right, even the best of the best will not always win something.
My daughter was on the podium frequently until one meet where she didn't place in any event. I watched her as she sat there and noticed that she wasn't being called up. At the time she was around (6 yrs). She leaves the group of girls on the floor and finds me sitting with her father in the stands, I'm thinking "oh no, here it comes" she puts her hands on her hips and says.."hey, I'm not going to get anything". I knelt down and looked her in the eye and said that she was to sit back down, put a smile on her face, and cheer every single girl on until the entire award ceremony was over, I said that she wasn't always going to get something and wasn't always going to win and she better get use to it. From that day on she never said another word about it and cheers everyone on weather she's on the podium or not.

 

[AmandaLynn]

The region that you are speaking of definitely has some gyms that are more interested in the "bragging rights" of creating bronze regional champions than in creating strong optional gymnasts.

 

[IreneKa]

Great job! Congrats to your DD!
My DD is also in Xcel bronze, but in our region I believe they don't do regionals until silver.
As for repeating the levels, we have a few stronger girls on the team who will be moving to silver, but the majority of them, including my DD (if she stays in xcel) will be repeating bronze. I saw what those silver girls can do, and my daughter is nowhere near that. But that's fine with me, she will be placing higher next year, so it'll be more fun for her. The way I see it, there are 10 levels in JO, but only 5 levels in Xcel, so it seems fair to move forward every two year.
Now, repeating bronze level 3 years, or staying in bronze if you can do ROBHSBHS, that seems a bit extreme. I would be frustrated too.

 

[JBS]

I believe Region IV is looking at doing Xcel regionals for the first time next year.

It's gonna be interesting...if USAG is going to nationalize Xcel...they better do it quick...the various regions seem to be developing their own standards.

 

[RileyG]

I believe Region IV is looking at doing Xcel regionals for the first time next year.

It's gonna be interesting...if USAG is going to nationalize Xcel...they better do it quick...the various regions seem to be developing their own standards.

I thought I read somewhere, or heard they are nationalizing it this year for next competition season? anyone know for sure?

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Maybe we will find out when everything else comes out...???

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[wandrewsjr]

I thought I read somewhere, or heard they are nationalizing it this year for next competition season? anyone know for sure?

Yes, National Guidelines have already been developed. Some of the Regions already adopted them for this past season (Region 1 and Region 5, that I know of). Some Regions changed their rules to be a little closer to the upcoming National Guidelines, with some tweaks to make the transition from their old rules to the new rules a little easier.

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Ok just got word today from coach that some changes are coming to our region from Xcel. Diamond will be added, states nd regionals will be different. To top it off maybe repeaters will compete with repeaters rather than newbies. She said we wont know for sure until July.

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