Parents USAG and HS girls gymnastics

[Deleted member 26368]

I'm in GA, and don't see any restrictions in the Georgia High School Association constitution. I don't personally know any high school gymnasts, but it seems like they can do both. I would assume it would be up to the school and club coaches to agree, though.

 

[Mish]

Wow, I am really curious. Anyone know why they would have a rule preventing kids from doing both High School and club teams?

I have never heard of anything like that. It seems like it would be really damaging for sports organisations, losing their kids because they want to represent their school.

Here on Long Island (In NY), there is no rule prohibiting club gymnasts from doing HS, my daughter (JO lv 8/9) does both. They compete with level 9 scoring rules.

HOWEVER, many (most) gyms do not let their JO girls compete in both (citing lost time at practice and potential for injury on crappy equipment, dead mats, etc.). This results in mostly IGC girls doing HS and some JO girls from gyms who allow it. My daughter actually chose to move to a gym that allows it vs. going to another gym that most of her friends switched to following our gym change a few years ago. I don't know if it was the best decision for her gymnastics-wise, but she has been on the varsity team since 7th grade and thoroughly enjoys being a part of it all. It does take a toll on her body doing 14 hour days (school, HS practice, club practice). HS is a short season and backs right up to the start of JO comp season (late fall/early winter).

 

[Tiger93]

but in club gym you are not competing as a "team" per se. You competing as an individual, representing a club. sounds like a huge over reach for the state association to nose around in people's lives outside of school. I am of the belief that it is none of their business what my child does outside of school hours or when they are on campus.

For all that I know it has been this way since I was in high school in the early 90’s. It’s just accepted as what it is. Most likely someone abused the system years ago and it’s easier to regulate all rather than a few. Gymnastics is grouped with bowling, cross country, golf, swimming & diving, track & field, wrestling, and tennis. There are other rules for the team sports.
My daughter is in level 8 and will see harder competition in high school than she will in her club season. In my area, the range of high school gymnast ability is beginner- level 10. I’m excited for her to try it and grateful that she can finally do a school sport. Also I’m glad that she can still practice at her club gym when she is able. This is for many reasons, one of which is that her high school practices at a gym without pits so the ability of her to do soft pit landings during the season hopefully preventing more joint wear and tear.

 

[Gym Parent]

In my state, during the competition season for hs, the girls are not allowed to compete club, this is to make sure that they can handle schoolwork and rest their bodies. But after the season is over (it lasts 2-3 months) they are able to continue club. If your gymnast is having a hard time deciding, I would research their hs gymnastics program before making a decision. At my daughters hs, they don't compete on spring floors and a lot of the equipment is junky which we did not know beforehand.

 

[superflipgirl]

That's so interesting. I didn't realize that in some states it was a problem. In Virginia, there are MANY gymnasts that do both. Our gym does not let L10, but many L8/L9/Xcel do both. I know that for L8 and L9 gymnasts, most of the HS's are fine if the girls miss HS practice for club practice (as long as they prioritize come to 1 HS practice/week and all meets).

Came here to say this. I'm from Virginia as well, and at my old gym the head optional coach had been a high school gymnast in Virginia and not only allowed our optionals to do high school gym while they were also doing USAG, but strongly ENCOURAGED it!

 

[GymMom23]

Can you compete USAG AND high school gymnastics? My daughter is still in middle school and I’m very new to HS gymnastics and I’m trying to learn more about it. She is at a private club since 5 years old and is level 7. We are in IL. Someone said to me it is illegal and they cannot do both? Or maybe it is same season and she would have to leave USAG and do AAU? Just wanted to gets facts straight as we go into HS in a couple of years and she was toying with the idea TIA

Hi, see B & M's Mom comment below. She is correct. My daughter competed USAG (was going to compete level 8) until this year when she decided she wanted less pressure and wanted to transition to HS gymnastics. We are also in Illinois. Because the seasons overlap, it is rarely possible to do both USAG and HS. It is forbidden by the IHSA (Illinois High School Athletics) rules. Any HS gymnast can only train with their HS team. However, if the USAG season is longer than the HS one on either end, it MIGHT be possible to squeak in a meet if the dates work. But once the HS season starts (and there are certain published dates for the Winter sports), you can't do USAG. In our area, there is a USAG club that has a HS training program so girls can train all year except for during the HS season. It's really nice. Lots of girls from several HS train together on the "off season". It's a gym that also has a regular USAG team as well, so the coaching is great. Your daughter will have to choose when the time comes. For now, enjoy!

 

[pantigad]

In Illinois, as mentioned above, you cannot compete club and high school sports at the exact same time (this is true for all sports, not just gymnastics). However, the winter season for high school sports (including gymnastics) runs from approximately early November to early February. You can find the exact dates and more information on the IHSA website (they have a 5-year gymnastics season calendar posted). So it is technically possible to do both. A gymnast would have to take a break from club gymnastics during the high school season, and then back to club right after. In addition, because the "last day" to qualify for Illinois USAG state meets is usually in early March (depending on level), there is typically time to compete at least one or two club meets, qualify for state, and then possibly on to regionals, etc. However, this only works IF your club allows its gymnasts to do both. It's my understanding that many do not.

I reside in Illinois. My kiddo is in xcel Diamond and finalizing her 8th grade year. In the process of creating a high school gymnastics team at my kids' high school, but wondering about clubs. I've been told differently everywhere I go. Do club kids age out at 14? Would a club "boot" them at that age when entering high school to do high school gymnastics? What if the club has a level program - could she continue in levels versus high school gymnastics? I've been informed you can do both, just not at the same time, per the IHSA. I keep trying to figure out if all clubs age out their xcel and level kiddos or just some?

 

[CLgym]

I reside in Illinois. My kiddo is in xcel Diamond and finalizing her 8th grade year. In the process of creating a high school gymnastics team at my kids' high school, but wondering about clubs. I've been told differently everywhere I go. Do club kids age out at 14? Would a club "boot" them at that age when entering high school to do high school gymnastics? What if the club has a level program - could she continue in levels versus high school gymnastics? I've been informed you can do both, just not at the same time, per the IHSA. I keep trying to figure out if all clubs age out their xcel and level kiddos or just some?

You are correct, in Illinois you can technically do both USAG (club) and high school gymnastics -- just not at the same time. It works because the high school season is shorter than the USAG season in Illinois. However, it is my understanding that some gyms/coaches won't allow it, at least for their higher level JO gymnastics, because they feel the training/conditioning in high school programs is weak. So it really depends on the gym.

In response to your specific questions: No, club gymnasts don't "age out" at 14. You can continue to compete USAG Xcel or JO ("levels") through high school. No, a club would not "boot" a gymnast just because they hit high school age, but may have team rules that prohibit the gymnast from competing in a high school program. In that case, if a gymnast wanted to do both, they'd have to find a different gym whose rules would allow it.

If you want to reach out to me via private message, I can give you more specifics.

 

[Ncgymgirls]

It definitely is dependent on where you live. Are there any gymnasts at your club that have competed for the high school that you could ask? I forget the details, but I know girls in NC that compete for high school and club. But I think the seasons don't overlap too much and I do believe that they may not be able to compete both at the same time. So they have to finish the high school season before their first club meet. But that is for NC, and I do know every state is different.

Also, even if it is allowed by the high school, it may not be okay with the club. My daughter's gym for example does not want any of their jo girls competing high school gymnastics. Other local gyms are fine with it though.

What’s jo?
Are there high schools in nc with gymnastics teams? We are in charlotte.

 

[gymgal]

What’s jo?
Are there high schools in nc with gymnastics teams? We are in charlotte.

JO= Junior Olympic. It is the numbered level competitive teams (2,3,4,5, etc). They recently changed the name because they can no longer use "Olympic". It is now Developmental something. Can't remember exactly the name but it had been JO for so long that It is still used by parents, fans, and coaches.

Yes, NC has high school gymnastics. I do not know about Charlotte specifically but you can probably look at each school's website to determine which has it. Where we live, the schools allow the girls to start a team if there isn't one. Even if there is only one person competing. The gymnasts train at their local clubs, not at the schools.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

What’s jo?
Are there high schools in nc with gymnastics teams? We are in charlotte.

yes, I meant girls in the developmental program (I.e. level 1-10, not Xcel or other programs). I’m in the Raleigh area and most of the high schools in our country have high school gymnastics teams. Most, but not all, of the gymnasts are also either current or former club gymnasts. My daughters gym does not prefer the higher level optionals (levels 8-10ish) to compete for their high school as they feel it does take away from the club meets and training. But we do have some xcel girls that do it. And there are a few level 9/10s that have done it in the past. But I know other local gyms that most of their high schoolers compete for both club and high school. So it all depends. I don’t know how Charlotte does it..

 

[Ncgymgirls]

Thanks! That’s helpful. My girls are in xcel (aau?) second year and I’m just starting to try to determine what it all means. Their dad is starting to be of the mindset that usag(?) is a better path. That might be the case for this to be anything more than an activity but we haven’t been given a choice. They just took rec gymnastics and got invited to “teams tryouts” a few years ago. Just been rolling with it until now..
They still practice 7.5 hours a week.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

I’m in the Raleigh area and most of the high schools in our country have high school gymnastics teams

Oops, meant county not country. lol.

 

[gymgal]

Thanks! That’s helpful. My girls are in xcel (aau?) second year and I’m just starting to try to determine what it all means. Their dad is starting to be of the mindset that usag(?) is a better path. That might be the case for this to be anything more than an activity but we haven’t been given a choice. They just took rec gymnastics and got invited to “teams tryouts” a few years ago. Just been rolling with it until now..
They still practice 7.5 hours a week.

High school gymnastics should still be an option for the girls in xcel (and aau). It is in our area of NC anyway and the rules are set up to follow xcel gold and platinum (the 2 levels compete in separate groups). But I don't know if this is state wide.

 

[Tiger93]

 

[cogymmom2dd]

Thanks! That’s helpful. My girls are in xcel (aau?) second year and I’m just starting to try to determine what it all means. Their dad is starting to be of the mindset that usag(?) is a better path. That might be the case for this to be anything more than an activity but we haven’t been given a choice. They just took rec gymnastics and got invited to “teams tryouts” a few years ago. Just been rolling with it until now..
They still practice 7.5 hours a week.

AAU is just another governing body for the sport. They oversee a variety of youth sports, not just gymnastics. They tend to be more ‘all about the kids and having fun’. They have the same levels and guidelines as USAG. Their compulsory levels (2-5) mirror USAG routines and standards, same for optionals (levels 6-10 plus all XCEL levels). AAU season (districts, regionals, nationals) typically follows USAG season, so some gymnasts compete their state and/or regional meets for USAG and then continue training for AAU districts, regionals, and nationals between May and June.

USAG is the governing body for gymnastics in the United States and who makes all of the rules for the sport of both womens and mens gymnastics world in the United States. There has been some controversy with the organization as a whole with the whole Nassar case, the law suits and recent settlement, and subsequent bankruptcy filing. Many gyms in my area have opted to not compete USAG until they get their act together. Other gyms continue to support because they train elite athletes and this is the only governing body who has programs for athletes on an elite path.
It’s all in what you want for you kiddos and you can totally do both. I see you are from NC. They have some pretty amazing gymnasts that come to AAU nationals and all of the girls from the state wear the same leotards, I think they have a very strong statewide AAU program. AAU does not mean not good enough or not talented enough.

 

[Rose7777]

It varies so much by state. My daughter did high school gym this year (along with Xcel) and loved it so much. Scoring is very different and few gymnasts start from a ten in our state- basically only level 9s and 10s. It’s an incredibly fun atmosphere, though, and has been a fantastic experience.

 

[CoachPow]

In my state (Minnesota), the state high school governing body for sports prohibits kids from participating in the club sport during the HS season. Since both JO and Xcel compete during the same time as the HS season, kids would have to stop JO/Xcel training if they wanted to do HS. High schools here don't provide the level of training and equipment necessary to support high level gymnastics so most clubs either don't allow or discourage their athletes from doing high school. Other sports like soccer, swimming and volleyball have seasons where kids can participate in both club and high school (the club training just goes on a hiatus during the HS season).

SOME high schools don't have the training and equipment. Others train club gymnasts in the off-season and have high-level girls quitting clubs to join the HS team. Like everything else in gymnastics, most of it depends on the coaching at any particular gym-HS or private. I've watched a couple of USAG meets with level 8/9s, and the MSHSL State meet a couple of weekends ago blows that completely out of the tub. I know the HS programs in many other states are in very rough shape, but MN is going very strong!

 

[Aussie_coach]

As a gym owner this rule would really bother me.

I own a business, and through what we do as a business our clients (the gymnasts) will stay or leave. But the no club and high school rule, would cause these businesses to lose clients and money.

 

[CLgym]

But the no club and high school rule, would cause these businesses to lose clients and money.

There is actually a gym in my area that has gone against the grain and decided to embrace high school gymnastics, while most others have not (with many flat out prohibiting high school gym). Not surprisingly, this gym attracts quite a few girls in high school. It offers a high school only program that allows the high school gymnasts to train during the off-season, as well as a joint USAG/high school program where the gymnasts do both (this works because the high school gymnastics season is shorter than the USAG season, so gymnasts can compete for their high school and still have time to do a couple of USAG meets, qualify for state/regionals etc.). From a business perspective, it's pretty smart. And it also keeps a certain type of gymnast in the sport longer. My DD might still be doing gymnastics if high school gym was an option for her....