has anyone ever wondered this about judges?

[cat]

i have always wondered that olympians like nastia luikin, shawn johnson, jordan weiber, gabby douglas etc. when they were young and competed level 5/6/7/8, do you think the judges would think "oh shes going to the olympics one day" i mean, honestly. those are talented girls and i know bela karolyi thought that about nadia comaneci. bela found nadia in the park doing cartwheels at a young age before she was a gymnast and he introduced her to it. guess what, she's a perfect 10 olympian~!!! sooo, anyone ever thought any judge would ever also think "oh shes going to be a olympian when shes older"?

 

[LiveLoveTumble]

Personally, I think it's really hard to tell at such a young age. Some gymnasts may be not so good at the skills required for lower levels, but then amazing once they get to higher levels. Then, there may be girls who are really good at the lower levels but then burn out before reaching higher levels. So, I think it is really hard to tell and really depends on the person.

 

[gymnastbeth]

There are tons of talented girls at the lower levels, but the majority of them quit by level 7. I think it's doubtful that a judge would be able to distinguish a future olympian from the rest. I've seen videos of Alicia and Nastia at level 6. Alicia was good, but no prodigy. Nastia's bars were extremely impressive though.

Going back to the judges, I think it's more likely that they would get to see certain gymnasts progress through the levels. For example, I found an old picture of me doing the level 5 floor routine. In a more recent picture of level 9 bars, the same judge was in the background! Must be cool for judges to see gymnasts grow.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

i have always wondered that olympians like nastia luikin, shawn johnson, jordan weiber, gabby douglas etc. when they were young and competed level 5/6/7/8, do you think the judges would think "oh shes going to the olympics one day" i mean, honestly. those are talented girls and i know bela karolyi thought that about nadia comaneci. bela found nadia in the park doing cartwheels at a young age before she was a gymnast and he introduced her to it. guess what, she's a perfect 10 olympian~!!! sooo, anyone ever thought any judge would ever also think "oh shes going to be a olympian when shes older"?[/QUOTE

in bold= fiction

 

[gasrgoose]

Going back to the judges, I think it's more likely that they would get to see certain gymnasts progress through the levels. For example, I found an old picture of me doing the level 5 floor routine. In a more recent picture of level 9 bars, the same judge was in the background! Must be cool for judges to see gymnasts grow.

My daughter competed level 5 last year. There is one judge that she competed in front of several times. When we volunteered at the NCAA national championships the same judge was there judging. Then while watching the Olympic trials the same judge was sitting at beam. Made my little girl smile to know she performs in front of the same judge that judges the higher levels. I'm sure the judge doesn't know my daughter though.

 

[iwannacoach]

I think the judges who have been around the sport for a while come to realize that most of the "gifted" kids will either loose interest, hit a stumbling block, lose a coach, re-locate........

I imagine they see the youngest kids do super well at level 7 and, and figure them as "possibles" with as good as a chance as anybody else, but also realize the are thousands of "anybody elses" in a given olympic cycle. So they award them their 9.7 score and move on to the next kid, who has absolutely no chance, and award an 8.9.

What they haven't figured out, is that child has been moving up two levels per year after a "late start" at the age of nine...........and continues to progress to the point of competing for a spot on the olympic team.

 

[flipflopcrystal]

i don't think you can tell who will make the olympic team until the year of the olympics.... could be anybody.