Parents Instagram (When Does My Athlete Need One For College Purposes)

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

JBS

ChalkBucket Founder
Staff member
Gold Membership
Coach
Proud Parent
instagram-stickers.jpg


I'd like to thank @Summer01 for starting this thread. I'm going to promote this thread as I really think this is a great question...

When do parents set up an instagram for their child?​

 
When do parents set up an instagram for their child? Ive read online level 9? Is that what most people do? I would imagine college recruiters aren't even looking until level 10 anyway? Thoughts? I have an 11 yo level 8 and I like her to stay off social media as much as possible but I've come across a lot of gym instagrams and wondered if I was missing something. Thanks for any info.
 
When do parents set up an instagram for their child? Ive read online level 9? Is that what most people do? I would imagine college recruiters aren't even looking until level 10 anyway? Thoughts? I have an 11 yo level 8 and I like her to stay off social media as much as possible but I've come across a lot of gym instagrams and wondered if I was missing something. Thanks for any info.
I have enjoyed following Jill Hicks Consulting on FB for information on things like this. I'm not sure exactly what age/level she reccomends but I know she says that college coaches will see your childs scores then go to Instagram to see any videos, so it sounds like it isn't really needed until you are actually looking at recruiting.
 
When do parents set up an instagram for their child?
If your kid is scoring 39AA at L10 nationals, nobody is going to need to an Insta handle to find them.
True - but for 95% that are not scoring that high or not even making it to nationals...

You have a couple of years. If she scores really well in L9 post season (regionals/east-westerns), you could start by posting those. Otherwise, When she is performing L10 skills consistently and is getting ready to compete L10 (that summer before L10 competition).
 
When do parents set up an instagram for their child?

I'm sorry to be the one to say...never at 11.
The day will come where she needs to have something to show college scouts etc. That's a long way away. So many things can happen between now and then. Good luck!
 
I'm sorry to be the one to say...never at 11.
The day will come where she needs to have something to show college scouts etc. That's a long way away. So many things can happen between now and then. Good luck!

Not that far away, if the goal is getting college attention, then I would say 13/14. College coaches don't start following girls until at least freshman year of high school, at least in a serious "I might recruit this person" way. So I would say you should have a insta account the summer entering your freshman year of high school at the latest. From our experience, girls will get offers at the end of their sophomore year of high school, so what might seem like a while away is a pretty short timeline.

Now if you have a stellar DD who is a jr elite, it really isn't going to matter if you have an insta account or not.
 
Thank you all! This is super helpful info to have! I had worried I was missing something as I have noticed so many young gymnasts have Instagram pages even at like level 4. So yes, lots of time and not necessary sounds to be the consensus! She’s in sixth grade and while now college gymnastics is her goal lots can change during these middle school years. Sounds like summer after 8th grade will be a good goal and depending on how the skills come she will either be getting ready to compete 10 or possibly may have a season of 10 under her belt (no way to know how it will go). I like the thought of keeping her off of social media until then too!! Thank you!
 
For college purposes once she enters high school. No college coach will bat an eyelid before then. Personally I made my gymmies accounts at level 7 or 8 more as a personal record than for recruiting purposes.
I made my 10 year old an account a few weeks ago as part of her birthday celebration lol but I’m going to manage it for the time being. She is a repeat level 7 but training a lot of level 9 skills etc. so I just felt it would be nice to save all her training and competition clips online.
 
Just want to comment on a couple of folks who are saying that college coaches are not looking at gymnasts before high school. That simply is not true. College coaches have high level middle schoolers on their radars. Before the new rules, 8th and 9th graders were getting offers. These coaches may not be able to do that anymore but they sure are still watching from the sidelines. If a child makes it to L10 as a 7th/8th grader, then I would be setting up accounts then
 
Just want to comment on a couple of folks who are saying that college coaches are not looking at gymnasts before high school. That simply is not true. College coaches have high level middle schoolers on their radars. Before the new rules, 8th and 9th graders were getting offers. These coaches may not be able to do that anymore but they sure are still watching from the sidelines. If a child makes it to L10 as a 7th/8th grader, then I would be setting up accounts then
True, but again, those girls that were getting offers in 8th and 9th grade were junior elites, very high-level gymnasts. In other words, exceptions. If your daughter is at that level, she doesn't need an Instagram to promote her gymnastics. I think for the average population, college coaches just don't have the bandwidth to be tracking someone in 7th/8th grade in any seriousness even if they are a L10. At the margins, its certainly not going hurt if one is a 7th grade level 10 I don't know if would make that much of a benefit either.
 
You can start whenever and keep it private, until it’s relevant to recruiting.

Whats more important is it is essentially a video resume. Treat as such.

It’s not about likes, showing off Leo’s, silliness, etc….

Its about showing off strength, work ethic, and skills.
 
True, but again, those girls that were getting offers in 8th and 9th grade were junior elites, very high-level gymnasts. In other words, exceptions. If your daughter is at that level, she doesn't need an Instagram to promote her gymnastics. I think for the average population, college coaches just don't have the bandwidth to be tracking someone in 7th/8th grade in any seriousness even if they are a L10. At the margins, its certainly not going hurt if one is a 7th grade level 10 I don't know if would make that much of a benefit either.
I actually know young gymmies, who have done college camps and are being followed by coaches. They can see the gymmies progression.

It’s a way to see an athlete, prior to being able to contact. And it’s not just for gymnastics
 
I actually know young gymmies, who have done college camps and are being followed by coaches. They can see the gymmies progression.

It’s a way to see an athlete, prior to being able to contact. And it’s not just for gymnastics
Sure, its easy to "follow" on instagram, but coaches are not paying any more attention to a random 8 yo Instagram account than they would to whatever random junk falls into their feed. If they are not coaching then they are actively evaluating potential recruits two to three years from signing. From a hypothetical cost/benefit a parent has to ask if the marginal benefit of coach X following child to cost of social media. Individual choice. But I still would stick to my initial opinion that its not necessary till 8-9th grade.
 
Sure, its easy to "follow" on instagram, but coaches are not paying any more attention to a random 8 yo Instagram account than they would to whatever random junk falls into their feed. If they are not coaching then they are actively evaluating potential recruits two to three years from signing. From a hypothetical cost/benefit a parent has to ask if the marginal benefit of coach X following child to cost of social media. Individual choice. But I still would stick to my initial opinion that its not necessary till 8-9th grade.
Did I specify 8 yr olds? Of wait I didn’t. Or random? Nope didn‘t. I was also pretty clear about an athletes page being a video resume not fluff/social stuff.

I am talking about serious younger gymnasts, who can’t be talking to college coaches.

And lets not forget, the coaches can’t contact the kids. The kids can say hey check me out.

And any coach in their right mind would hit delete on an 8 yr old compulspry kid. But a 12/13/14 yr old upper optional kid. It costs nothing to keep on their radar.

Instagram is a great tool for both coaches and athletes. You see a kid you can’t officially talk to at a meet or camp. Instagram gives you a window into who they are. Coaches will move on from the fluff quick enough. They know the type of athlete they are looking for. They will follow those.

So athletes be those
 
Sure, its easy to "follow" on instagram, but coaches are not paying any more attention to a random 8 yo Instagram account than they would to whatever random junk falls into their feed. If they are not coaching then they are actively evaluating potential recruits two to three years from signing. From a hypothetical cost/benefit a parent has to ask if the marginal benefit of coach X following child to cost of social media. Individual choice. But I still would stick to my initial opinion that its not necessary till 8-9th grade.
A now senior at our school, not gymnast. Got connected to a big womens basketball school, via a random meeting with the parent. Kid now being followed by the coach.

Would the coach have found her on their own? Unlikely.
And who knows how it will work out. But her insta page doesn’t hurt It only helps. And the kid is good
 
Did I specify 8 yr olds? Of wait I didn’t. Or random? Nope didn‘t. I was also pretty clear about an athletes page being a video resume not fluff/social stuff.

I am talking about serious younger gymnasts, who can’t be talking to college coaches.

And lets not forget, the coaches can’t contact the kids. The kids can say hey check me out.

And any coach in their right mind would hit delete on an 8 yr old compulspry kid. But a 12/13/14 yr old upper optional kid. It costs nothing to keep on their radar.

Instagram is a great tool for both coaches and athletes. You see a kid you can’t officially talk to at a meet or camp. Instagram gives you a window into who they are. Coaches will move on from the fluff quick enough. They know the type of athlete they are looking for. They will follow those.

So athletes be those
Seem quite butt hurt there, so much that it was difficult to make a coherent post lol. You said young gymmies, which in my interpretation is younger than 12, we refer to them as littles. My apologies if you consider a 14 yo a young gymmie, my misunderstanding.
 
Seem quite butt hurt there, so much that it was difficult to make a coherent post lol. You said young gymmies, which in my interpretation is younger than 12, we refer to them as littles. My apologies if you consider a 14 yo a young gymmie, my misunderstanding.
No butt hurt. You shouldn’t have interpreted. You should of asked for clarification and not assumed.

If they aren’t in HS and at an age to be contacted by coaches they are young.

8 yr olds aren’t young, they are beyond young, they are children, not even on a colleges coaches radar.
 
My daughter has more than one instagram account, she has a personal account in which is one that she posts her own personal stuff on, an ambassador account in which she must keep public for her ambassador stuff only, and lastly her recruiting account in which she has for all of her gymnastics videos and a few personal touches. She is not at recruiting age yet, but has been sending emails with videos, posting to her instagram, and has done a few college camps as well. She has several college coaches following her recruiting account. She is currently working on getting her skills refined and up to what colleges she would like to go to level. I think Instagram is a great tool along with many other factors.
 

New Posts

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

New Posts

Back