Parents Is it too late to dream about College?

[BachFlyer]

Walk-ons are expected to be part of the team in all ways. They are held to the same standards, train as though they are going to compete, and participate in team events. They don't all travel - a team can only travel with a maximum of 16- 18 girls in D1 (can't recall which). Depends on how many walk-ons the team has. Some teams like to have a lot and some have few, and my guess is it really depends a lot on the team budget including how far the team typically has to travel (fly trips are expensive)! Some do end up competing, some don't. From talking to several colleges and knowing a few girls, I would say that a team is not going to offer you a walk-on spot unless they can reasonably expect you to have comparable skills to their scholarship athletes (and therefore be able to make a line up) in at least one (or more) event. The higher ranked the team, the more they will expect of their walk-ons.

 

[tomtnt]

I'm surprised more teams don't actively recruit/encourage walk-ons... they are like insurance policy for some of these injury-prone former elites they like to recruit. UCLA always has a large number of elites but they balance it out well with top caliber level 10 as well as high quality walkons who would forgo a scholarship elsewhere for a chance to compete (and study) at UCLA.

 

[CoachTodd]

Not sure where folks are getting their data from. I don't know if they are assuming scholarships or walk on. No it isn't too late depending on her progression. There is not need to be Level 10 forever or Elite. It will all depend on what they are looking for at the time she applies. If there aren't enough scholarships, many coaches take walk-ons. I've know plenty that have gone to D1 programs if that is the goal. There are way too many variables to say it is too late to get in as at least a back up or a specialist all depending on the kid's work ethic and progression. Many coaches at D1 schools that I know are looking for those that are still in love with the sport and want to learn. Their entire team may not be made up of these kids but they tend to have a couple.

 

[bookworm]

Not sure where folks are getting their data from. I don't know if they are assuming scholarships or walk on. No it isn't too late depending on her progression. There is not need to be Level 10 forever or Elite. It will all depend on what they are looking for at the time she applies. .

We are getting "our data" from the experience of going through the process, and while you are correct," it will depend on what they are looking for when she applies", from the collective experiences of the posters here, the colleges are wanting more, not less, in the skill department....so those of us who have been down this road many a time are giving the OP a realistic view of what it will be like for her 14 yo level 6 daughter....could she make unbelievable progress in the next year and make a D1,2 or 3 team ? Sure, but she's more likely to progress at a moderate rate, and the posters on this thread have given her a glimpse of her options.

 

[MeetDirector]

Not sure where folks are getting their data from. I don't know if they are assuming scholarships or walk on. No it isn't too late depending on her progression. There is not need to be Level 10 forever or Elite. It will all depend on what they are looking for at the time she applies.

CoachTodd -

We went thru the process with my dd. What I wrote is accurate; what @bookworm wrote is accurate; what others who have been thru this process is accurate. The expectations of college gymnastics coaches (D1 thru D3) are getting higher and higher. This holds for both scholarship athletes as well as walk-ons. In fact, a club gymnast really cannot "walk on" to a college team; they have to be invited to walk-on as there are a limited number of spots available. Unfortunately for the OP's dd, it is most likely too late given where she is today to get to be a level 10, let alone a multi-year level 10, with 10.0 SV routines by the time college teams will be recruiting for her class (easily within 2 years, if not now).

 

[wandrewsjr]

Here is a video of a meet between a couple of the Minnesota D3 schools just to give you an idea:

 

[rgmom]

Your absolutely right, but it wasn't one of the top D3 schools.

 

[ladybird]

Here is a video of a meet between a couple of the Minnesota D3 schools just to give you an idea:

Thank you for this perspective!

 

[CoachTodd]

CoachTodd -

We went thru the process with my dd. What I wrote is accurate; what @bookworm wrote is accurate; what others who have been thru this process is accurate. The expectations of college gymnastics coaches (D1 thru D3) are getting higher and higher. This holds for both scholarship athletes as well as walk-ons. In fact, a club gymnast really cannot "walk on" to a college team; they have to be invited to walk-on as there are a limited number of spots available. Unfortunately for the OP's dd, it is most likely too late given where she is today to get to be a level 10, let alone a multi-year level 10, with 10.0 SV routines by the time college teams will be recruiting for her class (easily within 2 years, if not now).

I'm just going from experience as well. I have worked with many D1 coaches. I will take their word on what they are looking for.

As for the original post. I will stick with saying it is never too late depending on progression and love for the sport. I will always disagree with the old philosophy of getting kids to Olympic levels before puberty. I personally think it's a bad idea. Yes kids get invited to be walk-ons at D1 schools who only competed to level 9. Just because others have had a different experience doesn't mean all hope is gone for the next person.

I wish your DD the best of luck.

 

[bookworm]

I'm just going from experience as well. I have worked with many D1 coaches. I will take their word on what they are looking for.

As for the original post. I will stick with saying it is never too late depending on progression and love for the sport. I will always disagree with the old philosophy of getting kids to Olympic levels before puberty. I personally think it's a bad idea. Yes kids get invited to be walk-ons at D1 schools who only competed to level 9. Just because others have had a different experience doesn't mean all hope is gone for the next person.

I wish your DD the best of luck.

Curious, are these D1 coaches that have teams in the top 50? and the kids who "only competed to level 9", are they actually competing on these teams or are they good students bringing up the team GPA and mat movers on meet days? I think the OP was asking from a point in where would her daughter have the opportunity to actually compete on any such team.

My daughter's D1 team had walk ons (invited) and they were all level 10s, and some were pretty decent in their day, but they rarely competed if ever...I can only think of 2 who did in 4 years , and for 1 event and not every week. So I still think at the OP's daughter's age and level , that a club team is still more attainable than the D1 teams most posters are thinking of...unless of course you are talking about RIC (Rhode Island College)...they are D1 and have had level6-8 on their teams so yes, that could happen.

 

[Carly]

So if you can get on a college team, you may never actually get to compete? My 11 yr old dd is training for level 7 in the fall and really wants to do college gymnastics. I guess it's possible that she can but what is the point if they never compete? Maybe college clubs would be more fun.

 

[bookworm]

So if you can get on a college team, you may never actually get to compete? My 11 yr old dd is training for level 7 in the fall and really wants to do college gymnastics. I guess it's possible that she can but what is the point if they never compete? Maybe college clubs would be more fun.

Very true...they compete for line up spots weekly and they sometimes are pulled or added to a line up based on warm ups. Some kids are kept on teams for their GPA so if your "star" has a 2.0 , you balance her out with your really smart walk on who has a 4.0....it's not all about gymnastics sadly...

 

[MeetDirector]

So if you can get on a college team, you may never actually get to compete? My 11 yr old dd is training for level 7 in the fall and really wants to do college gymnastics. I guess it's possible that she can but what is the point if they never compete? Maybe college clubs would be more fun.

What @bookworm said. Parents really need to go into the college gymnastics arena with eyes VERY wide open. Parents need to guide their athletes down this crazy path. DO NOT overlook the academic side of the equation; after all, an athlete still has to be academically qualified to be admitted to a school with a gymnastics team. Parents need to understand the college gymnastics recruiting timeline; it can vary. I also suggest visiting the schools that your dd might be interested in (unofficially) and seeing what things look like without the program being "on display" during an official visit.

 

[Carly]

Very true...they compete for line up spots weekly and they sometimes are pulled or added to a line up based on warm ups. Some kids are kept on teams for their GPA so if your "star" has a 2.0 , you balance her out with your really smart walk on who has a 4.0....it's not all about gymnastics sadly...

That's what I figured based off watching the college meets on tv.

My dd still has 6 more years of school to go so a lot can happen in that time. We'll figure out what's realistic as it gets closer with help from the coaches. Whatever college she goes to, it needs to be about the education, not gymnastics.

 

[LizzieLac]

I am curious now. Are there any D3s that take level 8s other than RIC?

 

[kayjaybe]

Here is a video of a meet between a couple of the Minnesota D3 schools just to give you an idea:

This looks like it will be much more my dd's speed, should she want to continue in college. I have absolutely no delusions that my dd, shooting for L9 in 10th grade, will make any sort of team with a scholarship, but it is nice to know that if she wants to continue her training, there are options for her!

 

[txgymfan]

For those considering pursuing a college scholarship for your DD please please read the pinned post on the top of the forum. It has invaluable information from those who have been there and done that, including Bookworm and others.

Edited to add : The pinned topic is under WAG and titled Div 1 NCAA Walk On Offer. It is a MUST read for those even thinking about thinking about college gym. It is eye opening and contains some very candid insights that you won't read anywhere else.

 

[mommyof1]

In college, I was good friends with a D1 varsity athlete (non-gymnast). She chose which school to attend on the basis of academics and had an academic scholarship to our university, not an athletic scholarship. She was injured early in her freshman year and ended up competing very little over the course of her career. She was very glad she'd chosen the school that was the best fit for her independent of her sport, because her sport ended up being a much smaller part of her life than she'd planned. Just saying.

 

[CoachTodd]

Curious, are these D1 coaches that have teams in the top 50? and the kids who "only competed to level 9", are they actually competing on these teams or are they good students bringing up the team GPA and mat movers on meet days? I think the OP was asking from a point in where would her daughter have the opportunity to actually compete on any such team..

You must be joking now. Top 50 isn't even a lofty goal for teams in NCAA. There are not many more than 50 schools with gymnastics programs. This is getting a bit off into the weeds. Yes these kids have the option to compete if they qualify to. Yes there are scholarship kids that usually get first shot. Most of the coaches I know seem to keep their teams in the top 20 if not top 10. Trying to quantify the probability of someone who has started late by basing it on the experience of a few others really doesn't give a good prediction of what the next kid may or may not be able to do.

I'll leave it at that.

 

[bookworm]

You must be joking now. Top 50 isn't even a lofty goal for teams in NCAA. There are not many more than 50 schools with gymnastics programs. This is getting a bit off into the weeds. Yes these kids have the option to compete if they qualify to. Yes there are scholarship kids that usually get first shot. Most of the coaches I know seem to keep their teams in the top 20 if not top 10. Trying to quantify the probability of someone who has started late by basing it on the experience of a few others really doesn't give a good prediction of what the next kid may or may not be able to do.

I'll leave it at that.

Well you might leave it at that but my question of whether these teams and coaches you are referencing are in the top 50 is valid because while you say "top 50 isn't a lofty goal for NCAA", I looked up the roster of the team at 50 and it's Lindenwood, and still D2 at present , and every single gymnast on their team was a level 10, as were the teams above them at 49, 48 etc....I looked them all up...they may not have competed in college once they got there, but they all had at least a year or two or more at level 10 before being on teams you think no one aspires to.....and if kids with at least a a few years at level 10 aren't making lineups in the 48-50 ranking range, I highly doubt teams in the top 20 are putting level 9s on the competition floor....I think the other posters and myself are giving the OP a more realistic view of what she is likely to encounter with college coaches going forward. And if you are a club coach, you definitely are not getting the same story that a recruit and her family gets....