For Parents Level 9/level10

[Gaby]

Does anyone here on level9/10 did or plan to have a post graduation year for dd, so they can have one more year to get more mature and leveled up to be on college team?

 

[rlm's mom]

We didn’t but two of DD’s teammates did this past year and they were really happy they did. Not sure what they did academically though.

 

[LPmom]

I can think of two who I don’t know personally who took a year off- one in the hopes of finding a spot on a roster and one who had made a switch to diving senior year and was working in her dive list for recruiting. They were both caught up in the Covid year roster crunch and had injuries that held them back a bit. The one who stayed in gymnastics went to a college with a club team. I don’t know if the diver ended up on a roster, but if not, it was by choice because she had a chance of at least a walk-on spot.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I don't know as far as College goes, as we don't have the same sort of set up in Australia. But a lot of kids take a gap year after High School and it can be very beneficial to their future studies. They approach their next level of education, with that bit more maturity and life experience.

 

[gym_dad32608]

I have never heard of that before. I wouldn't doubt its viability as a potential path, but I am sure it is a rare exception that it is successful. I would do more research first from credible sources (not a message board) like NCAA eligibility and some colleges that your child might be interested in. Then honestly discuss with your child and coach about it.

My opinion, solely based on my viewpoint, is that something like that really only works under extenuating circumstances. Either on your end or the colleges. On your end, something like COVID or personal tragedy causes you to delay a year. On the college's end, something with a sudden loss of an expected recruit that an unexpected slot comes open. As someone who is in a gym with several actively recruited gymnasts, I would tell you that colleges are going to actively express their interest in a potential recruit well before senior year. And they will be directly communicating with athletes at the start of junior year. So unless conversations with specific colleges have led to talk about "deferring" it doesn't make sense. If you're entering your senior year and you haven't had any communication with colleges, then you are operating under a very very slim chance that the extra year will yield such amazing results that a college will suddenly notice.

If you think your child needs an extra year before college for maturity or personal issues, then that's a different story. I would actively change her graduation date so colleges know when she is available. Ultimately, I think this is something that would require a lot of proactive and targeted communication with identified programs.

 

[NutterButter]

You will need to make sure your gym is onboard with the plan. Many gyms are 17 and under and while they allow graduating seniors to finish out their year, they will not allow them to keep training and competing after graduation.

 

[gymgal]

You will need to make sure your gym is onboard with the plan. Many gyms are 17 and under and while they allow graduating seniors to finish out their year, they will not allow them to keep training and competing after graduation.

I haven't found this at all. A lot of college gymnasts go back to their club gyms in the summer without a problem.

 

[NutterButter]

I haven't found this at all. A lot of college gymnasts go back to their club gyms in the summer without a problem.

Totally! I'm not talking about that. OP wants to basically defer her DDs college start date by a year. Many gyms in my area would not allow this.

 

[gymgal]

Generally, I agree with gymdad's position. Most college coaches will already have their list of who they want. Some of the lower ranked D1s and certainly the D3 will be open to new potential recruits in senior year (or the year before college freshman year) but they will still have their "favorites" list from when those recruits were soph/jrs . Unless your daughter show outstanding improvement across the board or has a stellar event that the team needs, it will still be difficult to get noticed. Especially if she is still L9 or a a first year L10, as you note.

 

[gymgal]

Totally! I'm not talking about that. OP wants to basically defer her DDs college start date by a year. Many gyms in my area would not allow this.

but there's not much difference in having a person stay on an extra year vs coming back to train. It's one person. I am willing to bet most gyms would allow this if the gymnast is well established. Now, in this situation, where they are looking to change gyms, that you be more problematic as they are not an established family

 

[NutterButter]

but there's not much difference in having a person stay on an extra year vs coming back to train. It's one person. I am willing to bet most gyms would allow this if the gymnast is well established. Now, in this situation, where they are looking to change gyms, that you be more problematic as they are not an established family

I hear you and you would *think* it would be that way. Many gyms in my area draw a hard line with this.

 

[txgymfan]

I’m wondering if the athletes would lose year of eligibility. I thought that 4 years of eligibility for scholarships starts immediately after graduation. Potential olympic guymasts had a problem with this unless they were clearly established on the international level and could get an exception their NCAA clock started right away.

 

[cmg]

So, my daughter is essentially taking a gap year to hopefully walk on D3 or lower D1. She had a serious injury and covid didn't help. She applied to all her schools her senior year got in and then informed them that she was taking a gap year. Because she did not commit to any particular school she has to reapply. She also was awarded some $ for academics (i.e., offered in state tuition when we are out of state, or just a fixed amount). In order to keep the academic $ she had to remain a freshman, i.e., not take any classes at a local college during her gap year. Her original plan was to take a couple of classes at our local University, but we researched and found out about her having to stay a true "freshman". She has to reapply to any school she wants to consider. In terms of NCAA eligibility an athlete has 5 years to compete 4 years starting after they graduate high school. So, if she does get lucky and is able to walk on somewhere, she will only have 4 more years of eligibility. If she were to get on a team and get injured and miss a year, she would not be able to "red shirt" because she is essentially doing that now. The good thing about this gap year is she has figured out what major she wants to get into which was different than what she originally applied and has a part time job in that field. For me the gap year has been invaluable despite disappointing progress with her injury. I am still hopeful but her chances of college gymnastics at this point is very small. But hey she is very determined, and you never know.

 

[gymjunkie]

Check NCAA eligibility rules. The clock starts ticking 9th grade, but Covid has caused them to change a few rules (probably not that one though).

 

[gym_dad32608]

So, my daughter is essentially taking a gap year to hopefully walk on D3 or lower D1. She had a serious injury and covid didn't help. She applied to all her schools her senior year got in and then informed them that she was taking a gap year. Because she did not commit to any particular school she has to reapply. She also was awarded some $ for academics (i.e., offered in state tuition when we are out of state, or just a fixed amount). In order to keep the academic $ she had to remain a freshman, i.e., not take any classes at a local college during her gap year. Her original plan was to take a couple of classes at our local University, but we researched and found out about her having to stay a true "freshman". She has to reapply to any school she wants to consider. In terms of NCAA eligibility an athlete has 5 years to compete 4 years starting after they graduate high school. So, if she does get lucky and is able to walk on somewhere, she will only have 4 more years of eligibility. If she were to get on a team and get injured and miss a year, she would not be able to "red shirt" because she is essentially doing that now. The good thing about this gap year is she has figured out what major she wants to get into which was different than what she originally applied and has a part time job in that field. For me the gap year has been invaluable despite disappointing progress with her injury. I am still hopeful but her chances of college gymnastics at this point is very small. But hey she is very determined, and you never know.

Just to correct you, the eligibility clock does not start till you enroll as a freshman in college, NOT when you graduate high school so she would have a redshirt year available if it came to it.

 

[cmg]

Just to correct you, the eligibility clock does not start till you enroll as a freshman in college, NOT when you graduate high school so she would have a redshirt year available if it came to it.

Well that would be awesome, but that was not what I was told. Hopefully we will find out. Thanks for your comments. I think it is confusing, the NCAA language is a little obtuse if you ask me.

 

[gymgal]

I just did a quick google search and everything is saying it begins when you attend your first college class. So taking a couple of classes at another college would start the clock but as long as she doesn't take any classes, she will be eligible for 4 seasons in 5 years

 

[gym_dad32608]

Well that would be awesome, but that was not what I was told. Hopefully we will find out. Thanks for your comments. I think it is confusing, the NCAA language is a little obtuse if you ask me.

Here is the link from the NCAA transfer portal that outlines the eligibility timelines. NCAA Transfer

Division I five-year clock: If you play at a Division I school, you have five-calendar years in which to play four seasons of competition. Your five-year clock starts when you enroll as a full-time student at any college.

 

[Mish]

It says a being a full time student "starts the clock", so taking a few classes may be ok.

 

[cmg]

It says a being a full time student "starts the clock", so taking a few classes may be ok.

I think in terms of NCAA a few classes would be ok, our issue is that the academic $ my daughter was awarded was based on her being a freshman. I think they have more $ to give out for freshman than what admissions considers transfer students. So, if she wanted to be eligible for the academic $ she was given, she needed to not take any classes.