Anon NGA vs Xcel

[Anonymous Post]

What is the difference between nga and xcel? I'm looking for a gym that offers xcel and came across one that offers NGA. Thanks!

 

[Anonymous Post]

NGA is very similar to Xcel. My understanding is that NGA is intended for college track gymnasts, but at this point in time, there are low numbers of upper optional NGA gymnasts. I think some gyms are testing the waters by having their optional gymnasts compete both NGA and USAG. To further complicate things, NGA also has an Xcel track. I think it is too early to tell if NGA can produce college gymnasts.

My kids spent a year on NGA. The scoring was much higher. There are less deductions from what I understand. There is no reciprocity between NGA and USAG, so both girls repeated their levels after switching to a closer gym that competes USAG.

I think it depends on your goal. If you are looking to have fun, I think either Xcel or NGA are great choices.

 

[Anonymous Post]

Not to further confuse things as I am by no means an expert, but our girls compete Xcel in both NGA and USAG meets. For the most part they are the same but the vault requirements for NGA are different, so my daughter does a different vault at the NGA meets that she does at the USAG meets. I haven't noticed any major difference in scoring.

 

[Anonymous Post]

Not to further confuse things as I am by no means an expert, but our girls compete Xcel in both NGA and USAG meets. For the most part they are the same but the vault requirements for NGA are different, so my daughter does a different vault at the NGA meets that she does at the USAG meets. I haven't noticed any major difference in scoring.

Oh geez. I don't know if it is confusion about how to score NGA since it is a relatively new program, but I have seen level 7 and level 8 bar routines posted by NGA on their social media that are scoring 9.8-9.9, and there is absolutely no way these routines would get those scores in USAG. Someone else familiar with NGA in another thread said that the cast handstand requirements are different in NGA. I am not sure if this is across the board though for NGA versus USAG.

 

[Anonymous Post]

My kids spent a year on NGA. The scoring was much higher. There are less deductions from what I understand.

That's my experience as well. My daughter went from a 9.75 NGA superstar to a 8.5 USAG competitor, despite her gymnastics ability increasing exponentially between the seasons. A score of 6 in NGA, from what I saw, is totally unheard up. In USAG you can do a relatively decent job and still end up with a 6. It's a totally different standard.

 

[Anonymous Post]

That's my experience as well. My daughter went from a 9.75 NGA superstar to a 8.5 USAG competitor, despite her gymnastics ability increasing exponentially between the seasons. A score of 6 in NGA, from what I saw, is totally unheard up. In USAG you can do a relatively decent job and still end up with a 6. It's a totally different standard.

Yes, we just wrapped up usag regionals. My daughter repeated 8 on usag this season for a variety of reasons after being a prize winning NGA level 8. We could have scored her out of usag and tried for 9, but we all decided getting more meet experience, upgrading, and doing some clean up would be better for this year. I don’t think her NGA floor routine last year on 8 would have been up to level for usag. I totally understand that there are so many problems with usag, but there is way too much tied up in usag. It’s not going anywhere. I just don’t think NGA is a viable alternative yet for the more serious gymnasts. That being said, the original question was NGA versus xcel. They are similar enough where I would probably just pick the gym you like better.