Prep Opt & Elite Track?

[ZZMom]

Hi All,

The whole prep opt program is new since my older daughter retired from gymnastics so I know I'm out of the loop.

Could someone please explain the prep opt program and how it might fit in to a gym's elite track program? I talked to a gym today that is heavily into TOPs training and that has it's main competition focus in the prep opt program. The coach I talked to explained that they do have a level 4 team (nothing usag above level 4) but that it is their more recreational team. The prep opt team is the more serious side of the gym.

This was a bit at odds with what I have read elsewhere, so .... I'm confused.

I'm sure I'm just stuck in the past

Thanks for your help.

ZZMom

 

[bogwoppit]

Perhaps they use it to get their gymnasts to L7 USAG, as in no compulsories at all??? I understand that this is possible. Hopefullysome coaches from the USA will chime in how this can work.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

no correlation at all. prep op to the elite track is like skateboarding to ice hockey.

 

[LizzieLac]

In my state, PO is a less intense competitive program than JO, so I am not sure how PO can help develop elite gymnasts. Maybe as Bog said they use it to score out of a level. But again from what I have seen in my state the PO girls don't have elite aspirations - many of them do gym in addition to some other activity so gym is not their sole focus.

 

[bookworm]

I would say that the two are mutually exclusive...

 

[ZZMom]

Thanks All,

That's what I thought. It doesn't make sense since the gym had five national tops testing qualifiers this summer and view themselves as being very serious. No idea what their thought process is.

Thanks for your help.

Best Wishes,

ZZMom

 

[MaryA]

Our gym (a Y, so mainly a rec program) goes up through level 5. Then it does prep-op until the girls are ready to compete at level 7. But even so, the girls have to have a move-up score in level 5 and level 6 before they can compete level 7, and none of these girls are destined to be elite, at least not if they stay at the Y. So just doing prep op up till they're ready for USAG optionals is not an option, at least not without having those two move-up scores.

 

[Tuduri]

Prep Op and Elite

Our club, West Valley Gymnastics, formed a Prep Op team a couple of years ago. It requires fewer hours than the JO team. It is primarily 6,7 and maybe 8 in competition level. It's perfect for girls who don't want to do 20 plus hours in the gym but want to continue gymnastics. It definitely is not an Elite Track. But these girls love gymnastics and this is a great way for them to remain in the sport. From the business side of it, PO makes gymnastics more available to a larger pool of athletes that might not otherwise participate. It makes it more accessible to the public. It involves a smaller commitment in hours and money. Our PO team has 12 or more girls. It has several girls from the JO team that might have quit altogether if not for the PO alternative. Some of the girls are quite impressive. They all obviously love the sport. It's great we still have them.

Julio Garcia,
Jamy's dad

 

[Tams Mom]

Our Gym does not do compulsory 4,5 or 6, they do Prep Op and score the girls out of the compulsories. The coaches like it better, and the girls do to, they love having their own floor routines, for some of the lower levels the coach uses the same music, but as they get up in the levels they get their own. The girls do not practice less, I even think they practice a little more than they would if they had of been a level 5 or 6. For the girls that are not on the track to go to optionals and want less practice time in the gym they use the AAU levels.