WAG Tops/Hopes

[berrisweetness]

I'm new at this level how do you get started with hopes/tops. Is there a chance of a gymnast being recognized without being in tops or hopes.
How do you deal with a gym when you express interest in those things but they are stuck on competing levels..

 

[Natasha]

I am not sure I understand the question. Do you mean your gym doesn't do TOPs or Hopes and how does the gym get started or how do you get your dd started in the program at your gym? Also not sure what you mean by "stuck on competing levels?" Most gyms that do TOPs also compete levels.

 

[bookworm]

I would think an easier path would be to pick a gym with a TOPs program, if that's your interest. I doubt a gym would start a program just because a parent wanted it... you have to have gymnasts that would want to do it and have the talent.

 

[ayyyrial]

If your gym doesn't have a HOPES/TOPS program it's possible to start one, of course, but that may not be the goal/focus of the program and coaches/management probably don't want to pursue that path. If they HAVE a program and haven't selected a certain child for it, they probably won't respond well to a parent trying to get their child in it. Gyms look for different things in their HOPES/TOPS girls - skill development, strength, flexibility, form, power, body type, age, etc. Also - the national HOPES/TOPS program has age caps at each level, so if your child is over that age cap, she would be ineligible. The program starts at age 7 so some gyms don't consider kids older than that. Different gyms use the program for different reasons. If you're really bent on H/T, I think it would necessitate finding a gym who wants to put her in their H/T program, if possible.

However, a good gym is a valuable thing - one where the gymnasts have fun, stay safe, and progress in their gymnastics. REGARDLESS of what specific programs it has or doesn't have.

In terms of being recognized without H/T programs, I'm not sure what you mean by "recognized". Many gyms with established elite programs don't go through the H/T programs. Many successful Level 10 gymnasts were never in TOPS. Many TOPS gymnasts have careers that are indistinguishable from those who didn't do TOPS. If you mean recognized AT YOUR GYM, then you may be sensing that coaches' attention is directed towards the HOPES/TOPS girls and they don't seem to care too much about the JO program. If this is the case, it may not be a good place for a child who isn't on the H/T track. It depends on the degree to which the child senses that dynamic, and what the child wants to get out of their gymnastics experience.

I've written a lot of hypotheticals. I think details would help us out.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I'm new at this level how do you get started with hopes/tops. Is there a chance of a gymnast being recognized without being in tops or hopes.
How do you deal with a gym when you express interest in those things but they are stuck on competing levels..

What do you mean by recognized? If you mean get them invited to a developmental camp without doing tops or hopes, the answer is yes. All you have to do is send video in of the gymnast doing the elite compulsory routines (or tops testing) and biggest skills on each event. Then they will either invite you or not. I have had kids on my team get invited that way.

 

[GymmieC]

I don't know. I am totally old school when it comes to gymnastics. By that I mean, the hopes/elite gymnast in my time, my oldest's time trained her tail off. She was physically strong, acquired skills quickly, had fast muscle twitch, was ultra focused and determined, and was very disciplined. The gymnast with TOPS/Hopes/Elite potential basically stood out. Coaches came TO the parents to talk about next steps, fast track, etc.
I'm just trying to understand. Are there really a lot of parents Looking for elite training on their own due to their own preconceived notions of their child's talent, or is it more the kid has someone a coach that suggests this is the next step for child? If so then my old school ways are still intact. I hope I haven't confused anyone.
I know of a gym training idk...20-30 girls "elite" with hours of 32+ /week...some kids as young as 8...Again I am seeking to understand. Does a gym like this exist because there just so happens to be a ton of talent in one area, or is it more parents Looking for elite training??
I have seen some gyms incorporate TOPS training in their beginning and end of the day conditioning regime creating overall strong gymnasts. I have seen gyms with Superb TOPS programs who have national A team members but never get invited to developmental camps. I have seen gyms ID a kid from the start, pace her without an overload of hours. The first and the latter are what I see as being more successful. A combination of both. Gyms like WOGA and Texas Dreams don't even do tops or hopes, yet they are Extremely successful with elite. They Never let parents make the call. They approach the parent when they see elite is the next step.
That being said, a TOPS/Hopes/Elite gymnast will simply stand out from all of the rest. Voice your "Child's " desire and let your child do all of the work. Parents are far too involved in gym today.

My DD told me today that I am Insane! "They should make a show like Dance Mom's for you! Crazy School Mom's because you go too crazy about school!" I'm okay with that, but sadly that will never happen. Too many parents are so concerned about sports and not so much with school. I hope I'm wrong...I know on here more of us are concerned equally so about our child's schooling. We have been weathered and see with eyes wide open.

 

[tomtnt]

This is totally going on tangent to the original topic, but you bring up an interesting point. you state that too many parents are so concerned about sports and not so much with school - I find the same degree of helicopter parenting in sports and in school here in the SF Bay Area. Every parents want their kids to attend the best public/private school in hopes of attending Berkeley or Stanford - regardless of whether the child has the ability or desire to succeed in that type of environment.

I don't know. I am totally old school when it comes to gymnastics. By that I mean, the hopes/elite gymnast in my time, my oldest's time trained her tail off. She was physically strong, acquired skills quickly, had fast muscle twitch, was ultra focused and determined, and was very disciplined. The gymnast with TOPS/Hopes/Elite potential basically stood out. Coaches came TO the parents to talk about next steps, fast track, etc.
I'm just trying to understand. Are there really a lot of parents Looking for elite training on their own due to their own preconceived notions of their child's talent, or is it more the kid has someone a coach that suggests this is the next step for child? If so then my old school ways are still intact. I hope I haven't confused anyone.
I know of a gym training idk...20-30 girls "elite" with hours of 32+ /week...some kids as young as 8...Again I am seeking to understand. Does a gym like this exist because there just so happens to be a ton of talent in one area, or is it more parents Looking for elite training??
I have seen some gyms incorporate TOPS training in their beginning and end of the day conditioning regime creating overall strong gymnasts. I have seen gyms with Superb TOPS programs who have national A team members but never get invited to developmental camps. I have seen gyms ID a kid from the start, pace her without an overload of hours. The first and the latter are what I see as being more successful. A combination of both. Gyms like WOGA and Texas Dreams don't even do tops or hopes, yet they are Extremely successful with elite. They Never let parents make the call. They approach the parent when they see elite is the next step.
That being said, a TOPS/Hopes/Elite gymnast will simply stand out from all of the rest. Voice your "Child's " desire and let your child do all of the work. Parents are far too involved in gym today.

My DD told me today that I am Insane! "They should make a show like Dance Mom's for you! Crazy School Mom's because you go too crazy about school!" I'm okay with that, but sadly that will never happen. Too many parents are so concerned about sports and not so much with school. I hope I'm wrong...I know on here more of us are concerned equally so about our child's schooling. We have been weathered and see with eyes wide open.

 

[ayyyrial]

I know of a gym training idk...20-30 girls "elite" with hours of 32+ /week...some kids as young as 8...Again I am seeking to understand. Does a gym like this exist because there just so happens to be a ton of talent in one area, or is it more parents Looking for elite training??

Coaches look for talent, parents who want to go elite look for a gym with a track record, it's a cycle. Hopefully the kids are involved somewhere in there.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

And its revenue driven.

 

[flipnastic]

This is totally going on tangent to the original topic, but you bring up an interesting point. you state that too many parents are so concerned about sports and not so much with school - I find the same degree of helicopter parenting in sports and in school here in the SF Bay Area. Every parents want their kids to attend the best public/private school in hopes of attending Berkeley or Stanford - regardless of whether the child has the ability or desire to succeed in that type of environment.

There is actually a documentary on Netflix about this that was very eye opening for me. It broke my heart to see how stressed these young kids and teenagers were. The amount of studying vs the amount of time they were allowed to just be a kid was so disproportionate! Ugh, I hope I NEVER put even close to that amount of pressure on my children!