What does TOPS look like at your gym?

[mariposa]

Just wondering what TOPS training looks like at your gym (if they have it). Here are my questions:

1. How many hours a week are dedicated to TOPS training?

2. Is there a dedicated day that TOPS training takes place?

3. Do you have girls regularly make it to National Testing or make a team (Diamond/Gold, etc)??

4. Are the girls involved in the TOPS program from the regular team, a special fast tracked team or both?

5. Do all girls that train TOPS go to testing or only those that have chance at making cutoffs for a team and/or national testing?

6. Is TOPS open to all who wish to try or only those selected by coaches?

7. If you have a gymnast that trains for TOPS, what level are they and how many hours a week do they train?

Thanks! Have seen so many different ways that gyms do and/or use TOPS, thought it would be nice to see it all in one thread.

 

[gymnastralo]

The girls that do tops at our gym come in for morning practices before school. So they are at the gym around 6 or 6:30am.
Then they train every day 4 hrs each time even if they are only a level 5 or 6 they will train more hours bec. of the tops.

 

[UnoMas]

1. How many hours a week are dedicated to TOPS training? depends on child's age

2. Is there a dedicated day that TOPS training takes place? yes. every day!

3. Do you have girls regularly make it to National Testing or make a team (Diamond/Gold, etc)?? in the past had girls make team, this past year has 2 make it to nationals

4. Are the girls involved in the TOPS program from the regular team, a special fast tracked team or both? special fast track

5. Do all girls that train TOPS go to testing or only those that have chance at making cutoffs for a team and/or national testing? don't know

6. Is TOPS open to all who wish to try or only those selected by coaches? those selected by coaches

7. If you have a gymnast that trains for TOPS, what level are they and how many hours a week do they train? my younger DD is training 6 hrs/week now and training level 2 (she is 5 y.o.). She will increase her hours when she turns 6 years old.

TOPS...ahhh...my not-so-favorite subject! Our gym has 9 girls right now training TOPS out of 60 plus girls on the team. Some of our best-performing gymnasts are in TOPS, but some are not. My older DD is not in TOPS and she is a great gymnast. We laugh and say that TOPS girls are picked based on the way the wind is blowing that day...

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

Tops at our gym is (as I have recently found here) a joke -

We only train 5.5 hours per week (2- 2hr practices and 1- 1.5hr practice) this is the only workouts the girls get as they are not allowed to be in leveled or team classes when part of the tops program - we do attend supplemental privates to work on skills on some Saturdays.

The program was just implemented at our gym in Aug '08 and my dd was the only one old enough to attend testing in '09 - but was not allowed to attend because her coach didn't feel she had the necessary skill levels.

The way tops was explained to us when we were recruited in 8/08 was that it was a fastrack program that would enable the girls to bypass JO competition and go straight to national levels (who knows if that is actually the case).

This year we actually have 4 out of 9 girls old enough to test but it's becoming doubtful if we will be able to attend because the coach is requiring that the girls have every skill to perfection before she will let them attend.

At our gym, tops is an invitation-only class.

My dd is a level 4, training for her 5 skills.

I hope your program is more "together" than ours & good luck to your kiddo!!

- Liz

 

[gracefulone]

This could be interesting-great questions!

 

[starmaker]

Our gym is a big believer in the TOPS program. Our Tops coach is the state manager and we have regular visits from the Tops National Advisor, Gary Warren. Our gym owner believes that TOPS not only helps make you a better gymnast but lessen the risk for injury etc.

She strongly encourages ALL team members of every level to attend saturday morning TOPS class. She keeps the cost very low to make it affordable to all. I believe $70 for 10 weeks.

There is also a "testing team" that meets twice a week for an hour in half each day. And they are hand picked invitation only. These are the only girls testing in the summer. They are also fast tracked. It is mandatory for them to attend the saturday TOPS class as well but are grouped seperately (only because most have all the skills). Right now we have 9 girls on testing team. 2 are level 3's soon to be level 4's but most are level 4's (new level 5's) and one level 5 (new level 6). Olivia is part of the testing team and loves it!! She tested last year as a 6 year old. Her results were never submitted. It was just for fun, experience, exposure etc. It was a very positive, motivating experience for her and she can't wait to do it again this summer. She has very real goals of making diamond level team. She walks around telling people she is training for the national team. lol! I am not sure how much of that she truely understands but she knows it's a big deal. And she loves big deals!! lol!

 

[gymkat]

My gym stopped testing TOPS several years ago, but this is what we did:

1. How many hours a week are dedicated to TOPS training?
We did not have TOPS-specific practices. Most of our TOPS kids practiced 12-16 hours/week, but they did not work on skills or conditioning specifically for TOPS until maybe 6 weeks before the test. Of course, the whole team did quite a few of the conditioning tests for "normal" conditioning.

2. Is there a dedicated day that TOPS training takes place?
N/A

3. Do you have girls regularly make it to National Testing or make a team (Diamond/Gold, etc)??
The only gymnasts who tested or trained TOPS at all were the ones who had the ability to make at least Gold/national testing.

4. Are the girls involved in the TOPS program from the regular team, a special fast tracked team or both?
Regular team. Of course, they were also fast tracked.

5. Do all girls that train TOPS go to testing or only those that have chance at making cutoffs for a team and/or national testing?
The only girls who trained TOPS (well, if you can call what my gym did "training for TOPS") were the ones who could make the cutoffs, so all of them tested.

6. Is TOPS open to all who wish to try or only those selected by coaches?
Only to those selected by coaches. We only had one or two test per year.

7. If you have a gymnast that trains for TOPS, what level are they and how many hours a week do they train?
The last TOPS gymnast we had only did TOPS when she was 7 and 8... she tested as a 7-year-old the season before L6, and as an 8-year-old the season before L8.

 

[thnkGd4kds]

Good idea. Are you surprised that I'm responding?

1. How many hours a week are dedicated to TOPS training?
While TOPs-type conditioning is part of all training, the specific TOPs training is one night a week for 2 hours.

2. Is there a dedicated day that TOPS training takes place?
Yes.

3. Do you have girls regularly make it to National Testing or make a team (Diamond/Gold, etc)??
"Regularly?" Not really, but, this year, we had a Diamond 8 yo and 3 girls made it to B camp (one of which, as you know, was my dd). I think we had a few Golds, too. Last year, one girl made it to B camp; I don't know about Golds. I also don't know much about before then except that we do have one girl who is a teenager now who was a Diamond 8 yo and an A team member for the rest of the years.

4. Are the girls involved in the TOPS program from the regular team, a special fast tracked team or both?
They're from a "special team." And, only part of this team is invited to participate TOPs, based on level of gymnastics and age. They don't test 7 yos and under, so they're not in the program. In fact, I think they're just starting to test 8 yos, and that may not be a regular practice. This was our dd's first year testing, and she is 9.

5. Do all girls that train TOPS go to testing or only those that have chance at making cutoffs for a team and/or national testing?
Not all girls are asked to test.

6. Is TOPS open to all who wish to try or only those selected by coaches?
Only those selected by coaches.

7. If you have a gymnast that trains for TOPS, what level are they and how many hours a week do they train?
My dd, who is a 9 yo level 7, trains about 20 hours a week, including the special TOPs night.

 

[MdGymMom01]

Our gym doesn't do TOPS and I am not sure how many gyms in Md do them actually. For a very small gym, our gym does have quite a few high level gymnasts. I found this data off of the USA Gymnastics website:

National TOP Athlete of the Year

2007 - Samantha Peszek
2006 - Natasha Kelley
2005 - Alicia Sacramone
2004 - Courtney Kupets
2003 - Carly Patterson and Chellsie Memmel
2002 - Courtney Kupets
2001 - Ashley Miles and Katie Heenan
2000 - Tasha Schwikert
1999 - Morgan White

I think it is awesome that Alicia Sacramone is the 2005 TOPS Athlete of the Year and she didn't even start gymnastics until she was 8 years old! Pretty amazing. But looking at the list you will recognize some names, but some of the best gymnasts in the nation aren't listed: Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson and Bridget Sloan to name a few.

Personally, I think the TOPS is a bit over-rated. I think it can lead to over-competitiveness and overuse injuries and burnout. JMHO!​

 

[cathiann]

1. How many hours a week are dedicated to TOPS training? I don't know--they don't have a formal TOPs class anymore--used to be 2 hrs a week (Beth did it back then)

2. Is there a dedicated day that TOPS training takes place? Not anymore--

3. Do you have girls regularly make it to National Testing or make a team (Diamond/Gold, etc)?? We typically have 1 or 2 girls make it. Two girls made Diamond level this year--too young to make National testing though.

4. Are the girls involved in the TOPS program from the regular team, a special fast tracked team or both? Right now, the only girls doing TOPs are on the fast tracked team--Hopes. Used to be regular team girls did TOPs too

5. Do all girls that train TOPS go to testing or only those that have chance at making cutoffs for a team and/or national testing? Right now I don't know--when they had a class, all girls went for the testing, if they did the TOPs class

6. Is TOPS open to all who wish to try or only those selected by coaches? Selected by coaches

7. If you have a gymnast that trains for TOPS, what level are they and how many hours a week do they train? Beth did TOPs as a level 4 & 5. TOPs was 2 hrs once a week. Team was three different days--level 4 was 2.5 hrs, level 5 was 3 hrs a day

 

[hannahsmom]

Thanks for starting this thread. A couple of other parents and myself have considered asking our gym to do a TOPS program and it's interesting to see what might be involved.

 

[2gymnastmom]

I have been a lurker for a long time - but I am finally coming out to answer this question. I am very fascinated by how different gyms handle/view TOPS. We changed gyms recently so I will answer based on our new gym...

1. How many hours a week are dedicated to TOPS training?
I would say 2 to 4 hours. There are two one hour practices available and two two hour practices. The 2 hour practices are in the morning 6:30 to 8:30. The 1 hour practices are right before regular practice 3:30 to 4:30. Based on school schedules, parents chose what works for them. Right now, my daughter does 1 1 hour practice and 1 2 hour practice - we had to get permission to go to school late on the 2 hour day.

2. Is there a dedicated day that TOPS training takes place?
Yes - there are dedicated TOPS training practices.

3. Do you have girls regularly make it to National Testing or make a team (Diamond/Gold, etc)??
Yes - this year we had 2 Diamond levels, 3 A camp, 2 B camp.

4. Are the girls involved in the TOPS program from the regular team, a special fast tracked team or both?
Most are part of regular team levels and do TOPS in addition.

5. Do all girls that train TOPS go to testing or only those that have chance at making cutoffs for a team and/or national testing?
All girls that train TOPS have the option of testing.

6. Is TOPS open to all who wish to try or only those selected by coaches?
I think it is invitation only - but we transferred from another gym and participated in TOPS there, so my daughter went right into the program.

7. If you have a gymnast that trains for TOPS, what level are they and how many hours a week do they train?
My daughter just turned 9 - she is a level 7. She trains the 3 hours for TOPS and 18 hours for level 7.


As far as my philosophy on TOPS...I don't know that my younger daughter will ever make a TOPS team, but training TOPS has been so good for her. The strength, flexibility, and body control have definitely made her a better gymnast. I don't think you have to train TOPS to gain this - you could do other sorts of conditioning - but this is the only training I know. My older daughter also trained for TOPS (at another gym). She never made the team but I still think it was beneficial for her and she loved doing it.

 

[BarCoach]

I would like to include TOPs training at my gym, once it is open. What exactly, does TOPs training entail? Is there a specific structure that everyone follows? Where can I find out more about it?

2GymnastMom: "The strength, flexibility, and body control have definitely made her a better gymnast."
That sounds awesome! I would love to be able to provide that for my future gymnasts.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Barcoach, Go to the usagymnastics website and you will find information and contacts there. Click on TOPS. That is the best place to start.

 

[mariposa]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. The TOPS program is new to DDs gym and we aren't sure how it is going to play out. For now, my DD is happy training the TOPS skills and even though she might never test, I know it is benefiting her greatly with her strength and confidence, so I am not going to worry about it.