WAG 8th grade Verbal recruit

[mpkbt]

University of Utah just committed an eighth grader! She just finished her first level 9 year and did not qualify to easterns.....WHAT THE HECK?

 

[mariposa]

It seems they are verbally committing younger and younger kids. I wonder why NCAA doesn't have rules against that or guidelines. Just crazy.

 

[happychaos]

University of Utah just committed an eighth grader! She just finished her first level 9 year and did not qualify to easterns.....WHAT THE HECK?

That seems off. Do you mind sharing where you heard this? This L9 must be training to go elite.....

 

[exgymnastmomx3]

I saw that news as well, on college gym fans. Ridiculous!!

 

[kandkfunk]

Here's the announcement...

Link Removed

It says she plans to graduate a year early, but that is still so young.

 

[happychaos]

Wow. So I looked at her videos, and I still don't get it. She doesn't seem to have a release on bars, or twist her vault. We have an amazing L9 3 years younger, and several her age that are at least equal in skills. What am I missing?

 

[my4buffaloes]

That is very risky. I find it hard to believe that a school would commit their money to someone not even a level 10 and so young.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

I don't really "get" it either. She is talented... but my daughter has friends who are phenomenal and 8-9 (third graders) competing Level 8 this season. It really makes me sad for the "older girls" who put in their time and may feel like they don't even have a shot at college gymnastics.

 

[cbifoja]

But what are they really committing to her at this point? If she gets hurt, they can be expected to withdraw the offer. Costs them nothing. If she quits, same thing. But if she stays healthy, then they get a gymnast. It doesn't seem like a risk to them.

 

[my4buffaloes]

It is my understanding that one colleges offer the money that it looks very bad to take it away. Heck, she might not ever make it to level 10 - and then what? I seriously doubt Utah has level 9s on their team.

 

[bookworm]

That seems off. Do you mind sharing where you heard this? This L9 must be training to go elite.....

This is her body of work as a 9 last year....EXACTLY 5 MEETS AS A 9:


04-102014 Region 8 Level 9, 10 Regional ChampionshipsSoutheastern Gymnastics Center19Jr 29.100 (11)9.525 (1)8.675 (22)9.150 (15)36.450 (8)
2014-03-212014 North Carolina Level 9, 10 State MeetSoutheastern Gymnastics Center29Jr B9.175 (3T)9.550 (2)9.275 (5T)9.450 (1)37.450 (3T)
2014-03-072014 Charleston CupSoutheastern Gymnastics CenterB029JrA9.400 (2)9.500 (1)9.275 (4)8.625 (10)36.800 (3)
2014-02-26Greensboro Gymnastics InvitationalSoutheastern Gymnastics CenterA-59Division B9.050 (4)9.450 (1)9.100 (3)8.975 (4)36.575 (1)
2014-01-302014 Tiger Paw ClassicSoutheastern Gymnastics Center7-O9Group A9.000 (3)9.400 (2)9.000 (2)9.425 (4)36.825 (2)





So I'm not seeing it either ...one of the sites announcing it said she was "especially strong on beam and bars"....not particularly on beam... and none of her results are even as a Level 10 so it doesn't matter how "strong" she is as a 9...she is at Southeastern and they tend to get their kids committed early but they usually have the results to back it up (a la the Glenn twins to UCLA ) ...this just reinforce the creep factor I've always felt about the Utah coach...

 

[bookworm]

I think the NCAA should stop any "talk" before sophomore year with any athlete or club coach...if they want to visit the school on their own in the 8th or 9 th grade, fine , but don't plan on visiting or talking with the coaching staff or the team...the NCAA coaches say they do it "because everyone else does", so maybe there needs to be a written rule so everyone won't recruit the pre pubertal set...

 

[bookworm]

She's also Mormon, homeschooled and originally from Utah...I can see where SHE would be attracted to Utah but for a school that has basically recruited elites and Olympic hopefuls, I'm not seeing the attraction factor for Utah...

 

[DefiniteMaybe]

A 6th grader at our gym got a letter from a college last year. I think our coaches were kind of like "back off." Lol. I've noticed when college coaches come to watch our practices, they seem interested in our young optionals. I find it kind of intimidating, but I think dd is flattered. So much can happen between 6th or 8th grade and high school graduation, so I really don't get it.

 

[lovemygymnast]

Would she have an older sister that competed for them already? Is that a stupid question? I'm wondering because I know our local college has had several siblings compete for them and maybe that would be a good reason? I don't know but I would think that would be a ton of pressure for an 8th grader.

 

[bookworm]

Would she have an older sister that competed for them already? Is that a stupid question? I'm wondering because I know our local college has had several siblings compete for them and maybe that would be a good reason? I don't know but I would think that would be a ton of pressure for an 8th grader.

She has one older brother ...and no mention of the parents as former gymnasts...

 

[gymgal]

Yes, it is crazy for colleges to recruit so young and that's an important conversation to have but we don't need to do it by bashing another young gymnast on a public forum. This is a talented girl coming from an excellent gym. She just turned 13 and is going into first year L10. That is quite an accomplishment. She has had decent scores throughout her career. Her site says she is working release moves and knowing that gym, she will likely compete it as a 1st year L10. As for missing Easterns, looking at the scores, it appears that she missed out due to a fall on beam. She has the talent and the skills.

This is likely a case where Utah was a dream school for her and when they offered, she took it. Southeastern has A LOT of level 10's. They just won gym of the year (though not sure what that entails). I am sure they have recruiters in their gym a lot. And they have been known to commit their girls early in the past. And if she plans to graduate early, then we are really talking about 9th grader, not an 8th grader. I must say though, with such a late birthday, she would have already been a young college freshman. Now she will be almost 2 years younger than the oldest freshmen.

edit: btw, just checked her site. She committed back in mid July. So gymfans is a little late on the reporting.

 

[gymgal]

I think the NCAA should stop any "talk" before sophomore year with any athlete or club coach...if they want to visit the school on their own in the 8th or 9 th grade, fine , but don't plan on visiting or talking with the coaching staff or the team...the NCAA coaches say they do it "because everyone else does", so maybe there needs to be a written rule so everyone won't recruit the pre pubertal set...

I agree. They could stop this. They are choosing not to, for whatever reason...

 

[bookworm]

Yes, it is crazy for colleges to recruit so young and that's an important conversation to have but we don't need to do it by bashing another young gymnast on a public forum.
.

I don't think anyone was 'bashing' her but just stating facts...usually when they are committed that young they have at least been to JO Nationals and in most cases Classic or VISAs so I think with all the discussion that has gone on about recruiting ,people were saying "what was the deciding factor" for this decision....and looking at it objectively, the answer doesn't scream out at you.

Now if you tell me her coaches or parents are great friends with the coaches and that's how this came about , well, that's something you can't compete with and you stop wondering and you move on....sometimes the intangibles don't declare themselves....and that being said , I still don't think "committing" after 8th grade should be allowed..

 

[bogwoppit]

I saw this a few days ago. She has not even started 8th grade yet, so actually she is a 7th grader and is a year younger than most as a 2001 baby.

It needs to change.