Women Big Jump

[Gymnastics15]

Xcel Platinum to USAG Level 8. Is it possible to make a jump this big, for my daughter who takes a while to get skills?

 

[Carly]

It is possible to make this jump because girls doing platinum could be doing L7 skills. How big of a jump it is for your gymnast to L8 really depends on the skills that she is currently doing. It can also depend on the number of hours she does a week. The gym could increase her hours significantly over the summer.

 

[BusyMomof2]

At both gyms we've been at, Platinums go to level 6, level 7 or Diamond depending on their skills and how many years they've been at Platinum. We are also in a region where xcel is commonly used in place of compulsory. I think Platinum to 8 is a pretty big jump but as the above poster said, could be possible. Why the jump though?

 

[NutterButter]

It really depends on her current skills and how far along she is in uptraining skills that are in L8 and also finding a willing gym that will not only allow the crossover but also allowing an athlete to do something that may be out of their norm (for example scoring out of L7).

 

[Gymnastics15]

It is possible to make this jump because girls doing platinum could be doing L7 skills. How big of a jump it is for your gymnast to L8 really depends on the skills that she is currently doing. It can also depend on the number of hours she does a week. The gym could increase her hours significantly over the summer.

She is training 14hours a week, but she trains every day at home when she is not at the gym. Her skills she is competing is listed below:

Vault: Front Hand spring Vault
Bars: Kip cast free hip circle kip cast on tap fly away
Beam: full turn straight jump split jump cartwheel handstand front tuck dismount
Floor: round off tuck front pike leap wolf jump

 

[Carly]

She is training 14hours a week, but she trains every day at home when she is not at the gym. Her skills she is competing is listed below:

Vault: Front Hand spring Vault
Bars: Kip cast free hip circle kip cast on tap fly away
Beam: full turn straight jump split jump cartwheel handstand front tuck dismount
Floor: round off tuck front pike leap wolf jump

Those skills seem more like L5/L6 so it does seem like a big jump to go to L8 next season. It doesn't seem like she has L7 skills yet. I don't know if anyone can really say if it's possible since they all progress at their own pace. I'm just saying based on your list of skills that she is competing now, it seems unlikely that she would have 10.0 start values on all events and be competitive doing 8 next season.

 

[raenndrops]

She is training 14hours a week, but she trains every day at home when she is not at the gym. Her skills she is competing is listed below:

Vault: Front Hand spring Vault
Bars: Kip cast free hip circle kip cast on tap fly away
Beam: full turn straight jump split jump cartwheel handstand front tuck dismount
Floor: round off tuck front pike leap wolf jump

Sounds like she is basically competing Level 6 skills.
Level 8 requires 4 B skills for each event, but Up to Level Deductions kick in at Level 8.
The question is ... does she want to compete Level 8, or does she want to COMPETE at Level 8?

 

[Gymnastics15]

Sounds like she is basically competing Level 6 skills.
Level 8 requires 4 B skills for each event, but Up to Level Deductions kick in at Level 8.
The question is ... does she want to compete Level 8, or does she want to COMPETE at Level 8?

What's the difference?, I'm sorry if this sounds dumb.

 

[Coach Kate]

What's the difference?, I'm sorry if this sounds dumb.

The difference is being there doing the absolute bare minimum to hang in there and being competitive - scoring well, winning medals,.etc.

 

[Gymgirl84]

I think the question is why is she thinking about making that jump? Is something the gym has suggested because is easier on organization/training groups...
If not, I think maybe having one more year either at platinum/diamond or at level 7 would be better.

 

[raenndrops]

What's the difference?, I'm sorry if this sounds dumb.

Does she want to compete Level 8 - Does she want to be able to say she is a Level 8, but not have 10.0 SV on the events ... and on top of the lower SV, have 0.45 in Up To Level deductions on Beam, 0.20 in Up To Level deductions on Floor, 0.1 in Up To Level deductions on Bars, and a Vault out of 9.0.
Does she want to COMPETE at Level 8 - Does she want to be competitive at Level 8.
10.0 SV on most, if not all, events.
On vault, unless her handspring is flawless, she will need to be twisting or flipping to be competitive.
Minimize UTL deductions - Beam: 4 acro skills with at least 2 being "B" flight skills, 3 dance skills with at least 2 being "B" skills, and either directly connecting one of her "B" acro skills to an "A" dismount to a "B" dismount.
Floor: Minimum of 3 "B" saltos and a direct connection of 2 Saltos in one pass, a minimum of 2 "B"and 1 "A" dance skills, and the last salto (either isolated or in a connection) in the routine being a "B."
Bars: Minimum of a "B" dismount or an "A" dismount directly connected to a "B" skill.

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I have seen a multi-year Platinum go to Level 8 for her Senior year. She didn't have a good year. Her best AA was 32.250 ... at her home meet, and was next to last in the All Around.
At the biggest meet she went to, she scored 26.625. Her highest score was vault (7.500, last place). Her lowest score was bars (5.350, last place).
Her AA scores ranged from the 26.625 to the 32.250.
In 8 meets, she broke 30.0 twice. She had 2 scores in the 28s and 3 scores in the 29s.
This was her wanting to compete as a Level 8.
I also know of a girl who made the jump from Platinum to Level 8, and her lowest AA score at Level 8 was over 34.0. She was wanting to COMPETE as a Level 8.

 

[GymDadWA]

She is training 14hours a week, but she trains every day at home when she is not at the gym. Her skills she is competing is listed below:

Vault: Front Hand spring Vault
Bars: Kip cast free hip circle kip cast on tap fly away
Beam: full turn straight jump split jump cartwheel handstand front tuck dismount
Floor: round off tuck front pike leap wolf jump

Looks like each event she is substantially below the skill requirement for 8. It is kind of one thing if 3/4 events are close and the remaining event she does what she can, but she's not making requirements on any event.

But like others have asked why does she want to make this jump or is it being forced like they are stopping the excel program or something?

 

[NYGymfamily]

Based on the skills she is competing... It doesn't seem realistic. She would be a Level 6 if she went to the DP program. Is this something she wants to try and do? If so, talk to her coaches. They know her gymnastics better than any of us do. They will be able to tell her if they think she has a shot. It's not impossible, but it would be a lot of hard work over the summer.

 

[Mthegymqueen]

Vault: Front Hand spring Vault
Bars: Kip cast free hip circle kip cast on tap fly away
Beam: full turn straight jump split jump cartwheel handstand front tuck dismount
Floor: round off tuck front pike leap wolf jump

I will say, I am an xcel platinum this year (we have pretty such the same routines on all events), and I also competed High school (level 8 with level 9 bonus in my state), and I scored 1 26, 2 27s, and 1 29. So if your daughters does care lower scores, then I would suggest either moving to level 6, 7, or diamond, or possible repeating another year of platinum.

 

[NutterButter]

First step should be for your DD to talk to her coaches about her goals and hopefully they will work with her on a plan to get her there. It will be difficult for her to find a gym that will put her into a L8 training group right now with her current skill set but that doesn’t mean she can’t work towards L8 and get there in a couple of years.

 

[Gymnastics15]

Well my daughter is hoping she could go to level 8 to be on a more serious team, and to learn advanced skills. She likes her gym, but the girls are just not serious at all.

 

[BusyMomof2]

Well my daughter is hoping she could go to level 8 to be on a more serious team, and to learn advanced skills. She likes her gym, but the girls are just not serious at all.

I understand this but even more reason why making a jump she isn't ready for might be really defeating. As others have said - she'd be fine in level 6. Level 7 will require some big skills and connections she doesn't have quite yet. Moving to a more serious gym will also likely mean stricter rules on what skills are needed for each level. If you think she can pick up a handstand element and giants on bars plus a connection on beam, I would suggest level 7 at the more serious gym. Good luck to you both!

 

[Gymnastics15]

I understand this but even more reason why making a jump she isn't ready for might be really defeating. As others have said - she'd be fine in level 6. Level 7 will require some big skills and connections she doesn't have quite yet. Moving to a more serious gym will also likely mean stricter rules on what skills are needed for each level. If you think she can pick up a handstand element and giants on bars plus a connection on beam, I would suggest level 7 at the more serious gym. Good luck to you both!

She is 14, and most girls in level 6 range from 10-12 around here

 

[BusyMomof2]

She is 14, and most girls in level 6 range from 10-12 around here

I also understand that but coaches won't look at that as a reason to put her in a level she is not ready for.

If it were my kid, I would see if the more serious gym is open to working with her to get her where she wants to be - maybe private lessons over the summer in addition to the regular schedule? I think level 8 seems unlikely based on what you've said about her current skills and learning style but with a new coach, more focused training...who knows. Maybe she'll take off! I personally like to manage my daughter's expectations so if it were me, I'd be encouraging level 7.

 

[NutterButter]

Well my daughter is hoping she could go to level 8 to be on a more serious team, and to learn advanced skills. She likes her gym, but the girls are just not serious at all.

Then you need to find a gym that will allow her to move to DP. Does her gym allow kids to switch from Xcel to DP? If not, you will need to find another gym that will allow her to start in DP but she will need to start at a level that is appropriate or her current skill set and work her way up. Your DD saying she wants L8, without her having any of the L8 skills needs to be tempered with reality. She will need to put in the work like all other L8s have done and work her way up.

It’s entirely doable given a willing athlete and a willing gym but she can’t just say she wants to be L8 and then join a L8 team. If her current gym can’t offer a pathway to DP, find a gym that can offer her this.