Women Different Question About Excel

[pink16]

Hello all!

I'm new posting but I've been lurking awhile. So far the info has been really great but I'm still confused about something our gym is doing. DD10 is in her second full year as a competitive gymnast and is a level 4 (was an old 4 last year) she has been pretty successful so far this year and last with some AA and event wins. Anyway we have already been informed that she will be moving to "optionals" next year but here's where I am lost. The girls that moved from old 5 last year to optionals are competing in Excel Platinum this year. From what I understand from here all forms of Excel are less competitive? I have no business questioning the coach and her motives but so I really just want to truly understand what this is about without questioning her in a way that is uncomfortable.

It is my understanding that in the old system the girls at our gym would move from 5 to prep-op (is this the same as Excel?) then skip 6 and move into 7. Does it make sense then it would follow the same path into Excel and skip 5 and move into 6 the following year?

Thanks for any info!



I

 

[htimcj]

Pre-op and Excel are now the same things so your gym is continuing to do what it has in the past.

 

[raenndrops]

Yes, they are probably doing what they have done in the past. Excel/ Xcel/ Prep-Opt is all the same thing.
However, your daughter would still have to score out of L5 in one meet before moving on to either L6 Optionals or L7 Optionals. Another possibility is they will have her score out of L5 and compete L6 instead of Xcel. The whole point of USAG adding L6 was SUPPOSED to be to give girls another, easier level of Optionals - if needed, without having the JO/Xcel crossover.
Also, in a lot of areas, Xcel is VERY competitive... especially in those areas where they use it as a transition to JO Optionals. It was ORIGINALLY intended to be less intense (less practice time, able to compete Optional routines with lesser skills, etc), but there are a lot of teams that have their Xcels practice alongside their JO Optionals.

 

[pink16]

Thanks everyone for the replies! This makes things clearer for me. As far as the Excel girls training with the optionals, they are it! That and our high school team. We are a fairly rural area. I expect the current group to become true optionals next year and my DD and some of her group to move to Excel. Thanks also for the reminder about scoring out, as those current Excel girls did that and I forgot about that.

Are there any cons to this path?

 

[raenndrops]

Thanks everyone for the replies! This makes things clearer for me. As far as the Excel girls training with the optionals, they are it! That and our high school team. We are a fairly rural area. I expect the current group to become true optionals next year and my DD and some of her group to move to Excel. Thanks also for the reminder about scoring out, as those current Excel girls did that and I forgot about that.

Are there any cons to this path?

There are no cons to this path that I know of. As long as the gym takes Excel seriously (like yours seems to do)... is gives them an introduction to Optionals, with a little less stringent requirements, while allowing them to upgrade their routines over the course of the season as they get skills competition ready... AND, since it is OPTIONAL, the judge won't know if little Suzie's arms were supposed to be in forward middle when she had them in crown during the routine (Compulsories are very nit-picky about where everything is supposed to be). My OG has competed her floor routine in 5 meets so far this season... she has had 3 different starting choreographies... 2 different second tumbling passes... 3 different dance sequences... 2 different first tumbling passes... and 3 different endings. I don't think she has COMPETED it exactly the same way (same everything, even if quality was different) twice.