WAG Elite Path or Track????

[Deleted member 18037]

I see this a lot. My kid is not anywhere near Elite.

But I am curious. What does being on an Elite path or Elite track exactly mean?

And where is the line from hoping to be Elite to actually be on track for Elite?

 

[auswi]

In Aussie its clear -because there is a separate pathway for elite track called ILP-so if a gymmy is identified, invited to try out and its a good fit both ways then the gymmy is elite track.

So longer hours &have IDEAL testing.

Interested to hear how this is done in the US.

 

[homer]

Also fairly clear in the Uk. Once identified (at a young age 5-7) they follow a separate pathway. Training longer hours and at a different progression rate than club athletes.

 

[Sari]

Same in Germany. They get identified pretty early on, follow a different compulsory program (AK) than other gymnasts and train (way) more hours.

As far as I know (which isn't a lot, I'm surprisingly more informed on the US system, lol), most of the "elite track" girls train at gymnastics centers, often with an attached school.
They have to compete the compulsory levels at the assigned age (7 to 11) in order to stay on track. AK 7, from what I have observed, is L2/3 routines compared to the American system, AK11 is similar to L8. So there really isn't any room for kids who have stagnated.

 

[ZJsMom]

In the US, it really just depends on the gym. Most gyms have a fast track group and in the ones with elite programs, that's often going to mean that the aim is elite. Most, but not all, gyms with an elite track are going to have those girls competing JO, but will also be using TOPs and Hopes. I think it's generally going to mean more hours, faster progression and more time on conditioning and skills. In some gyms kids are identified really early for this track.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

In the US, it really just depends on the gym. Most gyms have a fast track group and in the ones with elite programs, that's often going to mean that the aim is elite. Most, but not all, gyms with an elite track are going to have those girls competing JO, but will also be using TOPs and Hopes. I think it's generally going to mean more hours, faster progression and more time on conditioning and skills. In some gyms kids are identified really early for this track.

OK so if you are a young gymmie, at what point do you go from tracking Elite, to acutally being Elite.

Is it an age thing, do you have to get to a certain level and then you switch to Elite?

And then if I am understanding this correctly you have a young gymmie and you say she is on an Elite path that doesn't necessarily mean she will eventually be an Elite gymnast, correct?

Just because a kid is doing TOPS, doesn't actually mean they be Elite?

 

[gasrgoose]

It is an overused phrase. Many gyms toss it around as a way to gather more $ from their customers. TOPS is a program designed to identify physically gifted gymnasts. Those who score the highest are invited to the Ranch for one week. From that group a kid COULD be invited to developmental camp, if not they go home and continue to work JO as most do. But TOPS by itself is not the elite path, many think it is the beginning of the olympic dream but it is not. The Elite gymnasts and even all the HOPES qualified gymnasts I know none participated in TOPS.

I would say a kid truly "on an Elite track" is a kid who has been identified with elite potential by a national team staff member or by a coach who regularly visits the ranch. And who's work ethic/commitment, family commitment and coach commitment show a dedication that is beyond all others. A kid truly on the elite path is not concerned with JO scoring or levels, they are singularly focused on improving difficulty with a degree of execution that is exceptional. All the kids going to developmental camp are clearly on the elite path.

When a gym is not connected to the national team staff or the ranch on a regular basis it is easy for a coach to forget/not realize how special these elite gymnasts are and the commitment they make. At a previous gym there was an eastern block coach who coached a gold medalist in the late 80's & 90', so he clearly had seen what was required. He told us and others we are in his elite program and we thought "great, here we go". After we left that gym and joined a gym with a true elite program it became very obvious the other gym does not have it. They are still saying they do and they have talented gymnasts but so far no gymnast at developmental camp and no gymnast even attending elite qualifiers. It's just a truly different world and program.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

It is an overused phrase. Many gyms toss it around as a way to gather more $ from their customers. TOPS is a program designed to identify physically gifted gymnasts. Those who score the highest are invited to the Ranch for one week. From that group a kid COULD be invited to developmental camp, if not they go home and continue to work JO as most do. But TOPS by itself is not the elite path, many think it is the beginning of the olympic dream but it is not. The Elite gymnasts and even all the HOPES qualified gymnasts I know none participated in TOPS.

I would say a kid truly "on an Elite track" is a kid who has been identified with elite potential by a national team staff member or by a coach who regularly visits the ranch.

Thanks for helping clarify. So I am guessing there are many more parents out there thinking and saying their child is on an Elite path then actually are truly on an Elite path?

So when are they officially an Elite gymnast?

 

[Jenny]

If you are being invited to the development camps at the ranch (not the development invitational camps those are different) I would consider you to be on track for elite. I would consider kids doing TOPS and even competing the elite compulsories as training elite. I would not consider all of them as realistically on the path to elite.

They are officially elite when they have gained the pass mark for both compulsory and voluntary routines for their age group. I suppose you could say the HOPES and junior elites are still on the pathway really and the Senior qualified elite are the only true elites.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

If you are being invited to the development camps at the ranch (not the development invitational camps those are different) I would consider you to be on track for elite. I would consider kids doing TOPS and even competing the elite compulsories as training elite. I would not consider all of them as realistically on the path to elite.

See this is how ignorant I am.

There are elite compulsories? These are different then JO compulsories? And yet they still may not end up an Elite Gymnast.

 

[JBS]

An athlete that is tracking towards elite would have coaches that are interested in what the US National Staff says and the athlete would be around Level 8 or above at age 9 with very advanced abilities in training (into loose foam...on trampoline...tumble track...strap bar...etc.)

 

[gasrgoose]

If you are being invited to the development camps at the ranch (not the development invitational camps those are different) I would consider you to be on track for elite. I would consider kids doing TOPS and even competing the elite compulsories as training elite. I would not consider all of them as realistically on the path to elite.

They are officially elite when they have gained the pass mark for both compulsory and voluntary routines for their age group. I suppose you could say the HOPES and junior elites are still on the pathway really and the Senior qualified elite are the only true elites.

I agree with most of this. Though I would like to point out there can be a huge gap between a kid testing TOPS and competing at an elite qualifier. I know kids who made TOPS A camp as level 7's and 3 years later still are trying to successfully compete minimum level 9. I obviously don't consider TOPS gymnasts as training elite but that is just my opinion. I'm not a huge fan of the TOPS testing program. It seems like every gymnast should be training to improve on the TOPS physical abilities tests not matter how high or low their goal.

And by the strictest definition I agree with you that even junior elites could still be considered as "training elite"

 

[ZJsMom]

See this is how ignorant I am.

There are elite compulsories? These are different then JO compulsories? And yet they still may not end up an Elite Gymnast.

If you go to the USAG website, you can find information about compulsories and elite requirements. https://usagym.org/pages/women/pages/overview_elite.html

Basically, a gymnast is an elite when they have achieved a 35 on elite compulsories and the optional qualifying score for Classic. They are then qualified to compete at Classic as an Elite. I would say kids who are on a TOPs team, qualified as Hopes, and/or been invited to developmental camps are on the way to becoming elites.

 

[gymbeam]

Does anyone do TOPS or HOPES that don't want to go Elite?

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Does anyone do TOPS or HOPES that don't want to go Elite?

It seems though that wanting to go Elite and actually having the talent and ability to actually make it to Elite are different.

As well as doing TOPs. I am guessing many more kids do and test TOPs then actually make it to Elite.

 

[JBS]

Most kids that do TOPs never become "Elite".

 

[gymbeam]

Right, but I'm curious if that's the reason they DO do it- hoping to go elite eventually.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Right, but I'm curious if that's the reason they DO do it- hoping to go elite eventually.

TOPs costs more money, I think?

So I wonder how the program is sold to the parents. As in how realistically it is sold?

Also even when it is realistically sold. I wonder what the parent actually "hears". Because I know a bunch of parents who are thinking their kids are on an Elite path, but really are not. But I wouldn't dare tell them that.

 

[Faith]

I would say, through observation, that the main difference for an "elite track gymnast (or any athlete, for that matter. It applies to to DD's sport too) is age.

Your "average" gymnast will plug away through the levels as and when they get there. Elite track kids have to be a certain level by a certain age, as they need to have all their elite skills by 16. So in the US they'll need to be L10 by what, 12/13 at the latest? Then 2 years at junior elite, then senior.

It's fairly obvious in the UK, as elite track kids compete compulsory levels at required ages, starting at age 9, one per year with a direct competition path to qualifying junior elite age 14. If they can't get the passing grade in the right year they're "out of age" which is widely considered as off the elite track.

So I'd say a kid was elite track if they had a clear path to elite- compete L7/8/9/10 at ages 9/10/11/12, then qualify junior elite, for example.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

So I'd say a kid was elite track if they had a clear path to elite- compete L7/8/9/10 at ages 9/10/11/12, then qualify junior elite, for example.

So it would be safe to assume a kid in L3/4 at age 9/10 is probably not on an Elite path? No matter what the parents have been told or what the parents think.

With the disclaimer, that it is a child not planning on doing multiple score outs in a year.