Anon Gators new recruits - mixed feelings

[Anonymous (b8f5)]

It is an exciting day for many future college gymnasts! I am looking at Gator’s new recruits and all four trained elite. I have had mixed feelings about elites going to college. One side it really opens doors for high level gymnasts; on the other side, it kinda makes a common girl’s dream dimmer. We are not at an elite gym or in an elite generating state, tops/hopes/homeschooling is all rarity around us, it just seems so much harder to entertain the thought of college gymnastics nowadays. Please tell me I am wrong.

 

[Anonymous (cf53)]

It is an exciting day for many future college gymnasts! I am looking at Gator’s new recruits and all four trained elite. I have had mixed feelings about elites going to college. One side it really opens doors for high level gymnasts; on the other side, it kinda makes a common girl’s dream dimmer. We are not at an elite gym or in an elite generating state, tops/hopes/homeschooling is all rarity around us, it just seems so much harder to entertain the thought of college gymnastics nowadays. Please tell me I am wrong.

You are wrong, I am telling you. Look at the #1 class this year, Oklahoma, there are plenty of L10s in that class. And there is nothing "common" about being a L10 gymnast. These girls train just as hard and are just as capable as elite gymnasts. Just from a numbers standpoint, there are not enough elites to fill the college ranks. But also, you have to remember, elites compete under a different code, meaning they are judged differently so their training focuses on different incentives to score higher. At its most basic level, elites focus on difficulty over form, where DP focuses on form over difficulty. The college code, which college gymnastics is judged on, is the DP code with some modifications. Therefore, there are plenty cases/opportunities where L10 gymnasts perform better in college than elites. While elites in theory have no issues doing the college skills since they are less difficult, sometimes because of their training, its harder for them to "downgrade" their skill AND execute form. For example, Jordan Chiles has struggled through college vaulting between a rare Double Yurchenko that is more difficult than is required and has many deductions because it is hard to stick cleanly and a Yurchenko which already has a 0.05 deduction for lack of difficulty. They have tried a variety of different vaults for her throughout her college career, but hopefully you get my point.
So, long answer, you are wrong , being a L10 gymnast with good form will present plenty college opportunities.

 

[Anonymous (b8f5)]

glad to know there is still hope. Thanks for pointing out that teams look for talents in various aspects to compliment the team. I still have reserving thoughts on 1) the chances are generally lower for non elite track level 10s as the total amount of spots stay the same. Now the trend is pushing the girls to train longer, get to level 10 at younger ages. There is a surprisingly big cohort around us on track for level 10 by age 13, and minded our region is not resourceful in gymnastics. 2) college gymnastics is essentially a business to colleges, and having elites, including international elites is good marketing.

I am not saying no chance, it just seems harder and harder for the young girls coming up.

 

[Anonymous (85eb)]

If I were an elite parent I would be thrilled there are additional opportunities for my kid, beyond international competition.

I am not an elite parent though and my daughter has college dreams, I think, although she doesn't talk about it as much as she did when she was younger. I kind of hate the college talk in this sport as I think so many people, kids and adults alike, feel like if college isn't an option, what is the point.

My perspective is -- I think my daughter has a shot, super long shot, if nothing goes wrong and she wants it enough. I'll keep paying/driving/cheering her on regardless until she tells me she is done, college or otherwise.

 

[Anonymous (cf53)]

To your points:
Point 1 - actually spots have increased as roster limits increased to 20 this year. LSU 2027 class has 9!! commitments. Oklahoma has 6 in 2026 class, Clemson took 8 I think. There are actually more roster spots than before across the board. Of course smaller programs will still maintain current levels.
Point 2 - College gymnastics is an afterthought for colleges, they just dont want it to be a loss-leader $ for the athletic department. Football and basketball is where the effort/interest/concern is about marketing athletes and college brand. The only area where marketing is concerned is NIL deals for the gymnast, which is not a college concern but rather the individual athlete concern.

I can tell you as a parent of a Div 1 college gymnast who was a L10, this is what I have seen. There is a threshold of skills that girls in DP need to reach (mainly 10.1 SV routines) and then concentrate on good form and execution. I would guarantee that a gymnast presenting herself successfully in those two categories WILL 100% get a college scholarship.

 

[Anonymous (5fdd)]

To your points:
Point 1 - actually spots have increased as roster limits increased to 20 this year. LSU 2027 class has 9!! commitments. Oklahoma has 6 in 2026 class, Clemson took 8 I think. There are actually more roster spots than before across the board. Of course smaller programs will still maintain current levels.
Point 2 - College gymnastics is an afterthought for colleges, they just dont want it to be a loss-leader $ for the athletic department. Football and basketball is where the effort/interest/concern is about marketing athletes and college brand. The only area where marketing is concerned is NIL deals for the gymnast, which is not a college concern but rather the individual athlete concern.

I can tell you as a parent of a Div 1 college gymnast who was a L10, this is what I have seen. There is a threshold of skills that girls in DP need to reach (mainly 10.1 SV routines) and then concentrate on good form and execution. I would guarantee that a gymnast presenting herself successfully in those two categories WILL 100% get a college scholarship.

I am trying to understand your comment about increased roster limits? There were no limits before this year? And as far as your look at certain schools with said number of spots, that is only because it happens that they have that many graduating out of their roster...

 

[Anonymous (6159)]

Honestly, we are talking about a childhood sport here. Why would you want to deny a teenager the 'right' to be a D1 athlete after spending much of their childhood prepping for international competition? While I believe that anyone who gets to L10 is athletically talented, there is a wide range of talent within L10...these elite athletes, if they weren't competing elite, would be standout L10 and still getting the roster spots you seem to think should be available to 'a common girls dream'. None of these kids are 'common'. Also, training elite is different than qualifying elite which is different from getting international assignments.

 

[Anonymous (e8b0)]

There are so many factors squeezing rosters that US elites seem like the least of it. What about international level 10s from Canada and international elites? They contribute to an amazing level of competition and it’s a treat to see favorite international athletes if you’re local to their university, but it also opens a lot of thoughts about the impact on American athletes given the fact that there aren’t reciprocal athletic opportunities at institutions abroad.

The entire American college athletic system is a mess, full stop. I follow other Olympic sports where teams at the state flagship are 80% international students but admission rates for in-state students might be 40% or lower. It’s going to become an even bigger flashpoint in the future as Olympic sports come under threat- these little level 10 vs elite conversations will seem like nothing.

 

[Anonymous (b8f5)]

If I were an elite parent I would be thrilled there are additional opportunities for my kid, beyond international competition.

I am not an elite parent though and my daughter has college dreams, I think, although she doesn't talk about it as much as she did when she was younger. I kind of hate the college talk in this sport as I think so many people, kids and adults alike, feel like if college isn't an option, what is the point.

My perspective is -- I think my daughter has a shot, super long shot, if nothing goes wrong and she wants it enough. I'll keep paying/driving/cheering her on regardless until she tells me she is done, college or otherwise.

Agreed, If I were an elite/elite track parent, or simply just a gym parent who have access to such gyms or resources, I would be trilled.

I am more thinking of it as a general issue rather than individual gymnasts.

gymnastics resources are very disproportionate in the US, and with the “standard” inevitably being challenged by adding the elites, it inevitably generates the push for kids to be at high levels at a very young age and that can’t be that healthy (7 yo level 7s are becoming more and more common). In the past year, we’ve seen talented kids moving out of state, resource and opportunities congregating towards established gyms, of course I don’t have data backing me up, but it seems like the gap between smaller gyms and big elite gyms are expanding in some way.

 

[Anonymous (cf53)]

I am trying to understand your comment about increased roster limits? There were no limits before this year? And as far as your look at certain schools with said number of spots, that is only because it happens that they have that many graduating out of their roster...

Scholarship limits were at 12 previously, and many if not most teams held to that number +/- 2-3 walkons or non-scholarship athletes. They are now at 20, teams like OU, UCLA (in coming years), ,Mizzou, Clemson, pretty much all SEC schools are looking to quickly up the number spots from what was 14-16 to 20 or more (given the phase in period). So yes, there are more tangible scholarship spots available now.

 

[Anonymous (5fdd)]

Scholarship limits were at 12 previously, and many if not most teams held to that number +/- 2-3 walkons or non-scholarship athletes. They are now at 20, teams like OU, UCLA (in coming years), ,Mizzou, Clemson, pretty much all SEC schools are looking to quickly up the number spots from what was 14-16 to 20 or more (given the phase in period). So yes, there are more tangible scholarship spots available now.

Just because they have 20 roster spots does not mean they are offering scholarships to them all, some schools sure, but lots are not... And I just glanced at rosters from the last few years and most if not all which include Oklahoma, LSU, UofA, Auburn... and they all have had an average of at least 20 on their teams for the last few years if not more....So yes scholarships are now available to more athletes, spots no there are not.