WAG girls per level?

[balancedmom]

HI all-- I know awhile ago someone posted a link that showed how many girls participated in each level of USAG. Does anyone have that? Are there any new breakdowns of girls in each level. just curious. thanks

 

[fuzi]

Here's some 2010-2011 data which is newer than that PDF I remember floating around (I think that was 2009).

https://usagym.org/PDFs/About USA Gymnastics/Statistics/2010-11_AthleteNumbers.pdf

 

[balancedmom]

Here's some 2010-2011 data which is newer than that PDF I remember floating around (I think that was 2009).

https://usagym.org/PDFs/About USA Gymnastics/Statistics/2010-11_AthleteNumbers.pdf

thanks-- anyone know if there is anything more up to date?

 

[l.c.o]

This is the first time I've really looked at this.

You know what I find interesting? I know these stats are not current... But if I'm reading this correctly, the men's program has some 10-15% volume of the women's program (~10K vs 80K+), but they have double the amount of elites, and a stunning 45% or so of the level 10s.

Now, I'm guessing the higher amount of elites is due to a later peak and longer career... Not to mention a larger number of guys doing college + elite. But I am a little surprised (pleasantly) that they have just less than half the L10s. I wonder why this is? Higher age restrictions, perhaps? Easier transitions through the levels? More supportive environment?

 

[fuzi]

I can't find more recent stats, but if anyone can, I would love to see them.

 

[dmbgymnast]

I'd especially like to see the xcel data, to see how the program has grown.

 

[gymgal]

This is the first time I've really looked at this.

You know what I find interesting? I know these stats are not current... But if I'm reading this correctly, the men's program has some 10-15% volume of the women's program (~10K vs 80K+), but they have double the amount of elites, and a stunning 45% or so of the level 10s.

Now, I'm guessing the higher amount of elites is due to a later peak and longer career... Not to mention a larger number of guys doing college + elite. But I am a little surprised (pleasantly) that they have just less than half the L10s. I wonder why this is? Higher age restrictions, perhaps? Easier transitions through the levels? More supportive environment?

If I had to take a guess, it is that a lot more girls "try" gymnastics and might compete a few years but then drop out, where as there is with boys, if you are in gymnastics, you have likely chosen it over other sports and are more likely to stay in the sport. If you ask young girls if they would like to try gymnastics, I am guessing most would say yes. In comparison, very few boys would pick gymnastics over, baseball, basketball etc. The world just isn't wired for gymnastics to be a mainstream sport for boys. And finding a program is hard in some areas. So if they are in a program, they are likely there because they REALLY want to be there.

If you look at the numbers, for men, between L7-10, the numbers stay relatively even but for women, the numbers continue to drop significantly - nearly a 1/3 at each level and that's after a drop of nearly half in levels 5/6/7. I would say that this is partially what I mentioned above - a lot of girls were in it for the short term. To learn skills, have fun with teammates but when it gets too difficult, they choose other activities. This is the time where girls enter puberty and they just don't master the skills as easily as previously, they get injured more often, and they develop more fears.

 

[GoingHam]

There were approximately 1700 level 10s in 2015. I got that number by adding up the girls that competed in their respective state championships per mymeetscores.

 

[gymgal]

There were approximately 1700 level 10s in 2015. I got that number by adding up the girls that competed in their respective state championships per mymeetscores.

Not a bad start but you are leaving out all the girls who are injured and who didn't qualify for state meet. Also there gyms that set their own qualifying score so some of their girls would not be at state meet. Even if each state only 5 such girls (injuries and not qualifying), that would be 250 extra girls and my guess is that many of the larger states have a lot more than 5 girls on injury alone. I would say the number probably is closer to 2200 or more.

 

[l.c.o]

Thanks @gymgal - My thoughts were sort of headed in that direction.

I also wondered if some puberty-related disenfranchisement played a role... Realizing it's hard work and getting harder, AND they "won't make the Olympics anyway".

Plus girls do have Xcel.

My DS DID deliberately choose the sport after four + years if screwing around in rec on and off, one day he just decided he wanted to try team and really started to apply himself more. He still really likes other sports. He just likes gymnastics more, and likes to say he was "inspired by his sister" for extra dramatic brownie points.

Anyway, to OP, I also haven't seen any more recent numbers, but think it would be fun to see a trend over time.

 

[B.Gold]

Also goingham might also be including event specialists, who can't compete all four events, and those L10s who aren't at 10.0 start values... Which, Imo, aren't legitimate 10s.

 

[Natasha]

If I had to take a guess, it is that a lot more girls "try" gymnastics and might compete a few years but then drop out, where as there is with boys, if you are in gymnastics, you have likely chosen it over other sports and are more likely to stay in the sport. If you ask young girls if they would like to try gymnastics, I am guessing most would say yes. In comparison, very few boys would pick gymnastics over, baseball, basketball etc. The world just isn't wired for gymnastics to be a mainstream sport for boys. And finding a program is hard in some areas. So if they are in a program, they are likely there because they REALLY want to be there.

If you look at the numbers, for men, between L7-10, the numbers stay relatively even but for women, the numbers continue to drop significantly - nearly a 1/3 at each level and that's after a drop of nearly half in levels 5/6/7. I would say that this is partially what I mentioned above - a lot of girls were in it for the short term. To learn skills, have fun with teammates but when it gets too difficult, they choose other activities. This is the time where girls enter puberty and they just don't master the skills as easily as previously, they get injured more often, and they develop more fears.

All this, and puberty actually helps the guys with their gymnastics as they get stronger whereas for girls it can make it harder.

 

[NH~GymMom]

NH only had 4 level 10s compete at this year's state meet. Last year I think there were 10 there (though one was chose not to have her scores count because she was working toward elite). It is tough to see so few girls in our state make it to those higher levels (or those that do go to gyms in MA to do it).

 

[gracyomalley]

At least in our state Boys programs really try to keep the teens in the sport (as there are so few) and because puberty helps boys with gym AND the system allows them to have high start values (14+ in men's, 10 would be very low) in their good events and lower in their weaker ones but still be very competitive and compete all around or as event specialists, there is much less feeling of failure for the teen boys built into the system. Add to this that the fear factor is not as big an issue for boys in general, and the perfectionism we see in adolescent girl gymnasts doesn't seem as prevelant (LOL - thinking of all the dismounts/vaults to the hiney at higher level men's meets) in the mens programs. From what I see at meets - men's gymnastics stays fun for the teen boys, but rarely for the girls.

My suspicion as a peds doc is that if you looked across most sports you'd see similar stuff between girls and boys - although I am happy to see a much higher percentage of girls participating in youth sports than previous generations, there is still a HUGE drop off at 11-13 with puberty - and sadly it happens in many girls who loved their sport/activity prior to that. With boys I see that the ones who only did sports because mom and dad put them in park and rec stuff and they'd rather be playing video games anyway drop off by middle school, but the ones who like to be active stick with it. Girls bodies don't cooperate with them right at the age when they are questioning everything - and many stop their sport. Sadly, most of them would progress/be strong/feel good again in a year or two if they stuck with it. Our sports culture/society could do much to help keep those girls active and more important feeling good about having "women's" bodies - and gymnastics is one of the worst culprits in this category...IMO

 

[Peanut]

Not a bad start but you are leaving out all the girls who are injured and who didn't qualify for state meet. Also there gyms that set their own qualifying score so some of their girls would not be at state meet. Even if each state only 5 such girls (injuries and not qualifying), that would be 250 extra girls and my guess is that many of the larger states have a lot more than 5 girls on injury alone. I would say the number probably is closer to 2200 or more.

Your number gets you closer to the 2344 in 2010-2011. Add in the new level 6 optional and you have a more difficult road to get to 10.

 

[gymgal]

Add in the new level 6 optional and you have a more difficult road to get to 10.

I am not sure about that. My head is not in the thinking frame right now, but The girls in current 6 just are just girls who would have been in old 5, 7. Though perhaps some who may have quit are still there now.

 

[titanic]

Add in the new level 6 optional and you have a more difficult road to get to 10.

I don't believe the new level 6 has any affect on the number of girls going level 10. If they are talented enough to get to level 10, most likely they'll skip level 6 and go straight to level 7 when they start optionals.

 

[thefellowsmom]

I don't believe the new level 6 has any affect on the number of girls going level 10. If they are talented enough to get to level 10, most likely they'll skip level 6 and go straight to level 7 when they start optionals.

I don't think whether they compete six or not has anything to do with talent. Our gym competes six and not five. Some do five and not six, some do both. That is just a philosophical gym choice, not necessarily indicative of how far they will get.

Level six can serve all kinds of different purposes and even at out gym it serves different purposes. Our talented kids pop in there on there way up and it is also a place to sit while you work on getting those skills to move further and yes many of those kids won't make it to level 10.

I see what your saying and because of the flexibility of six there are all kinds of ways to use it in a program. I agree that the addition of the new level six doesn't impede those kids at all that are going to make it to level 10 and they likely won't take any longer to get there. Just giving additional perspective.

I could see if someone was in a gym where they strictly do one level per year without much uptraining then a new level in the mix would be extremely frustrating. It already feels like such a race. I would argue that a program like that isn't a great fit for most kids with the talent for level 10 though so...

 

[titanic]

I don't think whether they compete six or not has anything to do with talent. Our gym competes six and not five. Some do five and not six, some do both. That is just a philosophical gym choice, not necessarily indicative of how far they will get.

Level six can serve all kinds of different purposes and even at out gym it serves different purposes. Our talented kids pop in there on there way up and it is also a place to sit while you work on getting those skills to move further and yes many of those kids won't make it to level 10.

I see what your saying and because of the flexibility of six there are all kinds of ways to use it in a program. I agree that the addition of the new level six doesn't impede those kids at all that are going to make it to level 10 and they likely won't take any longer to get there. Just giving additional perspective.

I could see if someone was in a gym where they strictly do one level per year without much uptraining then a new level in the mix would be extremely frustrating. It already feels like such a race. I would argue that a program like that isn't a great fit for most kids with the talent for level 10 though so...

I love how flexible level 6 really is. Our gym, we don't test out of level 5 so the girls will do a full season of level 5 in the fall and then depending on skill level, pop into level 6 or level 7 that spring.

 

[cbifoja]

I agree that is seems like gyms are doing 2 out of the 3 levels of 5, 6, and 7. My DD did a half of a season at 6 when it first changed and it was my favorite season I think.

At her old gym the usual progression is 4-6-7. At her new gym the progression is 4-5-7.