WAG How important is younger TOPS?

[lovegymnastics22]

What are the qualities/factors you would consider in choosing to move an extremely strong and motivated 7YO lvl3 to a gym that offers serious TOPS training, assuming she'd be accepted? Gyms that offer these options are reasonably further, offer Tops during the day (so she has to be pulled from school), and offer lvl4 training in the evening that ends later than my daughter's current bedtime. So it will be a significant life change for our family.

Even if you have a child that is a phenom, is it important enough for her to move to get on a serious TOPS track now when she is just 7? Right now I am extremely happy with the coaching and hours at the current gym, and I think she'll be ready to test TOPS as an 8YO this summer, just probably not good enough to get to Texas. She's also on track for a super successful lvl4 season.

I do think by optionals we will need to move if DD still wants to do gymnastics, so we could also make the move to these gyms now without DD doing TOPS. They are better gyms, but I get the sense that she will be on a different track than the lvl4 girls who do the TOPS workouts.

I'm not against making this move, but my preference would be to wait a year or so to when I think the gym commute and hours will be better for her age and sleep needs. Am I being naive?

 

[gasrgoose]

I'd say stay where you are for a little longer. It sounds like both of you are happy and that you are on top of her training and potential.

TOPS can be over rated. Our gym has many NCAA division 1 gymnasts and commits, a couple of girls going to the ranch for developmental camp and a few Hopes qualifiers but we don't "compete" TOPS. If you are at a gym that successfully competes through level 10 and/or Elite you really don't have to be concerned about switching gyms. With that said there are very few gyms that are great compulsory through level 10. It's completely reasonable to expect to be at gym A through level 5/6 and switch to gym B for optionals if that's the path she wants. We have a girl that didn't start gymnastics until she was 7. She trained TOPS conditioning (at another gym) but her parents elected to not send her to be tested because she wasn't going to make it to the ranch. Fast forward, she's 11 and is going to compete level 9 but has most of her skills and routines for level 10. She won't compete 10 because nobody skips 9 but she will go to Elite qualifiers beginning in February. TOPS is not necessary but the strength and skills required in TOPS are necessary. Our Elite gymnast also never tested TOPS but she was going to developmental camp at a pretty young age.

Good luck and enjoy the journey without focusing to much on the end or destination.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

If you are seriously interested in what the TOPs program has to offer, then the sooner the better. We ideally want them to be prepared to test (physical abilities only) at 7. The skills for testing skills at 8yo are equivalent to L5-7 (my own kid who is a L5 and uptraining quite a bit can't do some of theses skills yet).
We do "fast track" the athletes who to TOPs and at our gym, homeschooling those kids is required. TOPs testing in TX is a great way to be seen, to learn from some of the most regarded coaches in the country and to be on the "inside" of gymnastics.

I'm a big believer in the program.... That said, it is NOT the be-all, end-all to serious gymnastics for a young athlete. There are many roads that lead to Rome....

 

[proud-gym-mom]

I think the TOPs program is fantastic for any young gymnast. My daughter did it for 2 years but didn't test as she wasn't even close with most of the skills - it still helped her and I don't regret it at all. Not sure I have great advice for you… I think the most important thing is to be at a gym where they recognize and support your daughter. If she has good coaches who are challenging her and helping her advance and she is loving it then I'd stay there for now. Also, many of the places the TOPs girls go you can sign your gymnast up for. They have open session camps at the ranch and my DD was able to attend one of the USAG TOPs/HOPEs/Elite camps last spring that they open up to the public after those girls get a chance to sign up. It was a fantastic experience for her. The girls who make TOPs are truly a special group, wasn't in the cards for my DD but you can go out on YouTube and watch some of the videos… really amazing kids!