Parents How long should gymnast be at L10?

[gracebrassel]

I have been told that colleges do not want a gymnast to be at L10 for more than 3 years. Is this correct?

 

[JBS]

I have been told that colleges do not want a gymnast to be at L10 for more than 3 years. Is this correct?

This would absolutely not be correct. Each gymnast has their own path. My daughter was a 7 year level 10... this was overkill... but 5 years would definitely not be overkill if they are good enough.

If a kid blows up their first year of level 10 as a sophomore in high school and wins nationals... well three years is probably enough. Or maybe they are a solid and consistent 9.7+ in the DP program on a couple of events.

If they come out sophomore year with 34's... lots of college spots are going to be gone before the college coaches even take a look at them.

Maybe the fourth year of level 10 is their senior year of high school but there is an athlete already showing 9.9+ sophomore or junior year... sure maybe they will try to pull them up early.

Too many variables here to state that.

College coaches want to win... you don't win based on a number of years in level 10... they are looking at much more than just that... but overall... the ability to hit 9.9's or whatever the standard for their team is. I can tell you from personal experience that in the SEC... they are looking for kids that will be a 9.9 as a low score.

 

[gracebrassel]

This would absolutely not be correct. Each gymnast has their own path. My daughter was a 7 year level 10... this was overkill... but 5 years would definitely not be overkill if they are good enough.

If a kid blows up their first year of level 10 as a sophomore in high school and wins nationals... well three years is probably enough. Or maybe they are a solid and consistent 9.7+ in the DP program on a couple of events.

If they come out sophomore year with 34's... lots of college spots are going to be gone before the college coaches even take a look at them.

Maybe the fourth year of level 10 is their senior year of high school but there is an athlete already showing 9.9+ sophomore or junior year... sure maybe they will try to pull them up early.

Too many variables here to state that.

College coaches want to win... you don't win based on a number of years in level 10... they are looking at much more than just that... but overall... the ability to hit 9.9's or whatever the standard for their team is. I can tell you from personal experience that in the SEC... they are looking for kids that will be a 9.9 as a low score.

I was told that by another parent because that's what the coach told her daughter when she repeated level 8. My assumption is that maybe the coach said that to soften the blow. What you said makes sense. Thank you! This is very helpful information. My daughter is on target to skip L6 (just finished L5 season), but we won't know for sure until the end of July.

 

[JBS]

We have a very heavily recruited L10 at the gym right now. She is a sophomore... 3rd year L10 as of right now. She's gone 9.95 on vault at the last two meets. We've had 9 colleges in to watch practice so far.

 

[Dahlialover]

I recommend reading this thread. The data clearly shows that higher years in level 10 is strongly correlated with college recruitment and scholarship attainment—The exact opposite of what you are hearing.

Parents Who's Getting onto College Teams

Apr 20, 2023

By far one of the greatest posts on ChalkBucket ever! Thank you for this post @mezzamare!

The data can be found in the following posts...

First set of data: Post #2

Second set of data: Post #27​

• JBS
• college recruiting statistics
• Replies: 42
• Forum: Gym Parent Forum

• 

 

[JBS]

In addition to what @Dahlialover posted... this thread has more general college info...

Parents Discussions About College Recruiting & Scholarships

Mar 23, 2025

I am just creating this thread to bring together all of our college recruiting and scholarship discussion here at ChalkBucket so it is easier for everyone to find. Check it all out below...

Classic threads here on ChalkBucket...



...

• JBS
• college recruiting scholarships
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Gym Parent Forum

• 

 

[littlegirlsdream]

We have a very heavily recruited L10 at the gym right now. She is a sophomore... 3rd year L10 as of right now. She's gone 9.95 on vault at the last two meets. We've had 9 colleges in to watch practice so far.

Would you say she is the exception not the rule? I am pretty sure I know the gymnast you speak of and she is a top recruit for 2027. As far as the original question, I agree colleges don’t prefer them to have only 3 years at level 10 . It seems they want college level skills with a 10 value and the capability of the gymnast performing them consistently and scoring well. 9.9 as a low score seems a bit high, not for the top SEC teams maybe but aren’t there solid teams and up and coming teams that aren’t looking for a low score of 9..9? At least I hope so!

 

[gym_dad32608]

I dont think JBS is implying that you have to score 9.9+ to be a strongly recruited athlete. Its only natural that there is some correlation between high scores and future performance. But college coaches really look at a more holistic view of athlete. Given that commitments begin at the end of your sophomore year of high school, 4-5 years of L10 is probably the sweet spot for most recruited athletes.

 

[JBS]

Would you say she is the exception not the rule?

Yes... but only in the quote that you quoted above.

This is the key...

I can tell you from personal experience that in the SEC... they are looking for kids that will be a 9.9 as a low score.

This is 100% right on with the way that scoring is right now. They may not be scoring 9.9's in the DP program... but they will need to score 9.9's in the SEC. The coaches have a job to do... and when it really comes down from the top administrators in their schools... especially in the SEC... it is going to have something to do with performance / ranking high / winning as a school.

Let's face it... the numbers are there... they don't lie... it's all about the 198. You have 7 schools that have hit a 198+ so far this season and 4 for them are in the SEC. That's a 9.9 average.

So if you're a 9.85... they are counting on someone else to go 9.95.

So when it comes down to it... I stand by the statement... but I'll rephrase it...

SEC schools are looking for kids that will have the ability to consistently go 9.9 or higher in the world of college gymnastics.

Whether or not they see that freshman year or not until later on... you'd have to ask each school.

Now you have to take into account scoring and how it works in the NCAA... but that's a whole different conversation. You start hitting the 9.7's in the DP world and that's pretty much a lock on a 9.9 in college.

 

[gracebrassel]

I recommend reading this thread. The data clearly shows that higher years in level 10 is strongly correlated with college recruitment and scholarship attainment—The exact opposite of what you are hearing.

Parents Who's Getting onto College Teams

Apr 20, 2023

By far one of the greatest posts on ChalkBucket ever! Thank you for this post @mezzamare!

The data can be found in the following posts...

First set of data: Post #2

Second set of data: Post #27​

• JBS
• college recruiting statistics
• Replies: 42
• Forum: Gym Parent Forum

• 

These articles are very helpful. Thank you!

 

[JBS]

I dont think JBS is implying that you have to score 9.9+ to be a strongly recruited athlete.

No... only that the college coaches believe that you will be a good fit on their team and have the potential to reach the "goal" scores that they are looking for. Some schools have lower goal scores than a 9.9... I was just throwing the SEC out there as an example as many people really don't understand the standard that they are looking for and how hard it truly is to be at that level.

 

[gym_dad32608]

Now you have to take into account scoring and how it works in the NCAA... but that's a whole different conversation. You start hitting the 9.7's in the DP world and that's pretty much a lock on a 9.9 in college.

Completely agree on this. And this is where coaches earn their salary, they evaluate DP gymnasts not necessarily by what they scored in DP, but if they feel like they will score well in NCAA based upon what they know in NCAA. Thats why you see some DP gymnasts sought after more or on par with some elite gymnasts

 

[CA_GymDad]

We have a very heavily recruited L10 at the gym right now. She is a sophomore... 3rd year L10 as of right now. She's gone 9.95 on vault at the last two meets. We've had 9 colleges in to watch practice so far.

Curious to know, do you invite the colleges to your gym to see her or do they hear about her through the grapevine and come check her out on their own?

 

[gym_dad32608]

At our gym, the colleges contact the coaches and ask if they can come in to watch practice. There is A LOT of communication between the club coach and the college coach. They communicated who they want to see and ask if there is mutual interest from the athlete.

 

[Chocolate_Chip]

Completely agree on this. And this is where coaches earn their salary, they evaluate DP gymnasts not necessarily by what they scored in DP, but if they feel like they will score well in NCAA based upon what they know in NCAA. Thats why you see some DP gymnasts sought after more or on par with some elite gymnasts

Is scoring different in NCAA vs DP? Is NCAA comparable to level 10, or is it more like a step above level 10, but below elite?

 

[gym_dad32608]

Is scoring different in NCAA vs DP? Is NCAA comparable to level 10, or is it more like a step above level 10, but below elite?

In theory, NCAA Code of Points is based on DP Code of Points, NOT the elite system, with some minor modifications. So in theory, someone scoring well in DP should translate in NCAA. In practice, the scoring, or how judges apply the COP is quite different and the cause of much angst/discussion around the gymternet.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

Is scoring different in NCAA vs DP? Is NCAA comparable to level 10, or is it more like a step above level 10, but below elite?

So theoretically the judging should be almost the same, however it’s very much not. See the comments above about 9.7s in DP scoring 9.9 in NCAA. There are also some slight differences in the rules, and skill values, some things are harder and others I’d say are easier. I wouldn’t say a step above level 10, just slightly different or maybe a 1/2 step above?

 

[JBS]

Curious to know, do you invite the colleges to your gym to see her or do they hear about her through the grapevine and come check her out on their own?

Typically the college coaches reach out... then if there is interest... we schedule a visit. We also talk a bunch with the college coaches. We want to learn about them and their programs as well as they want to see ours.

 

[littlegirlsdream]

Yes... but only in the quote that you quoted above.

This is the key...



This is 100% right on with the way that scoring is right now. They may not be scoring 9.9's in the DP program... but they will need to score 9.9's in the SEC. The coaches have a job to do... and when it really comes down from the top administrators in their schools... especially in the SEC... it is going to have something to do with performance / ranking high / winning as a school.

Let's face it... the numbers are there... they don't lie... it's all about the 198. You have 7 schools that have hit a 198+ so far this season and 4 for them are in the SEC. That's a 9.9 average.

So if you're a 9.85... they are counting on someone else to go 9.95.

So when it comes down to it... I stand by the statement... but I'll rephrase it...



Whether or not they see that freshman year or not until later on... you'd have to ask each school.

Now you have to take into account scoring and how it works in the NCAA... but that's a whole different conversation. You start hitting the 9.7's in the DP world and that's pretty much a lock on a 9.9 in college.

This makes sense! Thank you

 

[littlegirlsdream]

Typically the college coaches reach out... then if there is interest... we schedule a visit. We also talk a bunch with the college coaches. We want to learn about them and their programs as well as they want to see ours.

I love how active you all are in your gymnasts development and recruiting process! I think that is invaluable!