Gymnasts How old is too old for xcel gold?

[mikaylagymnast10]

Lets say you're a 13 yo in xcel gold. would you have time to get good enough to do gymnatics in college? Before you say no, hear my plan:
Age 13-xcel gold
Age 14-Xcel platinum
Age 15-Xcel diamond
Age 16- try to switch to DP level 8
Age 17-L9
Age 18-L10
My birthday is in may, so right around the start of a new season. Meaning that if I follow my plan, I would go one year of college without doing gymnastics in college. Please comment if you think this is possible or if I should just go do another sport in college.

 

[raenndrops]

Lets say you're a 13 yo in xcel gold. would you have time to get good enough to do gymnatics in college? Before you say no, hear my plan:
Age 13-xcel gold
Age 14-Xcel platinum
Age 15-Xcel diamond
Age 16- try to switch to DP level 8
Age 17-L9
Age 18-L10
My birthday is in may, so right around the start of a new season. Meaning that if I follow my plan, I would go one year of college without doing gymnastics in college. Please comment if you think this is possible or if I should just go do another sport in college.

Ok. Here ar some thoughts and things to consider.
1. You could petition into DP Level 7 for the Age 16 season and would need to score out to compete L8.
2. There aren't many gymnasts that do 1 season at L8, 1 season of L9, and then go to L10 with full 10.0 start values on all events.
3. You could consider college club gymnastics & not need to get to level 10.
NAIGC WAG competitions offer four levels: USAG Xcel Silver, Xcel Platinum, Level 8, and Level 9. The Xcel levels use rules, requirements, and skill from the USAG XCEL Code of Points. Level 8 and Level 9 use the USAG Women’s Development Program Code of Points. Any modifications to these levels are listed in the NAIGC WAG Rules Document.
If you go this route, you could compete Xcel Sapphire OR DP L7 at age 16. Then Sapphire or L8 at age 17. You could stay in Sapphire through high school and still register to compete L8 (or L9 if you have the skills) in NAIGC. You could also start competing in your first year of college.

 

[NutterButter]

2. There aren't many gymnasts that do 1 season at L8, 1 season of L9, and then go to L10 with full 10.0 start values on all events.

This is true! And the older you get, the more difficult it is to advance 1 level each year. Another thing to consider is that drills for L9/L10 skills often start a few years before the level is competed and depending on skill progression in your gym's Xcel program, you may not even have an opportunity to begin these drills while you are in Xcel.

I give a 2nd endorsement for club gymnastics! Lots of universities/colleges have their own club team. Most importantly though...If you love doing gymnastics, you should wholeheartedly pursue it through high school regardless of opportunities to continue in college.

 

[HopefulGymnast]

Age 18-L10

From what I see here, most colleges look for multi year level 10 athletes, especially D1 colleges.
One thing that may be a good idea is to list for yourself why you want to do college gymnastics. What is it that appeals to you? Can you get the same from club gymnastics in college?

 

[mikaylagymnast10]

Ok. Here ar some thoughts and things to consider.
1. You could petition into DP Level 7 for the Age 16 season and would need to score out to compete L8.
2. There aren't many gymnasts that do 1 season at L8, 1 season of L9, and then go to L10 with full 10.0 start values on all events.
3. You could consider college club gymnastics & not need to get to level 10.
NAIGC WAG competitions offer four levels: USAG Xcel Silver, Xcel Platinum, Level 8, and Level 9. The Xcel levels use rules, requirements, and skill from the USAG XCEL Code of Points. Level 8 and Level 9 use the USAG Women’s Development Program Code of Points. Any modifications to these levels are listed in the NAIGC WAG Rules Document.
If you go this route, you could compete Xcel Sapphire OR DP L7 at age 16. Then Sapphire or L8 at age 17. You could stay in Sapphire through high school and still register to compete L8 (or L9 if you have the skills) in NAIGC. You could also start competing in your first year of college.

Is there actually an xcel sapphire? Some places I look say no and some say yes. In any case, I know my gym does not do xcel sapphire.

 

[mikaylagymnast10]

One thing that may be a good idea is to list for yourself why you want to do college gymnastics. What is it that appeals to you? Can you get the same from club gymnastics in college?

What I want from college gymnastics is to be able to compete on tv. Another thing I want is to be able to get a sports scholarship into college or just be able to do a sport in college. Could you maybe tell me a little more about college club gymnastics?

 

[Carly]

Is there actually an xcel sapphire? Some places I look say no and some say yes. In any case, I know my gym does not do xcel sapphire.

Yes, there is but it is new so there are not a lot of gyms that have girls competing in that division yet. There was a pilot season for a few regions in 2022-2023 and then it was available in all regions for 2023-2024.

 

[mikaylagymnast10]

Yes, there is but it is new so there are not a lot of gyms that have girls competing in that division yet. There was a pilot season for a few regions in 2022-2023 and then it was available in all regions for 2023-2024.

Thank you for that! Do you know of any gyms in Maryland that compete sapphire?

 

[Carly]

Thank you for that! Do you know of any gyms in Maryland that compete sapphire?

I don't know anything about gyms in Maryland.
You can check out https://naigc.org/ for more info on club gymnastics.

 

[mikaylagymnast10]

You can check out https://naigc.org/ for more info on club gymnastics.

Thank you so much for this! It is really helpful.

 

[comingback]

Thank you so much for this! It is really helpful.

not the person you're replying to but i'm on an naigc club team and love it! if you've got any more specific questions then feel free to reach out!

 

[mikaylagymnast10]

not the person you're replying to but i'm on an naigc club team and love it! if you've got any more specific questions then feel free to reach out!

Yes, after reading the information sheet, it said that to do the level 9 you need 8+ years of experience. Does this mean that you need to have been in team for 8+ years or have done 8+ years of level 9? Another question is if they have tournements or if it is just regular competitions?

 

[GymnastPotterhead]

Yes, after reading the information sheet, it said that to do the level 9 you need 8+ years of experience. Does this mean that you need to have been in team for 8+ years or have done 8+ years of level 9? Another question is if they have tournements or if it is just regular competitions?

I don't think 8+ years of level 9 is very likely haha. It's definitely 8 years of doing gymnastics.

 

[comingback]

Yes, after reading the information sheet, it said that to do the level 9 you need 8+ years of experience. Does this mean that you need to have been in team for 8+ years or have done 8+ years of level 9? Another question is if they have tournements or if it is just regular competitions?

I know exactly what graphic you're referring to and it is really a guide for people who have no idea what level to sign up for if you need a guide to reference. I had 7 years of experience but then took 6 years off from the sport, so I competed as a solid Platinum this year, and next year I will do L8 or maybe L9 if I really work hard. I have teammates that started gymnastics for the first time in fall 2022 and competed L8 this year in their second season ever. I have teammates who compete L9 who are strong on floor and vault but have 7.0 SVs on bars (and compete bars anyhow). I also have a teammate who could fully be an NCAA gymnast! And all of that is relatively normal within NAIGC and we're all one team that trains together and that feels like one team. NAIGC is really, really what you make it, but if you want to compete L9 then you fully have the opportunity to.