Parents Is College Gym An Option?

[GymMomK]

My dd talks about D1 as if she knows she's going and nothing is going to stand in her way. I worry a lot about that... But I tell myself if her passion is still that great entering her Jr/Sr year of high-school, and it isn't happening for her, she'll find a way to keep gym in her life as a college student if that's what she desires. There are plenty of ways. One example, our gym has a L10 going to a school with no team but she'll be coaching at a local gym, how wonderful is that?

That sounds just like my dd and that's my worry, too! I want her to dream big, but I also want to be able to insert a little reality in there, too.
That is amazing about coaching!

Long story short, there is a shot, but she needs to get in gear and make herself visible to college recruiters beginning this year. If she is competing level 9 this year, qualification to easterns/westerns with a strong performance should be the goal, and aim for level 10 By next year.

Thanks so much for your input, I truly appreciate it!

 

[B.Gold]

...also, keep this in mind. On average there about 188 scholarships available annually. If you look at nits/nats you will see the L10s entering college (Sr Ds mostly) don't add up to 188. It's a group of 50ish. And let's say my variance, due to other factors I'm not considering is even 100%....that's 100 girls. That's still a lot of spots available to girls that don't make Nationals.

Someone please chime in if I'm missing something

 

[wandrewsjr]

...also, keep this in mind. On average there about 188 scholarships available annually. If you look at nits/nats you will see the L10s entering college (Sr Ds mostly) don't add up to 188. It's a group of 50ish. And let's say my variance, due to other factors I'm not considering is even 100%....that's 100 girls. That's still a lot of spots available to girls that don't make Nationals.

Someone please chime in if I'm missing something

Most of the girls in Senior C are also graduating that year (this year age range was turning 18 April through October). There are also girls that are injured, so don't compete their Senior season, or recovering from injuring and want to make sure they stay healthy for their college careers, and some girls come from Regions that are so competitive that they already have scholarships but don't qualify for JO's or NIT's their Senior season.

 

[wandrewsjr]

I have known many level 9's that went on to compete in college. Most of those were division 2 and 3, but a few at division 1 schools that are in the lower half of the rankings. There are 1700+ spots out there for varsity college female gymnasts. There just aren't that many girls that get to level 10, are still healthy enough to compete in college and have the desire to still compete in college. As many have said, getting a scholarship spot at a D1 Super Six quality school is a long shot unless you are level 10 early in high school. But there are still many more opportunities out there for gymnasts to have an amazing college team experience.

 

[gymdog]

...also, keep this in mind. On average there about 188 scholarships available annually. If you look at nits/nats you will see the L10s entering college (Sr Ds mostly) don't add up to 188. It's a group of 50ish. And let's say my variance, due to other factors I'm not considering is even 100%....that's 100 girls. That's still a lot of spots available to girls that don't make Nationals.

Someone please chime in if I'm missing something

You've got over 100 at JOs alone between Sr C and Sr D, of course not ALL are graduating and not all to colleges with gymnastics because they may be pursuing certain gymnastics programs or want to stay in state in a state that doesn't have gymnastics. But then you have NIT. certainly some of these gymnasts have been recruited in the past. So you've got about 40 potential people there too. Now we're at about 150.

Then add a) those who were injured and didn't do nationals their senior year for whatever reason but could have, b) those who are elite, small number but there, c) those who graduate early in order to accept a recruiting slot d) those who were alternates but have a very strong event that they were recruited for.

But really it's kind of the wrong way to look at it because people are recruited before their senior year.

Everyone I know who has gotten a scholarship (not walked on, but gotten a scholarship) has been to JOs. But that doesn't mean they went their senior year. Actually meaning they went before they were recruited so by default before they were SR D. Anyway I'm not saying it doesn't happen but most of the scholarships are people who have made it to JOs before their senior year or are in the elite system. There are certainly 188 people annually who fit this description.

That said there are also those who fit the description of OP's daughter, 13 year old multi year level 9. Only time will tell how the next two seasons will go for her but although there is often talk of early recruits it is NOT TOO LATE for her at all. And if her dream is to do college gymnastics, there are spots without scholarships as well available. She definitely has a chance, but it will just depend how she does. It is not uncommon to have mental blocks the worst at 11-14 then growth and other development stabilizes and she will be able to use her talent fully. But there's really no way to know. Just let her keep working on her dream and provide as much support as you can.

 

[bookworm]

Be careful what you wish for....

 

[GymMomK]

Be careful what you wish for....

Can you elaborate?

 

[bookworm]

Can you elaborate?

In a nutshell, college gym isn't all the hearts and roses it's portrayed to be....your kid can be happy and successful even if she isn't a D1 athlete so don't see "college gym" as the be all end all....

 

[GymMomK]

In a nutshell, college gym isn't all the hearts and roses it's portrayed to be....your kid can be happy and successful even if she isn't a D1 athlete so don't see "college gym" as the be all end all....

Makes sense! Thanks!

 

[raenndrops]

Also, if she doesn't (for some reason) make it on a college varisty gymnastics team, there are also college club teams (NAIGC). One of our coaches competes for her college club team. She is a former L10 (3+ years), but competed for her high school her senior year.
She is really enjoying competing for the college club team!

 

[B.Gold]

Sorry for drumming up an old post but I wanted to point out, as of this morning, the website CollegeGymFans is reporting that of the last 8 recruits they have announced, 5 of them did not compete at Nationals.

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if being a National Merit Scholar or Finalist factors into the odds of being accepted as a walk-on at a D1 program? I believe most major universities offer large (or full) academic scholarships for these students, and they tend to be heavily recruited. Would that ever be part of the equation when considering college options?

 

[MeetDirector]

Since by definition, a walk-on athlete is not getting an athletic scholarship, they have to pay for the tuition somehow. Being a National Merit Finalist (not semi-finalist) will help on the financial side, but not all schools treat the National Merit Finalists the same. When in this environment, you really have to go school-by-school. We just went thru this so I am quite familiar. You asked about increasing the odds of being accepted as a walk-on; from our experience, walk-ons have to have skill levels at or very near the scholarship athletes. Being a National Merit Finalist doesn't have an impact on gymnastic skills.