WAG Is college gymnastics just a dream?

[bookworm]

bottom line? you better be ready to go on any event that you are asked when line up is made. and that might mean all around. the only time someone becomes a "specialist" is if they really suck (i mean that endearingly) compared to anyone else that week prior to competition when they prepare to make that line up. or because their bodies just won't allow them to compete certain events because they just can't do it anymore. it happens.

This is exactly what I meant by "they are looking for all arounders"...while realistically your kid may never compete a certain event in college once she gets there, that will be the college's decision....and to cross events off your daughter's list of talents limits how she will be viewed by the college coaches.

 

[Gymmomto2]

I keep hearing "body type" in several posts. Can you clarify the preferred type if there is one?

 

[bookworm]

I keep hearing "body type" in several posts. Can you clarify the preferred type if there is one?

Although you'll never hear it from the mouth of a coach, waif like and pre pubertal is the body type they "prefer" ....once they get the hips and boobs of the women that they are, a lot of coaches are "disappointed"

 

[gymgal]

Although you'll never hear it from the mouth of a coach, waif like and pre pubertal is the body type they "prefer" ....once they get the hips and boobs of the women that they are, a lot of coaches are "disappointed"

With the years of experience dealing with college gymnasts, you would think they would "get that" by now....

 

[bookworm]

With the years of experience dealing with college gymnasts, you would think they would "get that" by now....

You'd think so but nope....why do you think they are verballing middle schoolers and 9th graders (who've never even been in the high school yet) ? And then when they arrive at college, 4-5 years later and have gone through puberty, the gymnast gets "spoken to" about the expectations the college had for them, even if they do well...

The ideal age for the the "dream college team" would be 13-14 year olds....

 

[Gymmomto2]

Wow! That surely doesn't describe most of the Olympians or NCAA champs. I thought you were going to say short & stocky! Lol

 

[bookworm]

Wow! That surely doesn't describe most of the Olympians or NCAA champs. I thought you were going to say short & stocky! Lol

So true! And that's how a lot do look...but the question was what do they "prefer"...

 

[lovemygymnast]

We live in a college town with a great gym team. The coach came to speak at our gym and she said "I don't care what level the gymnast is at the time we recruit." Basically, as long as she has the skills and form, she's considered from what she said.

 

[LJL07]

Although you'll never hear it from the mouth of a coach, waif like and pre pubertal is the body type they "prefer" ....once they get the hips and boobs of the women that they are, a lot of coaches are "disappointed"

That's interesting bc only about two on the NCAA team here fit that description. The rest are stocky and super muscular. Very far from being waif like!

 

[Happy mom]

I really appreciate all the great insight and information from all the responses! We will see what the future brings, hopefully she will stay healthy, strong and as dedicated as she is now. If only we could keep that 12/13 year old body......lol

 

[Muddlethru]

That's interesting bc only about two on the NCAA team here fit that description. The rest are stocky and super muscular. Very far from being waif like!

Agree. Most college gymnasts I've seen are pretty built. I guess coaches are allowed to dream that the young girls they are recruiting are going to stay pre-pubescent through college.

I too wondered if scholarships in college gymnastics is just a dream. I guess it would depend on the college you want to go to. UCLA, Alabama, Florida, Stanford, etc. (any of the top 20 as bookworm stated) may be a dream really. But there are still 40 other colleges. With strong academics and a good JO performance, there may still be hope, I hope!

We promised any of our kids who would get a full ride, a new car of their choice. Any car at this point is cheaper than a 4 year tuition,

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

We promised any of our kids who would get a full ride, a new car of their choice. Any car at this point is cheaper than a 4 year tuition,

My parents promised this to me too. I went and got a full ride (academic, not gymnastics!) but then my parents convinced me to go to another school where I did not get a full ride because "it was a better school" but I think they just didn't want to buy me a car!

To the OP- division 2 and division 3 gymnastics are also great!! I know of a handful of girls who were offered scholarships or were able to walk on to D1 teams but they choose D2 or D3 so that they could be the big fish in the small pond!

 

[LJL07]

I too wondered if scholarships in college gymnastics is just a dream. I guess it would depend on the college you want to go to. UCLA, Alabama, Florida, Stanford, etc. (any of the top 20 as bookworm stated) may be a dream really. But there are still 40 other colleges. With strong academics and a good JO performance, there may still be hope, I hope!

We promised any of our kids who would get a full ride, a new car of their choice. Any car at this point is cheaper than a 4 year tuition,

Yes, nowadays it sounds like the college scholarships are going to the elite kids who dropped down from elite, missed the right window for the Olympics, etc. and were training very intensely at a young age. Pretty discouraging odds! I think even being a walk on is a miracle in this day and age.

 

[gymdog]

In dunno's post, when he referred to body type as it relates to vaulting ability specifically, I am 100% sure he didn't mean "waif like."

I understand bookworm's comments in some cases (then you have the opposite...girls asked to leave teams because they are medically underweight). But that is a different context than dunno was referring to.

 

[gymgal]

In dunno's post, when he referred to body type as it relates to vaulting ability specifically, I am 100% sure he didn't mean "waif like."

I understand bookworm's comments in some cases (then you have the opposite...girls asked to leave teams because they are medically underweight). But that is a different context than dunno was referring to.

I understood dunno's point but bookworm has a point too in that these coaches are recruiting girls with whom they have no clue how they are going to come out on the other side of puberty - in terms of body type, muscle mass, injury, skill ability. It is an awfully big risk. It is not like football with a 6ft 200lb 9th grader. You pretty much know what you are going to get there.

 

[gracyomalley]

So in one sense, at least, my just turned 12 year old L8 DD who is well into puberty at least is done with all the "surprises" and has 6 more years to work with her "new" strong, tiny but built and slighty curvy body before college...or so I tell her over and over again! We do know 2 kiddos competing at D1 schools (both were walk-ons) who weren't committed until senior year - one was a 4 year L10 but one only 2 - both particularly strong on beam, one competes AA now, one beam and floor - can be done!

 

[gymdog]

I understood dunno's point but bookworm has a point too in that these coaches are recruiting girls with whom they have no clue how they are going to come out on the other side of puberty - in terms of body type, muscle mass, injury, skill ability. It is an awfully big risk. It is not like football with a 6ft 200lb 9th grader. You pretty much know what you are going to get there.

I agree. In fact, I would say most people agree the younger and younger "recruiting " is a problem for many reasons. Some coaches/teams are worse than others in terms of the early commits and requiring a certain body type. It's not across the board, just like in JO some coaches have these issues and other don't.

 

[Flipflopz]

Mom of a 13 yr old level 10 waif reporting in

 

[Flipflopz]

At dd's last gym she felt like her build (waif) was a problem. It was pretty sad given she can't help it. Many references were made to her not being the "strongest kid out there". She works so hard and as her mom I don't like to see her feeling down about herself.

 

[Granny Smith]

Just back from vacation, so that's my excuse for the late weigh in (ha ha, no pun intended.) Dd is not waif like, but is very petite (she is muscular though). College coach has said that the girls who are currently on the team always comment to him... Are you sure she is graduating?? She will also be a young college Freshman, she won't turn 18 until September. She is 5'1" and weighs about 110. When we were on vacation last week, I noticed that her shorts were very loose on her waist and I asked her what size shorts she had on and she said they were size 1. She can easily fit into child XLs too. She has always been small/petite though.