Parents Is it possible to get recruited as a specialist?

[GymnastMomX2]

So I know that once girls get to NCAA its actually more rare to be an AA gymnast, and most girls only compete on a couple events. My question is is it possible to get recruited to a D1 school as a specialist?

Without going into a long explanation of the serious of unfortunate events, my daughter who missed all last season as a freshman, is now looking at missing the first meet or two of this season and only planning on competing bars and maybe beam as a sophomore level 10. She's still going to be training vault and floor, but she's no where near where she needs to be for colleges to even glance at her on those events. She may get there on floor summer/next season, but vault will take a miracle.

She's strong on bars (competing a maloney+pak, double back), training a double lay and also has a couple E releases(not competing them, but has caught multiple times) and is relatively clean/good form. She knows she needs to get her dismount, but her coach is very cautious with her injury prone self.

The schools she is currently looking are mid-lower D1, we're getting mixed messages on when to email coaches. Some say email now, others are saying wait. (like does she need to wait until she has her E bar dismount ready to compete?) Does she even have a shot with just 1-2 events. I'm hesitent to even say she has beam, but she does have the skills, tbd on how it all goes in competition and if she's able to come back from this latest injury in time to even compete the event. So realistically it may just be bars this season, and probably with just a double back dismount.

Thanks for reading, sometimes I really really hate this sport and how quickly an injury can de-rail things.

 

[Coach Kate]

Possible? Sure.

I would say vault is the more common event for specialist recruiting because that's the event hardest to fill a lineup with 10.0 start values.

But if your daughter can be a standout on bars and show potential and progress on 1-2 others that could put her in a good position.

 

[Dahlialover]

I wonder if it is possible to start at a D3 school and then transfer to a D1?

 

[RTT2]

Definitely possible and being strong on bars is a big help. Vault and bars are the most highly sought for event specialists. I think getting a spot on a team has gotten much harder in recent years, but I wouldn’t count her out.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

I wonder if it is possible to start at a D3 school and then transfer to a D1?

I mean at some point I think / hope she’s going to come to the realization that there’s nothing wrong with D3, she’s just not there yet and doesn’t even want to consider it when I’ve brought it up.

 

[Flicfliclay]

The recruiting scene has changed a lot since they now have a 20 roster cap, meaning they are going to really be scrutinizing who they recruit, or using the portal to fill gaps. With that being said, your daughter has time. She has two more comp seasons after this one. I would really focus on her health and strength this year and keep pushing in the gym on those other events. She doesn't have to be perfect on other events, but show progress and consistency. The goal to show D1 coaches are 10.1 or some say 10 +.1 routines on events. Not all but at least on 1 event and really doing well at that event. Some think that since they have a 10.1 SV that that is all that matter, NO its how you compete those skill and compete the WELL. Also, D2 and D3 are options, but they too want to see more than one event. Why does she shake her head at D2 and 3? They do not have roster limits so that could be more ideal. To touch on when to email, i would wait until she has more than one event to really start emailing, unless she is getting 9.8's 9.9's on bars.

 

[RTT2]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with D2 or D3 schools- they are also competing at a very high level. Just keep in mind the academic/career path she is interested in and be flexible in evaluating what really is best for her long-term plans. Gymnastics is an amazing sport, but it is so consuming, and she’ll also be okay if NCAA gymnastics isn’t her path. It feels like everything to them for so long, and it may very well work out for her, but I sometimes feel like it’s fool’s gold.

 

[GymnastMomX2]

Why does she shake her head at D2 and 3? They do not have roster limits so that could be more ideal. To touch on when to email, i would wait until she has more than one event to really start emailing, unless she is getting 9.8's 9.9's on bars.

Thanks for the advice, and honestly I’m not sure what she has against D2/D3 schools. Hopefully she will come around. It’s a hard balance as a parent trying to support their dreams while also being realistic with where she’s at and what she is capable of.