Parents Is it too late to dream about College?

[my4buffaloes]

A girl at our gym was actively pursuing a D1 school. She received a form letter back saying she did not have what they were looking for and it listed some crazy hard skills that indeed she did not have (I can't remember what, my dd is not a level 10 so I don't know all the names of level 10 skills). Her and her mom watched videos from all of that years meets and NO ONE on their team had those crazy hard skills. But they were TRYING to get there and increase the difficulty of their gymnasts so they could succeed in D1. They typically want a lot more than they currently have because they are trying to always become better with harder skills - at least that is what it seems like to me.

 

[CoachTodd]

Well you might leave it at that but my question of whether these teams and coaches you are referencing are in the top 50 is valid because while you say "top 50 isn't a lofty goal for NCAA", I looked up the roster of the team at 50 and it's Lindenwood, and still D2 at present , and every single gymnast on their team was a level 10, as were the teams above them at 49, 48 etc....I looked them all up...they may not have competed in college once they got there, but they all had at least a year or two or more at level 10 before being on teams you think no one aspires to.....and if kids with at least a a few years at level 10 aren't making lineups in the 48-50 ranking range, I highly doubt teams in the top 20 are putting level 9s on the competition floor....I think the other posters and myself are giving the OP a more realistic view of what she is likely to encounter with college coaches going forward. And if you are a club coach, you definitely are not getting the same story that a recruit and her family gets....

1. From what I can tell, there are only 61 D1 gymnastics programs in the NCAA so top 50 isn't a hard goal.
2. most of what you are posting are opinions of what you think they are looking for.
3. yes many of these kids do not get the chance to compete. Previous level of USAG competition is irrelevant. They have to earn their spots.
4. I am sorry you don't believe that kids I have personally coached as well as some I have worked along side of at camp who did not compete at level 10 did manage to walk on at a D1 school and compete.
5. A "More realistic view" is that it is difficult to get on at a D1 school period. It will all depend on the skills the candidate is able to present to the coach. Previous level on competition isn't relevant. The coaches I have spoken with actually prefer gymnasts with high level skills but not as much time spent competing them so they don't burn out before their 4 years are up.

No I am not getting the same story a parent gets as I know some of the college coaches personally and have worked along side of them at various times.
We can all agree that it is not easy to get into one of the few hundred spots open in college gymnastics since there are thousands of gymnasts trying to get that same spot.

I will agree to disagree that there is a deadline for being at a specific level by a certain age to get into one of these slots. There are many other factors involved and it will all depend on the gymnast's skills and work ethic as to how far they can get in any given amount of time.

 

[tomtnt]

Would love to know which level 9 gymnast has competed at a top 50 program as a walkon within the last 1-2 years.... would be a great example for level 9 girls currently in high school who believe they have no chance at continuing gymnastics in college...

1. From what I can tell, there are only 61 D1 gymnastics programs in the NCAA so top 50 isn't a hard goal.
2. most of what you are posting are opinions of what you think they are looking for.
3. yes many of these kids do not get the chance to compete. Previous level of USAG competition is irrelevant. They have to earn their spots.
4. I am sorry you don't believe that kids I have personally coached as well as some I have worked along side of at camp who did not compete at level 10 did manage to walk on at a D1 school and compete.
5. A "More realistic view" is that it is difficult to get on at a D1 school period. It will all depend on the skills the candidate is able to present to the coach. Previous level on competition isn't relevant. The coaches I have spoken with actually prefer gymnasts with high level skills but not as much time spent competing them so they don't burn out before their 4 years are up.

No I am not getting the same story a parent gets as I know some of the college coaches personally and have worked along side of them at various times.
We can all agree that it is not easy to get into one of the few hundred spots open in college gymnastics since there are thousands of gymnasts trying to get that same spot.

I will agree to disagree that there is a deadline for being at a specific level by a certain age to get into one of these slots. There are many other factors involved and it will all depend on the gymnast's skills and work ethic as to how far they can get in any given amount of time.

 

[CoachTodd]

Would love to know which level 9 gymnast has competed at a top 50 program as a walkon within the last 1-2 years.... would be a great example for level 9 girls currently in high school who believe they have no chance at continuing gymnastics in college...

Sorry,
one specific example I can think of was 4 or more years ago and she was injured after making the squad. She's married now . The rest I have to go with what the coaches have told me.
I can say she was a specialist with the specific skills that coach was looking for on that event. Many of the camps have college coaches and gymnasts that work there. It is a good place to get some inside information if the kids have the chance to go.

 

[MeetDirector]

Sorry,
one specific example I can think of was 4 or more years ago and she was injured after making the squad. She's married now . The rest I have to go with what the coaches have told me.
I can say she was a specialist with the specific skills that coach was looking for on that event. Many of the camps have college coaches and gymnasts that work there. It is a good place to get some inside information if the kids have the chance to go.

OK - I would settle for naming the D1 school where this Level 9 competed (or any 9's have competed).

I will reiterate based on personal experience as a parent that went thru this process - multi-year level 10 is what the college coaches are looking for.

 

[vans2]

Thank you everyone for the insight! I learned a lot about things I did not know much about (walk ons, D1 vs D2 schools etc). I figured the hopes were probably out of reach, but hey I guess anything can happen -- even switching sports.

My DD is a fast learner and very strong and definitely committed. She was also a straight A student up until recently (she got a B, lol).

She went from Girls Basic to lvl 6 in less than 3 years. And she scored very well along the way -- lvl 3 (37s), lvl 4 (36s), injured in lvl 5 but still scored out and lvl 6 (36s). She doesn't have sloppy gymnastics at all, as you can see by her AA score averages. But you never know when a skill is going to stump them. It could be a lvl 7 skill that stops her dead in her tracks. Who knows. Only time will tell.

It's hard to say which event is her strongest nowadays. It use to clearly be bars until she partially torn her ligaments and became afraid.

I hope this thread helps others out there who are wondering the very same thing!

 

[wandrewsjr]

OK - I would settle for naming the D1 school where this Level 9 competed (or any 9's have competed).

I will reiterate based on personal experience as a parent that went thru this process - multi-year level 10 is what the college coaches are looking for.

I only know the west well, but have known level 9's who competed for Seattle Pacific and UC Davis(and Alaska, but they aren't top 50) recently. I will say that the ones I have known had Western National Champion level or essentially level 10 skills on a couple events - amazing yurchenko layout or fhs front or capable of 2 releases on UB or could rock a 10sv NCAA beam set or two D tumbling passes on floor.

I could name a couple more if we expanded it to gymnasts who coaches allowed to go 10 their senior year.

But not really arguing with you that level 10's is what coaches are looking for. Of course vast, vast majority of college gymnasts are multi year 10's.

 

[Jazzjerz]

4. I am sorry you don't believe that kids I have personally coached as well as some I have worked along side of at camp who did not compete at level 10 did manage to walk on at a D1 school and compete.

It seems to me if you have personally coached these kids (multiple) and worked along side them, you should be able to name at least one.

It also seems odd to me that every other coach, club owner, and college gym parent has a very different experience than what you keep saying. I believe we all know that there can be rare exceptions to anything (apparently so rare we can't even get the name of one of them), but the fact that they are exceptions seems to prove the rule.

 

[my4buffaloes]

It seems to me if you have personally coached these kids (multiple) and worked along side them, you should be able to name at least one.

It also seems odd to me that every other coach, club owner, and college gym parent has a very different experience than what you keep saying. I believe we all know that there can be rare exceptions to anything (apparently so rare we can't even get the name of one of them), but the fact that they are exceptions seems to prove the rule.

There are confidentiality issues at play here.

 

[my4buffaloes]

For those that don't believe level 9s can actually walk on and compete in D1. I have looked at rosters of some of the lowest D1 teams and yes there are indeed girls that appear to have only made level 9 that are on the team. And in some cases they do list their scores at recent meets for the team. Yes it is rare, but at this point in time it is still happening. In an ideal world all colleges want all level 10s - that doesn't mean they always get what they want. And walk ons can continue to improve once they reach college and possibly excel at 1 event.

 

[Jazzjerz]

There are confidentiality issues at play here.

I don't understand that statement...aren't college rosters posted online? And wouldn't their scores before college also be posted online? If that's all public knowledge, what's the issue? Coach Todd was even asked to let us know the name of 1 or 2 colleges he was talking about. That's not confidential.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I would not want my child's coaches talking about her by name on a public forum. Coaches, teachers, doctors, etc have different confidentiality rules or norms than the general public.

 

[Jazzjerz]

I'm curious if you think the names of colleges or college coaches deserve the same confidentiality? I'm sure the parents of older level 9s would love to hear some names of schools who would be interested.

 

[Really]

For those considering pursuing a college scholarship for your DD please please read the pinned post on the top of the forum. It has invaluable information from those who have been there and done that, including Bookworm and others.

Edited to add : The pinned topic is under WAG and titled Div 1 NCAA Walk On Offer. It is a MUST read for those even thinking about thinking about college gym. It is eye opening and contains some very candid insights that you won't read anywhere else.

Thanks for this. After reading all 13+ pages on that thread, I now have absolutely no interest in selling my child into indentured servitude to the NCAA.

 

[Really]

... And my youngest ex-gymnast did walk onto a diving team at her university and loves it...the transition to diving didn't have a steep learning curve because she could already flip and twist.. and she even competed this season...so my point is be open to other options than just D1,2 or 3 gymnastics because believe me, it is not the be all end all...there is life beyond gymnastics.

In your diving daughter's experience, is the culture of competitive diving as toxic as that of gymnastics?

 

[txgymfan]

Thanks for this. After reading all 13+ pages on that thread, I now have absolutely no interest in selling my child into indentured servitude to the NCAA.

Your welcome
Shocking isn't it? That's why we pinned it.

 

[tomtnt]

In your diving daughter's experience, is the culture of competitive diving as toxic as that of gymnastics?

really, really? you think every single gymnast has the singular toxic experience? I know many from our DD's gym who have competed at various DI schools who loved the experience. Of course, there are those who had bad experiences as well.

It's like gymnastics as a whole. Some quit and remember fondly their time spent at the gym while others quit and remember how bad it was.

 

[Really]

really, really? you think every single gymnast has the singular toxic experience? I know many from our DD's gym who have competed at various DI schools who loved the experience. Of course, there are those who had bad experiences as well.

If we're limiting our discussion to NCAA gymnastics, yeah, sure, I'd call that pretty toxic. When it's written into the rules that you have to get your abusive coaches to release you to compete at another college that you're willing to pay for out of pocket, I'd actually call that more than toxic. I'd call that exploitation. Hence the comparison to indentured servitude.

Odd that you would quote my question to bookworm regarding competitive diving to make your dig, though. I was intrigued by bookworm's positive description of her younger DD's diving experiences with NCAA compared to her gymnast DD's experiences with NCAA. I was wondering what she attributes the differences in the experience to, if it's the culture of the sport or what. Which I thought was a valid question and certainly not deserving of your belittling comments above. But of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[txgymfan]

Tomtnt, we love reading about positive college gym stories. Please share some anaymous stories or your own DD's recruitment tales.

I'm also hoping some of the younger coach's will be more positive.

 

[tomtnt]

If we're limiting our discussion to NCAA gymnastics, yeah, sure, I'd call that pretty toxic. When it's written into the rules that you have to get your abusive coaches to release you to compete at another college that you're willing to pay for out of pocket, I'd actually call that more than toxic. I'd call that exploitation. Hence the comparison to indentured servitude.

Odd that you would quote my question to bookworm regarding competitive diving to make your dig, though. I was intrigued by bookworm's positive description of her younger DD's diving experiences with NCAA compared to her gymnast DD's experiences with NCAA. I was wondering what she attributes the differences in the experience to, if it's the culture of the sport or what. Which I thought was a valid question and certainly not deserving of your belittling comments above. But of course, your mileage may vary.

it's not a gymnastics specific requirement to be released - all NCAA sports.... i do agree with your point that NCAA sports in general is a form of indentured servitude, especially when you consider football players who generate a significant amount of income for their athletic departments. however, not everyone had an abusive college coach nor felt like they were being exploited.