Parents Journey to high school gymnastics

[WiscoSportMom]

Hit me with stories of your gymnasts' journeys to high school gymnastics teams. I have a rising middle schooler who is trying to decide if she should continue in DP on the optionals path or switch to Xcel and give herself a little more time for other middle school life activities. At this point she believes that being on a high school gymnastics team is her goal (she's not talking about attempting to be a collegiate gymnast). But neither of us are sure if Xcel will set her up for a high school team experience or not.

This is a kid from a family of multisport athletes and she feels like she is missing out on other opportunities when she practices 16 hours a week. This isn't the only factor in her decision to remain DP or move to Xcel, but it is one we know less about.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts.

 

[gymyogimom]

You need to find out what your HS code is. Some say it's a modified 9 and some say it's more like Diamond. Unless your kid is Flipping vaults, most hs gymnasts are doing xcel platinum/Diamond non Flipping vaults.

 

[raenndrops]

I have (just now) looked into Wisconsin high school gymnastics. She could do either, but since they don't go by A, B, C, D, E skills, it's harder to decide.
They have bonus for advanced high superior skills, for high superior skills in combination, and superior skills in combination.
If she would be working any of the high superior skills in DP, she my want to stick it out a bit longer.

WHSGA

whsga.org

 

[Tigtimes]

My daughter was a level 10 gymnast who decided her senior year to do high school. The skill level at high school meets range from level 3/4-9, bars would be where you would see mostly lower level skills. My daughter downgraded to level 9 skills. She had fun and enjoyed the relaxed environment. Mostly she enjoyed finally having a regular high school athletic experience. It was a good way to end her gymnastics life kinda on her terms having stepped away from club competition after first meet of the season that year.

 

[mom2newgymnast]

Always interesting to hear how other states work. I agree with the others that it is very specific to where you live. In our state, it is only around an Xcel Platinum level. It sounds like it might be a higher level where you live though? For my daughter, who is a level 10 gymnast, high school gymnastics is just for fun and to participate in a school team.. but she definitely can not compete her highest level skills. She enjoys it a lot though.

 

[raenndrops]

In Ohio, they do a modified Level 8 (with high school bonus up to Level 10 bonus). Since the SR are only 0.2 each instead of 0.5, it does make it more accessible to Xcel Gold and up and Levels 4 & up.
Our local high school team usually has XG, XP, and L6-8/9. One year, they did have an L10 who had decided that she was not going NCAA in college, opting for NAIGC, so she figured she would take the opportunity to get a varsity letter.

 

[LCsMom]

Hit me with stories of your gymnasts' journeys to high school gymnastics teams. I have a rising middle schooler who is trying to decide if she should continue in DP on the optionals path or switch to Xcel and give herself a little more time for other middle school life activities. At this point she believes that being on a high school gymnastics team is her goal (she's not talking about attempting to be a collegiate gymnast). But neither of us are sure if Xcel will set her up for a high school team experience or not.

This is a kid from a family of multisport athletes and she feels like she is missing out on other opportunities when she practices 16 hours a week. This isn't the only factor in her decision to remain DP or move to Xcel, but it is one we know less about.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts.

In our State the scoring starts at modified DP Level 8, but the skill levels of the actual gymnasts can vary from Level 9's to Level 1. It's a team sport, so like any team you put your best athlete on their best event and hope your team score is higher than the other team's. My daughter and her friend have been lobbying our high school for about three years for them to start a team, and one of their arguments was just that: HS gymnastics is for everybody. Last year they both travelled around as independents; this year they finally get to have a team!

 

[emrc1977]

My daughter is in her 2nd year in HS gymnastics this year, and on L8 at club. She enjoys meeting other gymnasts, and competing with her HS varsity team mates (they go to different clubs). They were 7 in the team last year, with skills ranging from Excel Silver - Level 9. They has the whole team qualify for Sectionals and 2 girls qualified for State.

My daughter was just starting Level 7 last year when they did HS gymnastics. She competed Level 5 vault all through the meets, but her scores helped to qualify the Team to sectionals, esp after 2 of Level 9 athletes got injured.

It is a good place to meet other gymnasts from other schools and other clubs, it helps with extra training before club competition season starts. (Was just stressed with all the needed skills she has to add to her routines). They get scored based off Level 9+ scoring.