Parents Just out of curiosity.

[Skye Fernandez]

I see alot of yall talking about levels. My daughters gym doesnt do levels. They participate in the Xcel program I think its called. And they have bronze 2 levels of silver, gold, platinum and diamond I believe. What are the differences? Also my daughter is really wanting to go far with the sport. So is it going to affect her to not have her in a gym that does the levels? Sorry if this a dumb question im a fairly new parent.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Do you know if they do levels higher up? Like 7,8,9,10? If not, then yes, if your dd wants to go far in the sport (like try for a college scholarship) she will need to be at a gym that competes in the junior Olympic (JO) system.

Some gyms use xcel for the lower levels and move to jo for higher levels. This is acceptable and some gyms are successful with this system. But although that is the norm in some parts of the country, it isn't used that way in other parts.

Where I live, xcel is for kids who love gym but don't want to take it so seriously or who a gym deems not talented or strong enough for their jo program or who decide at a later time, they want to continue gym but also have a life.

This is what the program is intended for, but some programs in some parts of the country use it successfully to skip over the lower levels of jo.

 

[Skye Fernandez]

I honestly don't know. It seems like it's just the Xcel program. Im guessing I should talk with the head coach. It's a really good gym, she has improved so much i would hate to have to move her. But shes been talking about trying for the Olympics when she's older. Im very aware of how unlikely that is, especially because from what I've been told she started late. She was 5 1/2 shes 6 now. But I would like to help her get as far as she can with it if thats what she really wants.

 

[LJL07]

She's 6 years old currently?

 

[Skye Fernandez]

She's 6 years old currently?

Yees

 

[LJL07]

6 years old is hardly late for starting team. But yes, you would need a gym with a JO program. @thefellowsmom explained the xcel program pretty well. I don't think it would kill her to do xcel team for a year but eventually you would have to move her.

 

[bogwoppit]

You can google you gyms name with mymeetscores.com and see what results come up. If there are only Xcel results then you will know.

 

[raenndrops]

I see alot of yall talking about levels. My daughters gym doesnt do levels. They participate in the Xcel program I think its called. And they have bronze 2 levels of silver, gold, platinum and diamond I believe. What are the differences? Also my daughter is really wanting to go far with the sport. So is it going to affect her to not have her in a gym that does the levels? Sorry if this a dumb question im a fairly new parent.

If your gym is an "all Xcel" gym and they do train girls up to Diamond, then they can provide her with a good foundation.
JO levels 1-3 are not required, so she would not need to switch gyms at least until she is ready for Level 4 (kip, squat on, beam cartwheel, RO2BHS on floor, and FHS vault). She can get these skills at the current gym. Give your DD time to make sure she really wants it bad enough before you worry about finding a new JO gym.

 

[Skye Fernandez]

If your gym is an "all Xcel" gym and they do train girls up to Diamond, then they can provide her with a good foundation.
JO levels 1-3 are not required, so she would not need to switch gyms at least until she is ready for Level 4 (kip, squat on, beam cartwheel, RO2BHS on floor, and FHS vault). She can get these skills at the current gym. Give your DD time to make sure she really wants it bad enough before you worry about finding a new JO gym.

OK yea thats what I was thinking. Her gym teaches those skills. I was just thinking about letting her do the first year and see if shes still really into it.

 

[CLgym]

Good plan. My DD started in an Xcel program (competed Xcel Bronze with Level 3 routines/skills at age 7) -- and has now moved to a different gym in order to compete JO Level 4 (at age 8). I debated about moving her earlier in order to compete JO Level 3 somewhere. However, for a variety of reasons (we liked old gym, it was close to home, etc.) we decided to stay and try a year of Xcel. Glad we did. DD had solid coaching while in Xcel and became even more passionate about gymnastics. We've been at the new gym for about 4 months now, and have had no issues transitioning to the JO track.

 

[purpleleomom]

DD's gym uses xcel as the path to JO optionals (common in this region). We have some wonderful optionals, a few who went NCAA, but no national team members. FWIW.