Parents L10 gymnast (The Reality Of College Gymnastics)

[mommyof1]

I just cannot think of any other sport where kids who have trained 20+ hours a week since elementary school have such low odds of being able to compete in college. I have known D3 and even D1 athletes in other sports for whom the sport had always been just a recreational pursuit. Yet making a D3 gymnastics team seems to be more difficult than making an NBA team.

Everyone I know who did D3 sports had a fantastic experience. It’s sad that this experience is unavailable to so many wonderful gymnasts.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I just cannot think of any other sport where kids who have trained 20+ hours a week since elementary school have such low odds of being able to compete in college.

Soccer, Lacrosse, Football, Baseball, Basketbal, Volleyball. Pick your sport.

Ask a hockey parent how much time they spend at the rink.

There are tons of kids spending hours and hours on travel teams hoping to get their ride. From a very young age. Parents spending their weekends, whole weekends at tournaments of name your sport. One of my daughters friends (a junior) just got offered a rooster spot at a D3 school for lacrosse. She plays ALL year round. And has for years.

Little League, pee wee football, pee wee soccer. A couple of indoor sportsplex centers around here you can watch kids training their sports year round. All sports.

Lots of hour, different dynamics perhaps. But lots of hours none the less

 

[ReluctantGymMom]

Parents are adults and should be doing their own research. It’s called “buyer beware”. My dream lasted about 30 seconds. My kid was a 38 scoring L2 on 5 hours a week.

Then I remembered she was doing a sport where the only gymnast guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team was the 1st place finisher at trials. The rest of the team was chosen in a back room. And further research (and it wasn’t hard research) I knew the odds and situation by L3.

The odds can be found rather quickly relatively speaking.

We are in a state where a 36 isn't getting you to regionals At level 7/8. Maybe at 9/10.

We're in a similar state.

It's great that you did your research into the odds and understood logically what that meant - Many parents are not using logic and common sense, they're just buying into the allure of how special their kid is because they've been invited to the "advanced" training group, and how they should pull out all the stops. People are generally blind as soon as it comes to their children, especially once they've been told how great they are.

If the adults aren't using common sense, there is no one to explain the odds to the kids.

 

[gymgal]

I just cannot think of any other sport where kids who have trained 20+ hours a week since elementary school have such low odds of being able to compete in college. I have known D3 and even D1 athletes in other sports for whom the sport had always been just a recreational pursuit. Yet making a D3 gymnastics team seems to be more difficult than making an NBA team.

Everyone I know who did D3 sports had a fantastic experience. It’s sad that this experience is unavailable to so many wonderful gymnasts.

The * vast majority of gymnasts who end up competing in college are not doing 20 hours throughout elementary school. They are usually hitting 20hrs around L7, which is usually 5th grade and beyond. By then they are able to make choices as to their free time. It's really around this time where many gymnasts make that choice to not continue on the DP path precisely because of the hours. and that's OK.

Also, the odds for gymnasts who make it to L10 are really pretty good for getting a spot on an NCAA team. Roughly 50%, strictly by the numbers.

 

[LJL07]

Soccer, Lacrosse, Football, Baseball, Basketbal, Volleyball. Pick your sport.

Ask a hockey parent how much time they spend at the rink.

There are tons of kids spending hours and hours on travel teams hoping to get their ride. From a very young age. Parents spending their weekends, whole weekends at tournaments of name your sport. One of my daughters friends (a junior) just got offered a rooster spot at a D3 school for lacrosse. She plays ALL year round. And has for years.

Little League, pee wee football, pee wee soccer. A couple of indoor sportsplex centers around here you can watch kids training their sports year round. All sports.

Lots of hour, different dynamics perhaps. But lots of hours none the less

I do not agree with you. There are many more opportunities available at the D3 level in those sports. It is flat out not the same given the commitment level and hours devoted to being a level 9/10.

 

[LJL07]

The * vast majority of gymnasts who end up competing in college are not doing 20 hours throughout elementary school. They are usually hitting 20hrs around L7, which is usually 5th grade and beyond. By then they are able to make choices as to their free time. It's really around this time where many gymnasts make that choice to not continue on the DP path precisely because of the hours. and that's OK.

Also, the odds for gymnasts who make it to L10 are really pretty good for getting a spot on an NCAA team. Roughly 50%, strictly by the numbers.

Where are your stats? I don’t think this is accurate. Maybe 10 years ago, but not now.

 

[josie55]

Here’s some data on the number of spots for different sports.

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/sportpart/Oct2018RES_2017-18SportsSponsorshipParticipationRatesReport.pdf

 

[Aussie_coach]

There is the question.

There is just not much in elite... first and foremost... competitions. If there was a more robust Hopes / Elite competition structure... that alone would be enough to keep a few more involved in it. I mean... come on... there were 7 qualifiers this year and the closest one to me was 8 hours away.

Very good point, life as an elite gymnast isnt too rosy. They dedicate so much time to the sport and they give up a lot in return for the huge number of hours pent in the gym each day.

They are working towards the pinnacle of the sport, but they don't get a great deal of recognition for it. Generally young gymnasts have no idea who the elite gymnasts are, unless they are selected for international level competition they stay locked up in their gyms with very little acknowledgment of what they do.

 

[mommyof1]

Soccer, Lacrosse, Football, Baseball, Basketbal, Volleyball. Pick your sport.

Ask a hockey parent how much time they spend at the rink.

There are tons of kids spending hours and hours on travel teams hoping to get their ride. From a very young age. Parents spending their weekends, whole weekends at tournaments of name your sport. One of my daughters friends (a junior) just got offered a rooster spot at a D3 school for lacrosse. She plays ALL year round. And has for years.

Little League, pee wee football, pee wee soccer. A couple of indoor sportsplex centers around here you can watch kids training their sports year round. All sports.

Lots of hour, different dynamics perhaps. But lots of hours none the less

My point is that in other sports there are many more college team spots for those kids. And I don’t know anyone whose kids invest as much time in other sports as gymnasts do.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Here’s some data on the number of spots for different sports.

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/sportpart/Oct2018RES_2017-18SportsSponsorshipParticipationRatesReport.pdf

Comparison of athletes in high school to college https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2015/3/2/estimated-probability-of-competing-in-college-athletics.aspx

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My point is that in other sports there are many more college team spots for those kids. And I don’t know anyone whose kids invest as much time in other sports as gymnasts do.

Just because you don’t know them personally doesn’t mean it isn’t so.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I do not agree with you. There are many more opportunities available at the D3 level in those sports. It is flat out not the same given the commitment level and hours devoted to being a level 9/10.

How many NCAA athletes in other sports do you know? And how many high level kid athletes do you know in other sports?

 

[LJL07]

How many NCAA athletes in other sports do you know? And how many high level kid athletes do you know in other sports?

A number of them. Two girls in my daughter’s graduating class will be playing soccer. Several boys will be playing baseball. A couple of volleyball scholarships. One of my daughter’s good friends has a pole vaulting scholarship. I know quite a few pole vaulters actually. Acro and tumbling. Tennis. Cross country. Track. A bunch!

 

[LJL07]

Just because you don’t know them personally doesn’t mean it isn’t so.

Generally speaking, gymnastics is more time consuming than any other sport. It just is.

Comparison of athletes in high school to college https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2015/3/2/estimated-probability-of-competing-in-college-athletics.aspx

I’ve seen this link before. But I’m telling you, I know plenty of kids doing sports in college. They are very dedicated for sure, but none of them have put in the hours demanded by level 9/10 gymnastics. Not that I have seen.

 

[LJL07]

Here’s some data on the number of spots for different sports.

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/sportpart/Oct2018RES_2017-18SportsSponsorshipParticipationRatesReport.pdf

This is pre pandemic. It’s getting more and more difficult for gymnastics each year.

 

[LJL07]

Here’s some data on the number of spots for different sports.

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/sportpart/Oct2018RES_2017-18SportsSponsorshipParticipationRatesReport.pdf

Also, I might have missed it because it’s a lengthy paper, but I do not see any info on the total number of graduating level 10 gymnasts compared to number of gymnastics teams across D1, D2, and D3 and number of freshman spots on the team. I suspect it is much lower than 50% even pre pandemic.

 

[gym_dad32608]

I think this is venturing into more a theoretical discussion of splitting hairs on which sport spends more time invested. Does it really matter? Bottom line youth sports across the board continues to see "professionalization". Demanding more commitment, intensity, $$, seriousness of all the sports. Sports that in our youth (or at least some of here lol) just required a pair of cleats and a parent to drive us to the local field on a Saturday. I don't see any way of changing that, partly it is human nature to continue to strive to do better than the other person, partly its just American culture. So the best we can do is either refuse to participate, or participate with eyes wide open and come to some agreement with our individual conflicts on the whole morality of it.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Also, I might have missed it because it’s a lengthy paper, but I do not see any info on the total number of graduating level 10 gymnasts compared to number of gymnastics teams across D1, D2, and D3 and number of freshman spots on the team. I suspect it is much lower than 50% even pre pandemic.

I believe this is due to college gymnastics doesn’t get their athletes from high school athletes.

 

[LJL07]

I think this is venturing into more a theoretical discussion of splitting hairs on which sport spends more time invested. Does it really matter? Bottom line youth sports across the board continues to see "professionalization". Demanding more commitment, intensity, $$, seriousness of all the sports. Sports that in our youth (or at least some of here lol) just required a pair of cleats and a parent to drive us to the local field on a Saturday. I don't see any way of changing that, partly it is human nature to continue to strive to do better than the other person, partly its just American culture. So the best we can do is either refuse to participate, or participate with eyes wide open and come to some agreement with our individual conflicts on the whole morality of it.

It matters bc a couple of these people are suggesting that it isn’t so difficult for a level 10 gymnast to earn a D1 spot. I think she said 50% can get one. I don’t think that’s accurate. The other poster asked how many NCAA athletes I know. Plenty. Anecdotally, I think it is readily apparent that most other sports are more accessible than gymnastics. I think this is the MOST difficult sport (or certainly one of the most difficult sports), and it would be nice to know this well in advance. Sadly I doubt many level 3 parents will be reading through this thread. I don’t like the idea of not considering or evaluating changes to all of this. How about the mom who said her daughter quit elite because there was no ceiling? These athletes are people (and children at that), not robots.

 

[gym_dad32608]

It matters bc a couple of these people are suggesting that it isn’t so difficult for a level 10 gymnast to earn a D1 spot. I think she said 50% can get one. I don’t think that’s accurate. The other poster asked how many NCAA athletes I know. Plenty. Anecdotally, I think it is readily apparent that most other sports are more accessible than gymnastics. I think this is the MOST difficult sport (or certainly one of the most difficult sports), and it would be nice to know this well in advance. Sadly I doubt many level 3 parents will be reading through this thread. I don’t like the idea of not considering or evaluating changes to all of this. How about the mom who said her daughter quit elite because there was no ceiling? These athletes are people (and children at that), not robots.

Ok, so it's the MOST difficult sport, what is your point? Youre tilting at windmills here. You cant force universities to add programs, and this is a free society so even the most educated, most aware individuals are still going to pursue this sport or any sport for that matter to the nth degree. I understand, you are in an underserved area, but this is a capitalist market society, you can open your own gym, or move to a market that supports a more robust gymnastics scene. But its obvious that the market in your area only supports so much.
So one individual had a daughter quit training elite? We are going to extrapolate everything out of a N=1? Do you just want to have a b*tching session? I just don't understand where you are trying to take this?