WAG L8 to Xcel Platinum I think, maybe???

[GymAir]

I’m not sure how it went from 8,9, and 10 go to sapphire, to choosing platinum. Diamond is the level below sapphire. And to put platinum in perspective, it’s the first level that requires a kip.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I did not intend for this to be a discussion about Xcel qualifications and what’s fair in Gymnastics.

I happy to continue that discussion if any one wants to start a thread specifically regarding those things .

My specific question has been answered. Yes she “could” move to Xcel. It would be Xcel Diamond. Based on her current level.

Thanks all

 

[GymAir]

I did not intend for this to be a discussion about Xcel qualifications and what’s fair in Gymnastics.

I happy to continue that discussion if any one wants to start a thread specifically regarding those things .

My specific question has been answered. Yes she “could” move to Xcel. It would be Xcel Diamond. Based on her current level.

Thanks all

Sorry, just want to add that I remember you said there didn’t seem to be any diamonds around, and in that case you may find the gyms around you have a bunch of high level platinums. So ymmv.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I have no stake in this and my kids aren't in Xcel, but a L8 with L9 sills is way beyond Platinum. Girls at DD's gym who move over after L7 go to Diamond. I would think your daughter would find Platinum competition well below her skill set, and can't see how that would be enjoyable from a competitive standpoint. If there are no gyms at all in your area with Diamond, then I guess it's a moot point, but if the level is available (aside from it also being the USAG rule) it would seem to be a better fit for her.

I’m looking for gym where she could do Level 8. And I’m also a worse case, have a plan A, B, C, D type to the extreme.

Again, I got it. In Xcel she would be a Diamond.

 

[tuckfull]

How far are you willing to travel for L8/9 or Xcel Diamond? Is there any chance your current gym will hire a new bars coach? Or is it just time to move on?

 

[PeanutsMom]

My daughter was a level 7 last year and is competing XCEL Diamond this year. Some of the previous level 6s went to platinum but all the 7s who switched programs went to Diamond.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

How far are you willing to travel for L8/9 or Xcel Diamond? Is there any chance your current gym will hire a new bars coach? Or is it just time to move on?

Sorry that went longer then I planned, but here goes

There will be no new coach.

She’ll be a senior in HS. And a multi sport varsity kid, taking college courses. So no trucking all over for gym. We don’t even want more hours (which was why we loved our gym, solid coaching, low hours). It is not time to move on. We do have 3 or 4 possibilities. She is too close to the official end. She wants her official senior ending moments. Quite honestly she has earned them. A few injuries and a mental block, add in Covid, and she stuck with it. And has actually upgraded her skills on floor and beam. She had hoped to be able to improve her bars and potentially qualify for regionals. She is scoring over 35, so bar improvement could have gotten her in. Not top 7 but in. Then maybe move to 9 next year. She also wants to remain competitive in HS gym. That means continuing practice.

She would rather at this point continue L8, with coaching there is enough for her to improve on that she wouldn’t be bored. She really doesn’t want Xcel, I think because she thought platinum is where she’d be and that wouldn’t be a challenge for her. She really doesn’t want to be a top of the podium finisher because there is no real competition. Diamond could be cool because she can use the skills she has but can’t do in L8 and continue to upgrade. But there doesn’t seem to be diamonds at our more local gyms.

The only reason I’m considering Xcel, is we are more likely to find hours that work for her.

She also doesn’t want to be a new gymnast knowing no one And only be there a year. So we are thinking about gyms, where she knows her HS teammates and Section teammates and many of them do Xcel most of them platinum, which is why my thought process started there. Hours and friends.

At this point I hope we can find either a L8 group that works or a coach willing to work with her as a diamond. I’d love even a gym where she knows kids where she can train with them even Xcel but a coach willing to let her compete L8.

 

[tuckfull]

It is not time to move on. We do have 3 or 4 possibilities.

When I asked if it was time to move on, I meant move on from the current gym - not from gymnastics. Its great that she has a few possibilities that may work. Best of luck!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

When I asked if it was time to move on, I meant move on from the current gym - not from gymnastics. Its great that she has a few possibilities that may work. Best of luck!

Oh sorry I read that wrong. She will be moving, 100 percent. Just need to figure out to which gym. I never in a million years thought I’d be looking for a new gym for a 17 yr old. But the one she is at as it exists today, no longer works for her (and my wallet).

 

[josie55]

Maybe this suggestion is out there, but given what you articulated as your needs/wants, I wonder if she could go to an Xcel gym where her friends are and compete as a diamond or sapphire, regardless of whether there is any competition at that level. It sounds like she’s more focused on training and competing her skills than she is on who her competitors are. So what if she’s the only one at her level in her session? Some food for thought

 

[Rose7777]

Maybe. And gymnastics is not equal, never has been. That’s different than fair. It’s fair beca you know the expectations going in.

And technically it shouldnt be fair for 10s to downgrade to protect their ride. But it’s allowed. So be it. And a L8 who goes 9 hours a week, competes against some going. 20 hours. And gyms keep kids back to score better. All allowed.

My daughter is a HS section champ. And our section will get hosed at states by kids in other sections who are multi year USAG L9/L10 national qualifiers. They know this. They will do their best and have a blast.

If she is willing to compete the skills allowed I don’t see a problem.

I’m more concerned that her club gym lets her practice the skills she can compete at the HS level. If she has to downgrade her routines to meet the Xcel level requirements no biggie.

My daughter has gone up through the Xcel program and is a second year diamond. Meets range from kids working to get to a 10 start value up to a few former levels 9s and 10s (who are usually easy to pick out)- with a lot of kids in the middle. There are far more Xcel only kids and former 7s and 8s than there are 9s and 10s, at least where we are. Anyone who successfully competed 8 and has some level nine skills will do extremely well in diamond around here. (MA, so region 6)

Just to give you an idea, here’s what my daughter competes. She starts from a 10 on all events and is pretty average in terms of the difficulty we see being competed. Beam is the exception- she is definitely below average in difficulty for her acro.

- bars: Kip, CHS, free hip, squat on, Kip, CHS, giant, layout flyaway
- floor: ROBH full is her first pass, FHS front pike is her second.
- Vault- front handspring full (bigger meets have more girls flipping vaults, smaller meets not so many)
- beam- BHS and cartwheel-RO series for acro. Switch (?) leap, jump series, back pike dismount. Even this relatively simple routine has a 10 start value, and she has placed well when she’s hit it.

I hope that helps- and I’m sorry that your daughter is in this position. I know you said that her HS teammates are mostly platinum. Most gyms here have platinum and diamond practice together so even if she was the only diamond at the gym, she might be practicing with her HS teammates.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Maybe this suggestion is out there, but given what you articulated as your needs/wants, I wonder if she could go to an Xcel gym where her friends are and compete as a diamond or sapphire, regardless of whether there is any competition at that level. It sounds like she’s more focused on training and competing her skills than she is on who her competitors are. So what if she’s the only one at her level in her session? Some food for thought

I think that’s where her thought process is heading. And my husband and myself as well.

She has had rough few years and just last season and this she is enjoying gym.

She has 1 official year left we want her to enjoy the heck out of it. And maintain what she is doing for HS

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I hope that helps- and I’m sorry that your daughter is in this position. I know you said that her HS teammates are mostly platinum. Most gyms here have platinum and diamond practice together so even if she was the only diamond at the gym, she might be practicing with her HS teammates.

It did. Thank you. And she had a meet yesterday and we got to see some diamonds. She could give them a run for their money and beat them on floor and beam. They would beat her on bars but they would all be competitive. Vault is well vault for them all.

And all the gyms we saw compete aren’t going to beat the diamonds at the usual high powered gyms in this state (I did some my meet scores stalking).
But that’s the same for any level And is what it is. I’m sure they go ridiculou high hours for Xcel, but less hours than their gyms JO/DP. It would take a 37 or better to qualify for regionals.

I think she would love to be able to do the higher skills she currently has so we’ll see

She had a mediocre meet yesterday. Didn’t land her vault, elected not to do her giants because she felt the bars were unsafe. She already qualified for states and was most there to compete with her friend. She still manage a bit over 35 so it’s all good. She had a great time.

To be continued

 

[averrr]

Not ready to spill details but we may need a gym change. Suffice to say there have been changes that don’t work for us at this time.

My kid is a L8/9. She will be a senior next year. Had her coaching situation been different this year, she likely could have competed 9. What’s done is done.

She is a section champ on her HS team. And wants to continue competing USAG and HS. She wants her senior moments and she earned them.

She would prefer to compete L8. But I’m a plan A, B, C type person. So can she head over to Excel Platinum with no issue? I will need to be scouting possibilities. For next year.

I would go to diamond or sapphire if they have it in your zone. Platinum is more 5-7 rather than 8

 

[raenndrops]

I did not intend for this to be a discussion about Xcel qualifications and what’s fair in Gymnastics.

I happy to continue that discussion if any one wants to start a thread specifically regarding those things .

My specific question has been answered. Yes she “could” move to Xcel. It would be Xcel Diamond. Based on her current level.

Thanks all

Lol, this thread brought back memories from YG's YMCA Nationals experiences as a Platinum. Her first Nationals at Platinum, there was one team that had gymnasts who competed Level 8 that entire season, but competed Platinum at Nationals. They were warming up unallowed skills to "intimidate" other teams. Think: Yurchenko vaults, kip-CHS-Clear Hip handstand-full pirrouette-giant-giant-doubleback dismount, RO-BHS-BT on beam, and FLO-Front Full-Straddle half (and one of them did another salto after the straddle half).
Before that same season, there was a USAG team that closed an all of their girls (and a couple of the optionals coaches) moved to their local YMCA team. The girl who was 2nd at USAG Level 8 States on Bars and Beam and 3rd All Around the previous season competed Platinum for her YMCA team. Between the 2 teams, their gymnasts were top 3 AA in the oldest age group.

YG learned that what other people are doing doesn't affect what she does.
If they throw their harder (but legal) skills, they still have to be clean to score well.

And our Platinum Team that year earned a Top 10 Team Banner ... 5th place team

 

[TheXcelMom]

There are Xcel nationals?

 

[GymAir]

There are Xcel nationals?

I believe they’re referring to YMCA nationals.

 

[NutterButter]

I thought I had heard about an Xcel nationals so I googled it.

Link Removed

My DDs gym didn't even participate in Xcel regionals when she competed Xcel. Not sure if they do now (it was awhile ago).

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I thought I had heard about an Xcel nationals so I googled it.

Link Removed

My DDs gym didn't even participate in Xcel regionals when she competed Xcel. Not sure if they do now (it was awhile ago).

My kid could care less about medals but for regional swag, a Leo and or warm she would love it

 

[Carly]

There are Xcel nationals?

I don't think that it really is a true national meet. It is still called an invitational. And the qualifying scores seem really low. Several full points lower than my state requires for states.