Women L9 or L10 event specialist

[reluctant]

Is there a path to college gymnastics for gymnasts who become even specialists at level 9? I think I read that you can qualify to Regionals as an event specialist but not to Easterns or Westerns or Nationals. How do you get a collegiate caches attention of you can't advance beyond Regionals?

 

[MeetDirector]

reluctant -

Short answer - the path is nearly impossible. Longer answer. While a college gymnast may end up competing on only one or a few events, we were told that the coaches want the flexibility to put that athlete on the strongest event. In other words, the college coach would choose flexibility from an all-around gymnast over a singe event specialist coming into college. You are right that there isn't a spot for a specialist beyond regionals, so if your gymnast wants to pursue this she is going to need some help. Help from her club coach as well as help from a college coach that can see the value in taking a risk on her.

Good Luck.

 

[kayjaybe]

Spin off question - if a gymnast is an event specialist in L9 and never does all around, can she progress to L10 as an event specialist on the Same events? If so, what does she need to do to qualify?

(Sorry to hijack OPs thread)

 

[gymgal]

Is there a path to college gymnastics for gymnasts who become even specialists at level 9? I think I read that you can qualify to Regionals as an event specialist but not to Easterns or Westerns or Nationals. How do you get a collegiate caches attention of you can't advance beyond Regionals?

It is rare in D1 and would be seen mainly in the lower ranked teams but it is possible in D2 and D3, especially if the gymnast has 2 events.

Spin off question - if a gymnast is an event specialist in L9 and never does all around, can she progress to L10 as an event specialist on the Same events? If so, what does she need to do to qualify?

(Sorry to hijack OPs thread)

As of last year (not sure about this year's rules), yes, you can move on to L10 as a specialist with a 8.5 in an event in L9. To move on through AA, you need a 34.

 

[3rd_time_around]

It is rare in D1 and would be seen mainly in the lower ranked teams but it is possible in D2 and D3, especially if the gymnast has 2 events.


As of last year (not sure about this year's rules), yes, you can move on to L10 as a specialist with a 8.5 in an event in L9. To move on through AA, you need a 34.

I think the scores were raised. they were definitely raised to qualify to states and regionals.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Mobility score for event specialists is still 8.5 for optionals. State and regional championship qualifying scores are controlled by individual states and regions and vary.

 

[tomtnt]

It’s true that college coaches want the AA even though most wont compete AA in college. Gives them much more flexibility when injuries occur.

There may be a path to collegiate gymnastics as a walk-on specialist if she scores extremely high at level 10.. especially if that single event is 10.0 SV vault or high difficulty/clean bars or Floor with multiple E passes.

I think most schools would award the scholarships to the AA. Add to that, the fact that most of those girls getting scholarships are actually very good at all 4 events-often better than the “specialists”