"Perfect" Age/ Level Progression

[gymdog]

You don't have to be a level 10 to do Hopes. It's a feeder program for younger gymnasts. They can still compete in the JO program.

It is a good point that many kids won't even make it to L10, regardless of their tracking. The last girl I know who skipped L5/6 quit after L7, similar to me but even more extreme. She was throwing up from stress at the meets. So it was better to move on, even though she had great physical talent. She found a team sport that was lower pressure for her due to the nature of it. Another girl didn't skip, but was very promising, and her parents were very into it. She too quit around L7 though, and wanted to do cheerleading (although this was kind of an issue of them moving and there were issues with the new gym). She eventually went back after years (and another move) and did L8 but she's certainly not going to be elite.

 

[Billy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by juliesdd
Everyone has their own opinions at what ages the gymnast should be at different levels. My daughter is an elite/hopes at 12. She has been at that level for 2 seasons. She did level 4 for two years at ages 6 and 7. She has progressed through every level without skipping a level. I feel strongly thats why she is where she is . I have witness many gymnast my daughter's age that skipped level 6 and some even level 5. I would think about 85% to 90% of those kids have quit the sport before turning 12. There is no rush to get to elite, just let your daughter go level by level and if she is really good, she will get to elite.. Even if she just does level 10, that is a great feat too. Level 10's will get college scholarships too. Every child has her own time frame and they must move on at their own speed in this sport.

Just curious, she did more than one season in one year? Maybe I am misunderstanding but when you say she has been at that level for 2 years, you mean Elite/Hopes? If thats the case then she was there at 10 right?

I was wondering the same thing. How did she get from a 7 year old level 4 to a 12 year old pre-elite without skipping? That means she did six levels in less than five years. Even less than that if she's been a pre-elite for two years. She sounds like a talented kiddo. What was her progression like?

 

[grizzoline]

Just curious, she did more than one season in one year? Maybe I am misunderstanding but when you say she has been at that level for 2 years, you mean Elite/Hopes? If thats the case then she was there at 10 right?

I was wondering that, too. But then again, a lot of the younger kids test hopes and compete at challenge meets after their regular JO season, so she could have done that after levels 8 & 9.


Also, Shawn, I'm not sure how much you are into the coaching, how much communication there is, so I'd be grateful for any other explanation from anyone else: Why is your DD working straddle casts? She's tiny, she'll NEED proper casts if she wants to be elite (that's one example of what I meant with her not having "the typical quality of basics") plus, she's young, she has the time to work on proper casts. Still it looks like they are just trying to get her up to handstand in the easiest possible way. Thats kind of rubbing me the wrong way.
Mind you, anything is possible. Not sure if some of you were around at gymnzone, years and years ago. Where Kaitlyn Clark used to post, whether she was on the right track to be elite, how much she wanted it. Posted videos of herself and obviously she was good but it not necessarily typical elite type (think the Texas/AOGC youtube kids). Anyway she's been on the National Team, made Nationals every year. Love seeing her do so well after kind of having experienced her long road to get there...just wanted to mention that, because the perfect route just isn't always gonna happen and if Boo really wants this, it doesn't really matter what we say

 

[triptwister]

Utopian Gymnastics
Choreograph three elite routines for each event per floor, bars, and beam that you will teach your elite gymnast beginning at the age of 5. Design and include one or more original never before seen skills in each routine. Begin implementation at the age of 5 by way of planned progressions. You have ten years to comply. Start competing this gymnast in the elite program at the age of 12 with their strongest routines as close as possible to the preformatted agenda based on their progress.

Yerchenko vault and other tantamount vault drills begin at the age of 5 and continue until this vault and other tantamount vaults are fulfilled.

All talk and choices during the elite gymnast's career are based on elite/Olympic perspectives and is all this gymnast ever hears.

Gymnastics Zone online says...Compulsories Do NOT Prepare You for the Olympics
In truth, compulsory routines are not effective at all as Olympic or Elite gymnastics training systems. Gymnasts and programs that wish to reach these levels, use other training programs to prepare either in conjunction with or as a substitute for compulsory training.

Do not bother with the USAG 10 tiered program which is essentially a compulsory program that is like forcing a race car to stay in idle for 10 years. Welcome to Utopian Gymnastics

 

[bogwoppit]

Trip this of course only applies if FIG doesn't change the rules every few years. The constant changes can really mess with your plans.

 

[Billy]

Also, Shawn, I'm not sure how much you are into the coaching, how much communication there is, so I'd be grateful for any other explanation from anyone else: Why is your DD working straddle casts? She's tiny, she'll NEED proper casts if she wants to be elite (that's one example of what I meant with her not having "the typical quality of basics") plus, she's young, she has the time to work on proper casts. Still it looks like they are just trying to get her up to handstand in the easiest possible way. Thats kind of rubbing me the wrong way.
Mind you, anything is possible. Not sure if some of you were around at gymnzone, years and years ago. Where Kaitlyn Clark used to post, whether she was on the right track to be elite, how much she wanted it. Posted videos of herself and obviously she was good but it not necessarily typical elite type (think the Texas/AOGC youtube kids). Anyway she's been on the National Team, made Nationals every year. Love seeing her do so well after kind of having experienced her long road to get there...just wanted to mention that, because the perfect route just isn't always gonna happen and if Boo really wants this, it doesn't really matter what we say

She's doing the straddle cast handstands right now because that's what looks best for meet season. But the coach is working with her on her straight casts. She can straight cast to handstand but it's still really archy and not very pretty.

Thanks for the story about Kaitlyn. It's nice to know that there really are many road to Oz.

 

[flips4key]

Quote:
I was wondering the same thing. How did she get from a 7 year old level 4 to a 12 year old pre-elite without skipping? That means she did six levels in less than five years. Even less than that if she's been a pre-elite for two years. She sounds like a talented kiddo. What was her progression like?

She could have done a one level every year until age 12. BE a Level 9/Hopes/Elite gymnast. There is no rule at what level you have to do Hopes/Elite. Hopes/Elite are made up of gymnasts that competing Levels 8,9,10.

 

[gymnut1]

A lot of people think you do all the levels and then go elite. Think of the JO levels as a different route. Maybe a route to college. Elite kids are only in the JO system until they are ready to test elite. They dont need to go to level 10 and the younger ones frequently don't. They test elite and compete the elite circuit. Different goals. Different route.

 

[Aussie_coach]

juliesdd said she did every level without skipping but not how long she did each level for. She may have done 2 seasons in one year which is possible in many states.

 

[grizzoline]

She's doing the straddle cast handstands right now because that's what looks best for meet season. But the coach is working with her on her straight casts. She can straight cast to handstand but it's still really archy and not very pretty.

Now, if your goal is to just at some point compete giants, that's totally understandable. Even if they're working on regular casts on the side, that's exactly the difference between your average gym and a gym with a strong focus on basics. I think someone even mentioned it in this thread - in some gyms they'd fix her casts first and worry about the giants later...

 

[NGL780309]

A lot of people think you do all the levels and then go elite. Think of the JO levels as a different route. Maybe a route to college. Elite kids are only in the JO system until they are ready to test elite. They dont need to go to level 10 and the younger ones frequently don't. They test elite and compete the elite circuit. Different goals. Different route.

But many elites do go through the JO system. Don't think your kid can't make elite from the JO system.

 

[gymnut1]

Lots do go right through the levels but younger elites (under 13) tend to be focusing on elite testing by the time they reach levels 9 and 10 and might only compete a couple of meets at each level.

 

[gymdog]

Plenty do either way, I'm not sure there's a general rule. There will be girls in the younger age groups at L9 westerns trying to test elite soon after that, on the other hand you have young L10s who competed a full season of L10 and JO Nats (Jordyn Wieber and Mattie Larson a few years ago, several this year). Several top gyms don't do TOPs and follow the JO optional system. Some don't seem to have a general rule. I'm pretty sure WOGA had some girls in L9 and some in L10 that were testing after last season. GAGE seems to mostly have them in L10 before they test.

Overall, there are several paths, you don't have to do TOPs, you don't have to do HOPE, plenty have done them, etc

 

[Billy]

A lot of people think you do all the levels and then go elite. Think of the JO levels as a different route. Maybe a route to college. Elite kids are only in the JO system until they are ready to test elite. They dont need to go to level 10 and the younger ones frequently don't. They test elite and compete the elite circuit. Different goals. Different route.

Exactly. I'd like to know what path her daughter took. Did she stay in JO until she was ready for Hopes? Or did she only do a few JO levels and then transition into the elite program? And if that's what she did, when did she stop with JO? How long (or how many meets) did she do at each level? Etc. Etc. I'd love to know the different paths that different kids have taken to get there. There's always a story....

 

[MdGymMom01]

Exactly. I'd like to know what path her daughter took. Did she stay in JO until she was ready for Hopes? Or did she only do a few JO levels and then transition into the elite program? And if that's what she did, when did she stop with JO? How long (or how many meets) did she do at each level? Etc. Etc. I'd love to know the different paths that different kids have taken to get there. There's always a story....

Exactly!! I am sure many people are wondering how your dd Boo went from Level 2 to training level 8 in just 2 years. Do you mind sharing that with us Shawn? Yours is a unique situation in that you don't hear about progressing that quickly very often. It would be appreciated if you would share your story .

 

[ek2]

Exactly. I'd like to know what path her daughter took. Did she stay in JO until she was ready for Hopes? Or did she only do a few JO levels and then transition into the elite program? And if that's what she did, when did she stop with JO? How long (or how many meets) did she do at each level? Etc. Etc. I'd love to know the different paths that different kids have taken to get there. There's always a story....

I am giving the link to Jordyn Wiebers website. If you look at her progression through the various levels of gymnastics... starting with level 5 she was scoring 36-37 AA. She definitely owned the levels she was competing. This is just one example of an elite athlete I am sure there are many more.

JordynWieber.com | The Official Website of Jordyn Wieber

 

[NGL780309]

Lots do go right through the levels but younger elites (under 13) tend to be focusing on elite testing by the time they reach levels 9 and 10 and might only compete a couple of meets at each level.

I'm sure there are some gyms that do this, but most of the gyms in my area and state go through the JO system. They usually will have the girls who are L10's compete up through the state meet and then not go to regionals. I'll use WOGA for an example since they are a well known gym. I'm having a hard time remembering an elite they had that didn't go through the JO system. Of their bigger names I can tell you for certain Bross did JO. Nastia did Level 9 and then missed most or all of her L10 season because of injury. She did elite the next year. Recently Kocian skipped from 8 to elite. Leduc did all of the levels, though she was at another gym before that. Again I really can't think of one of their elites who didn't do JO.

I'm just stressing this point because I don't want parents to think their kids have no chance for elite if they do JO. It's just not the truth. A good gymnast is a good gymnast no matter which path they take.

 

[gymdog]

WOGA is a little unusual in that they have more than 2 or so "main" elite coaches working with one group like most NTCs. So I think there is some variability in what's going on there. Clearly as a gym they don't do TOPs, but otherwise it seems like there's some variation in the path the girls take, but there are different coaches coaching different groups under the same gym.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Shawn, I'd love to hear the story Boo's progression as well. She has certainly moved up fast!

 

[Billy]

Exactly!! I am sure many people are wondering how your dd Boo went from Level 2 to training level 8 in just 2 years. Do you mind sharing that with us Shawn? Yours is a unique situation in that you don't hear about progressing that quickly very often. It would be appreciated if you would share your story .

Don't make me sorry I posted this.

Well, the long version is on the blog. Here’s the (sort of) short version. She did really well at L2 (Spring 2008) so her coach decided to skip L3 and train her for L4. She did that for about six months before we changed gyms to one with a daytime training program (evening practices were hard for our family then). They didn’t do L4 so they trained her for L5 instead. Their goal for her was to get to optional as soon as possible so they didn’t spend much time on the L5 routines (they really were only looking for the 31 AA). She trained for three months, got her required score during the Spring 2009 season and began training for L6.

Then we moved to TX that summer (DH got laid off of work and was finally able to find a job in TX). The gym in TX thought she was making good progress and continued her L6 training. She competed L6 in TX that fall (2009; in TX, compulsories are in the fall and optionals are in the spring). Their plan was then to have her train for a year and then compete L7 beginning in January 2011. This was a great plan but then we ended up moving back to GA right after the L6 season ended (the darned economy made gypsies out of us for awhile there).

At the gym here, the L6 team was going straight into L7, rather than spending a year training for it. Since she had done L6 in TX, they put her in that group. As a result, she had two months to train for L7 and competed it last spring (2010).

Summer is the big time for uptraining and new skills, and levels are decided based on how the new skills are coming along. In spite of a rough L7 season, and because she has all of her L8 skills, she will likely compete L8 come January. (Her head coach will make this determination but she will consider Boo’s opinion about what she wants, also.)

A combination of circumstances has pushed her quickly through the levels. Luckily, she’s a pretty fast learner and has been able to hold her own through it all. Truthfully, I can’t wait to see how she does now that she has finally had more than a couple of months to prepare.