WAG Put into Xcel without being told

[raenndrops]

Wait, doesn't the TOPS program have an A camp and a B camp? Which I think are exactly as hierarchical as they sound, both for talent/skills and whether or not you have to pay (B camp pays, A does not). Hmm wonder where gyms like OP's got this idea????

But both the TOPS A team and B team are awesome gymnasts. It is based on scores at TOPS testing... not based on age when they started gymnastics... and the TOPS B team is not considered minor league compared to the A team, so VERY BIG difference.

 

[marie83]

That is what I'm thinking. *IF* doing Xcel, why not Silver?? .

Sounds to me like the club is on a medal hunt. Either that or they have no flexibility and anyone going into excel starts with bronze regardless of ability.

To the OP:

Now, I'm not saying the club went about this the right way - not at all - but from what I have seen I quite like excel. It's similar to our novice route.

At our club, gymnasts join development squad at age 4-7. Generally they are all a similar ability -exceptional 4 year olds and 'late' (using the term very loosely) starters.

Usually the 4yr olds will stay in development until age 6 when they will move to the WAG squad. The 6/7 yr olds will usually progress a little quicker and will move up sooner - the wag squad trains min 9 hrs per week so at that age we know they can cope. Once in the squad we make the decision as to which track they will follow - national development plan or novice. Usually gymnasts will compete novice for at least 1 year until they have the skills for British level 4 - however, they will compete level 5 (we like them to compete skills which are easy for them so as to avoid stress). So they are training a level up from that which they are competing.

I think it sounds like your club is not flexible at all - if it's an elite gym perhaps they can afford not to be - only picking the best of the best.

It's been said numerous times on here that sometimes a smaller, less accomplished gym can be a much better fit for great gymnasts who don't fit the mould at elite gyms.

Perhaps try the excel class and see how it goes, if dd isn't happy or really wants to try JO then perhaps look into switching gyms.

.

 

[sportsmommy]

Personally, my dd does xcel and loves it. It is a great program but at her gym the jo girls and xcel girls are treated the same.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

I would definitely look at other gyms. I wouldn't like the way they did that either. I will say, however, that of all three gyms we have been at (one we moved away from and another was a gym switch), an 8 year old on pre-team would be pretty rare. However, I have seen kids who had the talent/drive/work ethic come onto Level 3 team (and two last year right onto Level 4) from "advanced rec" classes. But pre-team itself at our gyms has been more geared towards the talented itty bitties, maybe up to 7 on the high end. Either way... they should have had a discussion with you and explained what their plan was for her so that you could pursue your/her plan if it was different. Gyms that don't communicate are a huge pet peeve of mine.

 

[2G1B]

At our old gym there was a girl who came into rec at 8 years old. She was quickly moved to "training team" (usually moved into new level 3). She competed level 3 last year as a 9 year old, always placing top 3, usually 1st. Spring she did level 4 and from what I hear she might be scoring out of level 5 and moving on to level 6. So, from Decmeber 2013 - May of 2015 she will have gone from being brand new, rec to finishing up level 6. As an 8 year old rec kid she was on the older side; but as an almost 11 year old upcoming 7, not so bad!

 

[gymjunkie]

At our old gym there was a girl who came into rec at 8 years old. She was quickly moved to "training team" (usually moved into new level 3). She competed level 3 last year as a 9 year old, always placing top 3, usually 1st. Spring she did level 4 and from what I hear she might be scoring out of level 5 and moving on to level 6. So, from Decmeber 2013 - May of 2015 she will have gone from being brand new, rec to finishing up level 6. As an 8 year old rec kid she was on the older side; but as an almost 11 year old upcoming 7, not so bad!

This is what I am talking about with the "late starters." We've taken a few of them from a nearby gym. This gym will not promote a kid to JO team if they didn't spot them in their preschool program and move them to pre-team by kindergarten. They will not promote a kid to JO from their rec program (6 & up), but they won't tell the parent that they have no chance of ever competing JO.

 

[gymjunkie]

Wait, doesn't the TOPS program have an A camp and a B camp? Which I think are exactly as hierarchical as they sound, both for talent/skills and whether or not you have to pay (B camp pays, A does not). Hmm wonder where gyms like OP's got this idea????

Having a "b team" is often beneficial to the b-teamers (if done correctly). These are compulsory kids who can do well if the expectations are not to accelerate at the rate of a kid on the a-team (most teams only have an a/b team for pre-team and compulsories). I once had a parent from our b-team beg to get their child on the a-team. Against my better judgement I gave it a try. The kid was ready to quit before then end of the first year, because she found it too intense & stressful (the kids on the a-team didn't feel that way, because it was a perfect fit for them). Instead of letting her just quit, I convince mom to put her back on b-team where she thrived. She was a good solid gymnast who scored high 8s and 9s. She just wasn't loving all of the up-training and the fast advancement of the a-team. She made it to L8 as a 13 year old and was asked to train Level 9 at 15 after doing 2 years as an 8, but instead switched to diving and cheer. If I had kept her on the a-team in compulsories, she was going to quit gymnastics at age 9!

 

[MILgymFAM]

I think it's terrible that kids hard work and potential together do not speak louder than their age.

My DDs old coach said to me this past weekend he absolutely could see DD compete in college. I laughed and said she is too old, having just started at 12. He said, "no, SHE can do it. Can everyone, no? But she can." Unfortunately, she will never get the chance, because being 13 (and tall) no one will give her a sideways glance for JO, and where we live and that we moved is out of our control. She will compete xcel till we move again, and then she can either switch to USAIGC or maybe petition into optionals, although her current gym said that is no longer allowed.. She would do ANYTHING to train JO hours and intensity, but we bought into her dancer body type and had her in ballet for the important gym years. Sigh. The system of it all is depressing.

Btw, in your case, your DD is definitely not too old, and I would be seeking a new gym; one that is at least open and transparent about possibilites.

 

[Sasha]

I think it's terrible that kids hard work and potential together do not speak louder than their age.

My DDs old coach said to me this past weekend he absolutely could see DD compete in college. I laughed and said she is too old, having just started at 12. He said, "no, SHE can do it. Can everyone, no? But she can." Unfortunately, she will never get the chance, because being 13 (and tall) no one will give her a sideways glance for JO, and where we live and that we moved is out of our control. She will compete xcel till we move again, and then she can either switch to USAIGC or maybe petition into optionals, although her current gym said that is no longer allowed.. She would do ANYTHING to train JO hours and intensity, but we bought into her dancer body type and had her in ballet for the important gym years. Sigh. The system of it all is depressing.

Btw, in your case, your DD is definitely not too old, and I would be seeking a new gym; one that is at least open and transparent about possibilites.

That is so sad. We have a 13 year old training JO L4 who switched over from a pretty successful Xcel Silver season. She is fairly tall and curvily-built (i.e., not a cute little waif that could pass for 8) and is catching up on a few skills (like kip), but she has a beautiful grace, the drive, and just really wanted to do JO. She may not stand on many podiums this year, but with her drive, she could certainly make optionals and have a great experience. And although I've wondered about other aspects of our gym at times, this whole conversation makes me glad we're in a gym who will work with girls despite being outside the norm in age and body type. I hope your DD sticks with what she loves and feels fulfilled an challenged.

 

[MILgymFAM]

That is so sad. We have a 13 year old training JO L4 who switched over from a pretty successful Xcel Silver season. She is fairly tall and curvily-built (i.e., not a cute little waif that could pass for 8) and is catching up on a few skills (like kip), but she has a beautiful grace, the drive, and just really wanted to do JO. She may not stand on many podiums this year, but with her drive, she could certainly make optionals and have a great experience. And although I've wondered about other aspects of our gym at times, this whole conversation makes me glad we're in a gym who will work with girls despite being outside the norm in age and body type. I hope your DD sticks with what she loves and feels fulfilled an challenged.

Thank you. Her old gym was trying to get her ready for the switch, and up to a level were her age wouldn't absolutely rule her out. That's why they taught her the kip before we moved. They believed she could easily do 4, and coach was surprised to find she was in xcel. Now, the program she is in seems to be the best we could hope for, in terms of xcel. They treat the girls like optionals and don't look down on them like some gyms do, and they compete plenty of meets. But they were clear that there will never be the option of training high hours; it just doesn't exist in the program. DD was absolutely thriving over the summer on 25+ hours a week, and to be back down to 9hrs just sucks for her. I firmly believe she is the kind of kid who can flourish anywhere, but I feel like a failure that I couldn't get others to see that spark that her old gym saw.

 

[MeetDirector]

MILgymFAM -

Have you tried having her old coach make a few calls for you to different clubs in your new area? Sometimes coaches can talk amongst themselves and be made to see how it would be worth it to take a risk.

I have said it before, Xcel is good for what it offers, but if you have an athlete that has the passion and the drive to shoot fot the JO stars, Xcel is not for them. Further, Xcel will not get an athlete to college gymnastics.

 

[raenndrops]

She will compete xcel till we move again, and then she can either switch to USAIGC or maybe petition into optionals, although her current gym said that is no longer allowed.

Petitioning into L6 and L7 at the age of 14 in High School IS still possible... they have to demonstrate skills of the level they want to petition into.