WAG Question (Elite Path)

[Ty’s Dad]

My family keeps going back and forth with this. Can a gymnast go straight to elite? Like skip compulsory and JO/DP and go straight to a qualifier.

 

[Flicfliclay]

My guess would be yes? Since DP and Elite are technically two different paths..

 

[Gymgirl84]

I think so, I don't think I've seen any requirements on that.

 

[RTT2]

Huh. I wonder if a kid did that and then decided to drop back to DP if they could just go straight to l10? Would they need petition? I have no firsthand experience with training elite- if a kid only trained elite until, say, 14/15ish, then moved to DP would it be an easy transition?

 

[Ty’s Dad]

Huh. I wonder if a kid did that and then decided to drop back to DP if they could just go straight to l10? Would they need petition? I have no firsthand experience with training elite- if a kid only trained elite until, say, 14/15ish, then moved to DP would it be an easy transition?

That’s also a good question.

 

[JBS]

My family keeps going back and forth with this. Can a gymnast go straight to elite? Like skip compulsory and JO/DP and go straight to a qualifier.

Yes... as far as I know. When my daughter was on that track the National Staff didn't even want the kids in the JO program at all.

 

[Ty’s Dad]

Yes... as far as I know. When my daughter was on that track the National Staff didn't even want the kids in the JO program at all.

Wow, I never knew. I thought you had to at least do compulsory

 

[Dahlialover]

I can easily imagine that happening with an immigrant gymnast who was already elite level in another country.

 

[JBS]

Wow, I never knew. I thought you had to at least do compulsory

I don’t think there were really any that didn’t do some JO that were with my daughter… but that is what they always told us. Bars was the event that they really hated in the compulsory world… said it ruined bars… over hollowed casts and back swings. They just wanted us to train until the kids were good enough… which in theory was less stressful… but it’s just unrealistic in most cases.

 

[SupportingHerDreams]

This is a very intereseting topic because I keep hearing that my daughter needs big competition (IE: States/Regionals) experinece to prepare for elite.

 

[JBS]

This is a very intereseting topic because I keep hearing that my daughter needs big competition (IE: States/Regionals) experinece to prepare for elite.

I would say competition experience is important. Clubs like GAGE typically use the DP program to prepare for elite… other clubs don’t. If an athlete training elite is not towards the top in the DP program… they will definitely struggle in the elite world. On the other hand… I would not say that your average State or Regional meet feel anything like a qualifier. State and Regional meets are much more chaotic.

 

[gymcoach34]

LOTS of good coaches have tried this with really talented kids. The kids usually end up quitting bc they never learned to be a teammate or had that teammate camaraderie, and most importantly-they never got to have fun with their gymnastics. I once took in an elite kid like this about 25 years ago. She was not a good competitor, so we took her to a couple open meets do do a couple of events to get more experience competing. One of the meets gave huge AA trophies, and after the meet (she did 2-3 events, I don't remember which ones) ALL she kept saying to me were comments like "If I had just done one more event, I could have won that big trophy. I haven't won a trophy ever!" for months afterwards. She ended up leaving our program over issues with her mom, but I ran into her after she finished college (she attended a D1 school on a full ride), she brought up that meet and the almost trophy again!

 

[LemonLime]

"National Qualifying Competitions are open to all USA Gymnastics Athlete members who have the desire, dedication, and interest in pursuing the Elite Program." - Elite Program Rules & Policies

To test Junior Elite, the athlete must turn 11 by December 31st.

I've attached the Dev Program rules which are more restrictive.

 

[LemonLime]

Huh. I wonder if a kid did that and then decided to drop back to DP if they could just go straight to l10? Would they need petition? I have no firsthand experience with training elite- if a kid only trained elite until, say, 14/15ish, then moved to DP would it be an easy transition?

 

[Ty’s Dad]

I

"National Qualifying Competitions are open to all USA Gymnastics Athlete members who have the desire, dedication, and interest in pursuing the Elite Program." - Elite Program Rules & Policies

To test Junior Elite, the athlete must turn 11 by December 31st.

I've attached the Dev Program rules which are more restrictive

I get all that. My question was can they go straight to a qualifier without doing compulsory. Like rec then just train elite

 

[raenndrops]

I

I get all that. My question was can they go straight to a qualifier without doing compulsory. Like rec then just train elite

Based on the information, as long as they pay the fee to be a USAG Athlete member, have a USAG Pro member coach, and are at least 11 years old, they could go to a (non-invite only) qualifier.