WAG Rachel Gowey, Simone Biles, Mykayla Skinner: Better to hold off Elite testing till age 14?

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Can I ask a question? When you are talking about "going elite" and "training elite" does that mean having all skills at a senior level? So what I am reading is they basically have to be at that level for 3 or 4 years befor the Olympics?

 

[flippingtogether]

And no one would know the truth / what is actually possible better than @dunno....

 

[gymdog]

As someone who's DD has been mainly in gymnastics in the midwest, I find these observations interesting. There is one MW junior elite we are keeping an eye on - Norah Flatley, who was at a non-powerhouse gym in WI until about 3 years ago, and then she went to Chows to finish up her JO career and move on to elite.

She is the perfect Olympic age - 16 in '16. I would imagine for her to get to the point where she is today, she's had to train the crazy hours and crazy skills over the last couple of years. But before then, I think she had a saner beginning and it seems to me she may been able to peak more gradually to get to where she is today. I guess I'm not sure about all this and someone might correct me and say her progression is on the same warp sped of others on the junior scene today and has been intense since she was bitty, but it I think it may have been more gradual.
From what I can tell she was a L10 in '12, and qualified elite in '13. I don't know if you can go elite much later than that and make the '16 team.

Well I'm not sure how to compare her progression, but Norah was coached in WI by the coach who coached Chellsie Memmel for most of her career. He retired in 2010 and that is when he recommended Norah's parents take her to Chow's. She was just 10 years old and already training level 9 and 10 skills. That seems to fall somewhere between Jordyn Wieber on one end of the spectrum at 10 years old, and most other elites

For example Gabby Douglas was a level 4 at 8 (new 3), and a level 7 at 9. She did level 8 as a 10 year old. By that time she was winning everything and clearly the most advanced even of the advanced regionally (10 year old level 8 is way above average).

 

[bogwoppit]

Can I ask a question? When you are talking about "going elite" and "training elite" does that mean having all skills at a senior level? So what I am reading is they basically have to be at that level for 3 or 4 years befor the Olympics?

You can test for junior elite any time after 10 (I think). There are a whack of junior elites, but they are not all good enough to make championships. Even those that do make champs are not on the National team.

They use FIG and are competing the same skills, some juniors are stronger than some seniors.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Can I ask a question? When you are talking about "going elite" and "training elite" does that mean having all skills at a senior level? So what I am reading is they basically have to be at that level for 3 or 4 years befor the Olympics?

i would say within 2 years.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

You can test for junior elite any time after 10 (I think). There are a whack of junior elites, but they are not all good enough to make championships. Even those that do make champs are not on the National team.

They use FIG and are competing the same skills, some juniors are stronger than some seniors.

yes ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Mrs. Puma]

Wow...that is blowing my mind to even imagine a 10 year old elite..good for those kids! What would you experts say the "perfect" progression is? Like what age to be each level? Totally out of curiosity! (I'm not thinking there's EVER been an elite out of my area lol!)

 

[proud-gym-mom]

Seems like the superstars are about the age of their level… so Level 10 at age 10 etc. It would be interesting to see what levels they competed and what levels they skipped… we have a local girl here who did L4 as an 8 yr old, then skipped to L7 as a 9yr old and not sure what she'll do next year, I think they're talking about maybe L9. She and my DD were in the little pre-school rec class together, you wouldn't have known she was such an amazing talent then, just an adorable little kid but man, is she good now. It's nuts, stuff that would take most kids years to get, she gets in a few months it seems. When you watch her compete you can just tell she's different from the other kids.

 

[gymmomx2]

If you look at the career path of most of the elites you will see many that competed L8 around the age of 10. I think it also depends on their age on the Olympic year. If they are going to be 16, their progression might look a bit different (faster) than another gymnast who will be 18 at the Olympics.

Someone who qualifies Elite at 10 but won't be Olympic eligible until 18 has too many years competing at the most grueling level IMO. It's crazy and not smart career planning. Better to peak them at the right time even if it means slowing them down at the beginning to really clean up form, dance, etc.