WAG the difference between level 10 and elite

[duyetanh]

Bear in mind, my child is nowhere near either of these levels. But I read posts that talk about how girls stay at level 10 for 5 years...I am confused as to why they don't move on to elite and wondering what the differences are, as I know they must be big...I just don't get it. Do the gymnasts have to be in ited to do elite? I figure this is a good place to ask...

 

[bookworm]

In elite, it's never good enough...ever...

 

[thepenguin]

Elite is much more expensive, training hours are longer, and (I think) the risk of injury is higher. Sometimes girls don't go elite because it's just not what they want. Maybe they want a more normal teenage experience. Maybe elite just isn't a good fit for them (lots of girls try elite and then drop back down to Level 10). Maybe college, not the Olympics or Worlds, is the end goal and JO is less risky.

There are some girls who try elite later in their careers (ex. Kayla Williams and McKenna Kelley) or even after college (can't think of any names off the top of my head but there was one in 2011).

 

[duyetanh]

I just don't get how they move from 10 to elite...

 

[thepenguin]

To qualify elite you have compete at an elite qualifier where you perform compulsory and optional routines. Check USAGym's website for the specifics.

 

[duyetanh]

That is interesting, I didn't know elite division had compulsaries.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Elite is designed for those gymnasts who are at the standard where they would represent their country at international levels of competition. Not all elite gymnasts will do this, but this is the standard.

It takes a very special gymnast to be cut out for his, if there are any weaknesses or issues then the elite goal will be unrealistic. Most elites train more than 30 hours a week, most will need to homeschool. They will need a very dedicated gym and coach and most coaches would not have the ability to take a child to that level and most gyms would not have the resources to devote a coach to practically 1 on 1 training for those hours.

 

[2gymmies]

And some who are training to be elite are training for it long before they are level 10s and some elites may never be level 10s, it isn't sequential... Elite is a completely separate thing. Technically you don't ever have to compete any numbered JO levels to test elite, although most do.

 

[thecurseofthechalkyhand]

Elite is designed for those gymnasts who are at the standard where they would represent their country at international levels of competition. Not all elite gymnasts will do this, but this is the standard.

Elite sets a standard but if a country sends a bunch of "level 4s" to worlds, The FIG judges them just like any other team even though they are nowhere near the standard. There's a huge range in the level of international elites. Sometimes you'll see US level 10s get to compete as Elites at Worlds because they have dual citizenship with another country.

 

[aerials]

We went to a meet this year that had an Elite qualifier. It was so much fun to watch these girls! I was worried that my dd would get distracted during her competition but she didn't. She competed right next to the Elites.

There seems to be different levels of Elites. At this meet there was Elite Hopes 1 and 2 (which I believe is a precurser to Elite) and there also was Sr Elite and Jr Elite divisions. This what I saw but I don't know what it all means.

 

[aerials]

Oh, it was very cool to see some of the National coaches there as well. We saw John Geddert and Valeri Liukin.

 

[Sidnito]

Hopes age division is 10-11 and 12-13. The younger age division requires a slightly lower score to qualify 32.00 vs 33.00 for compulsories. 47.00 vs 49.00 for optionals. Junior Elite age division starts at 11-15 the scores they require are 35 for compulsory and a minimum 51.50 optional score for Hopes Classics.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

the difference between Elite and everything else is Niagra Falls and any old creek.

 

[bogwoppit]

Niagra Falls

NIAGARA!!! It is not like Viagra!!!!!

 

[Mrs. Puma]

This is a fascinating thread. We are nowhere near this, and probably will never be, but it's great info and perspective! Thanks, OP!

 

[OzZee]

Is the OP not asking what are the differences in skills from level 10 to elite?

The answers seem to be "it's a world of difference" not what the difference is.

 

[bogwoppit]

Well I guess the way to see is to watch L10 routines and then watch US Elite routines. That is where you see how big the step to International Elite is.

Plus testing elite is no indicator that you will ever make national team or compete for the US. Many kids are good enough to qualify as elite, but they never have a chance of making the team, even as awesome as they are they are just not good enough. The USA's talent pool is very deep.

 

[bogwoppit]

But they do get to say they were "elite".

 

[OzZee]

I know reading this thread I am interested in the differences , but a basic list of skills. Eg on beam in the us a level 10 would have x but an elite would have xx.
Not what makes an elite; not who may or may not make national team. Just skill wise what is the difference.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

NIAGARA!!! It is not like Viagra!!!!![/QUOTE

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