Parents Thoughts on invite to Xcel bronze ?

[Aagym_24]

Hello, I’m a newer gym mom who is looking for some advice. My dd who is 8 just got invited from pre-team to join her gym’s Xcel bronze team. She started doing gymnastics when she was just under 5 years old at another gym, she was there for about 6 months then we took a break for about a year and a half-2yrs and she started at a new gym. There was a waitlist at her old gym and the new gym didn’t have a waitlist which is how we ended up at her new gym which she’s been at for over a year and a half. She started rec and was placed on fast track this past September. Just this week her coach approached me and said she is invited to join the Xcel bronze team. The gym also has a DP program starting at level 2. Prior to this I was unsure if they would place her in DP or Xcel.

My question is, should she join the Xcel program or should she try to join the DP program even if it means being reevaluated at another gym?

She doesn’t really know the difference between the two but I know she loves the sport and my main priority is to have her enjoy the sport as much as she can without burning her out. But I also want to allow her to have a chance at trying to get a scholarship later down the road. Or is it too late in terms of going down that road? The program starts in January so I want to make sure I know what we are signing up for before committing!
Any advice is appreciated as I am new to all of this. Thank you!

 

[That_Gymnast]

I would try Xcel…it keeps it fun, lower hours while still developing skills and that seems like her priority right now. Now 8 is by no means too old to join DP, but I firmly believe until DP level 4 the Xcel program is a better choice to gain skills (my gym has had a lot of success with this). I would see how a year of Xcel goes…see if she would be ready for level 4 in a year or two when she is 9 or 10 then contemplate making a switch to DP if that’s her goal.

 

[Coach Em]

I would try Xcel…it keeps it fun, lower hours while still developing skills and that seems like her priority right now. Now 8 is by no means too old to join DP, but I firmly believe until DP level 4 the Xcel program is a better choice to gain skills (my gym has had a lot of success with this). I would see how a year of Xcel goes…see if she would be ready for level 4 in a year or two when she is 9 or 10 then contemplate making a switch to DP if that’s her goal.

I also prefer Xcel, but before you commit I would make sure that if she wants to go DP in the future that the gym will allow that. Some gyms don't have much movement between the programs.

 

[raenndrops]

As Coach Em said, find out their policy for switching from Xcel to DP.
If they allow it, 100% go for Xcel Bronze right now. If they don't allow it, consider if you would be willing to switch gyms later if she really wants to switch.

I would NOT go for DP L2. Our gym added it last season and unless you want to sit through the same floor music 80+ times a meet, Xcel is a better choice (even if your gym uses the same music for all their Bronze gymnasts, at least there will be multiple gyms with different musics). Plus, L2 doesn't have
Each DP level through L5 will have the same music as every other team of the same level. I would not switch to DP until at least Level 4.
However, if she can get the necessary skills for Level 6 in the next 4 years, she could be petitioned into Level 6 (roughly Xcel Platinum equivalent).

 

[Dahlialover]

Xcel is better for most gymnasts. I would erase scholarships from your mind. They are rare and a competitive gymnastics career costs more than college, so if you want to be financially prudent, stay in rec and invest 10k per year you aren’t spending on competitive gymnastics in a college fund. That’s a 100% guaranteed scholarship right there.

 

[Aagym_24]

Thank you guys so much for all your input! It’s been really helpful! She’s going to join the xcel team, & like some of you mentioned maybe later on make a switch to DP when she has the skills down and if she desires to go that route

 

[charsgymnastics]

i would try a year of xcel and see how it goes. going straight into the DP program for some gymnasts just raises their stress levels because of the change in hours from rec classes to practices nearly every other day. Xcel bronze is a very good starting place, at my gym all of our girls who are younger and first being introduced into competitive gymnasts start in the xcel program then they see if they feel they would do better in DP or xcel. Xcel bronze requirements are pretty equivalent to levels 1/2 so if she was going to do this year then do a year of level 2 or 3 she would already have some of the necessary technique for that level.

 

[Sebastian12]

Xcel, but maybe find out how many hours they train first. Not all the gyms have solid xcel programs, to ensure future progression and smooth transition into DP, you will want a program that allows her to train at least 6-7 hrs, with the possibility of more the she progresses to silver. 8 is a great age to start with better body control and mental maturity, if she has what it takes, a good program should be able to get her on gold in 2 years, level 6 in 3-4.