- Oct 3, 2009
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So, kids do not have to be level 10's to enter an elite qualifier? I thought that they would have at least competed some at level 10 before trying to qualify elite.
Nope, entry fee is all that is "required"...
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So, kids do not have to be level 10's to enter an elite qualifier? I thought that they would have at least competed some at level 10 before trying to qualify elite.
Do any of you think there should be a qualifying JO 10 score necessary to enter an Elite qualifier?
The MG Elite girl who scored a 39 at Parkettes competed her first level 10 meet in Dec 2013 and went to JO Nationals in 2014.
I've seen many good young gymnasts get destroyed at qualifiers because the coaches haven't prepared them well. The compulsories are very specific and things like extra steps going into a tumbling pass are .3 each. When they add one or two to each pass, you're looking at over a point. I've seen them go and skip giants, miss dance elements on beam... That's part of the really low scores. It's a learning process for the younger coaches too.
As far as why some of the hopes kids may not do well in JO, there are several reasons. I know that I don't construct my hopes girls routines for JO rules. I use those meets to try newer skills to gain experience competing them in a competitive environment. If they've got a new dismount that she'll do at classics or some other meet, I don't want that to be where they compete it first. Keep in mind, this is just a different perspective and why some of those results look the way they do.
I think that's different from a coach who throws a kid into elite compulsories who does not have a solid foundation- which, unfortunately, happens. And I'm not talking mistakes/bad days/learning curves, just kids who are not ready.
It's very interesting to me the faults people seem to have found in USA gymnastics. The same USA gymnastics that is the dominant team in the world and could fill 2-3 seriously competitive international teams. You might not like the system but it clearly works! It's not perfect but it produces amazing results.
This is how it has always been done since they took over. They were the Hot gym when Bela coached. All the kids flocked there. That's probably what caused the Karolyis to stay in it so long. I wonder what will happen when Marta retires?Me too.
Did you also know that the Karolyi's actually own the ranch and that USAG pays them a massive amount of money yearly to use it? Instead of USAG using the money and building a more central, and modern, facility. I find that very bizarre too.
In some of the bigger meets there is a Level 10/ Open division specifically for the top 10s and aspiring elites.I actually think you could do with a lot more elite and hopes meets and a completely separate competition stream from Level 7 up. I don't think elite kids should be allowed to compete in JO .
I would say that if you want to accurately judge the success of the system you need to look at world ranked athletes per capita of population, suddenly then countries like the Netherlands do remarkably well!You might not like the system but it clearly works! It's not perfect but it produces amazing results.
I think that the gymnasts going to DC have been identified by the National Staff as having the potential to go elite. I think that invites back to DC or being part of the Developmental Team are a good sign that these gymnasts are on the right path at least for the time being. There are usually just about 40 girls at the Developmental Camp, which isn't a lot. I like the idea of a qualifying score in JO for gymnasts to be able to enter the qualifiers more so for the gymnasts not part of DC.
So, maybe I am wrong and there are way more unready girls testing elite than the usual number you would find equivalent example in any other activity. But somehow, I think you would probably find about the same in every sport or high level activity out there. I have seen craziness in soccer, ballet, baseball, lacrosse - you name it, anything discussed here in the name of crazy has been done in these other sports. Usually in the name of getting a college scholarship.
I think this is very much a US phenomena as I cannot think of any other country who takes kids sports to that level. SO one breeds the other, a bit chicken and the egg?