NCAA When does a kid need to start thinking about NCAA recruiting?

[observantmom]

Hi! I'll try to keep this post brief - I know there are a lot of posts out there that I've tried to follow about NCAA recruiting timelines etc. but I haven't found any that specifically address younger gymnasts with college goals (if I'm missing it please point me in the right direction . My DD, age 10 level 6 (competing level 7 skills though (giants, free hip handstand, yurchenkos, bwo-bhs connection on beam etc) and training 7/8 skills) has recently started talking about potentially wanting to pursue gymnastics in the NCAA. She is part of a gym that has sent several girls to NCAA so I know they will eventually educate us on this but just trying to gain more knowledge at this point.

She is class of 2030 so we have a few years before this becomes truly serious (I think?). My question is this - at what age should a parent start thinking about or educating themselves on the process? For the gymnast, at what age (or gymnastics level), do they need to start thinking about posting on social media, etc? I'll be honest that I'm trying to keep my kid a kid for now, and just keep gymnastics fun and motivating for her without a lot of talk about the college path but I'm assuming in a few years we need to start thinking about it more seriously. Any thoughts or advice for parent or gymnast at this very early stage in the game? Or is this something that we don't really need to start thinking about for a few more years? On a side note, we would not "need" a scholarship or financial support per se - this would really be a situation where she potentially wants to continue challenging herself in gymnastics at a very high level (obviously at a school that support her academic goals as well and hopefully has a great culture). Any thoughts or advice for us at this stage?

 

[gym_dad32608]

Look here on this thread : College Recruiting

You might hear slight variations, some feel as soon as you hit L10 some base on grade, but somewhere between 8-9th grade she should hopefully be at or approaching L10 and is probably when you for sure want to be more cognizant of the recruiting path. Its also around this time that college coaches might actually start interacting with potential recruits via information letters, instagram messages (of University life), likes etc. Since girls can get officially contacted and receive offers at the end of their sophomore year of high school, you can kinda work back from there with your timeline depending how much of a planner/procrastinator you are.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Level 9 or 9th grade, whichever comes first.

 

[rlm's mom]

Level 9 or 9th grade, whichever comes first.

Above.

To be clearer she should be posting competition videos on Instagram or YouTube by this time and can email coaches, although they may not reply to her until June of her Sophomore year.

 

[observantmom]

Above.

To be clearer she should be posting competition videos on Instagram or YouTube by this time and can email coaches, although they may not reply to her until June of her Sophomore year.

That's great and thanks for the clarity. So, we can lie low for a couple more years at least until we have to worry about building out a social media channel etc. That's great to know and gives her time to just have fun and build up her skills! Thanks again for sharing.

 

[Jennybeans71]

Above.

To be clearer she should be posting competition videos on Instagram or YouTube by this time and can email coaches, although they may not reply to her until June of her Sophomore year.

So, if my daughter is Level 8 in 9th grade we should be doing videos and social media etc? Or wait until she is level 9? We are looking at d3 schools. Is she too late?

 

[gym_dad32608]

So, if my daughter is Level 8 in 9th grade we should be doing videos and social media etc? Or wait until she is level 9? We are looking at d3 schools. Is she too late?

It's never going to hurt to post competition and training videos in a gymnastics-only account, coupled with researching/contacting programs of interest. Coaches like the gymnastics-only accounts because it makes the recruiting job easier in a way and improves their ability to see many potential athletes.
Looking at it another way, from the school to the athlete standpoint, schools can officially start talking to athletes at the end of their sophomore year of high school. So from that viewpoint, if she really wants to try to get to some college, I would believe its best to have some type of account by her freshman year of high school.

 

[gymgal]

So, if my daughter is Level 8 in 9th grade we should be doing videos and social media etc? Or wait until she is level 9? We are looking at d3 schools. Is she too late?

She is not too late. For D3, I would wait until she has strong L9 routines. Even if that means waiting until grade 10/11. D3 mostly isn't recruiting until 11/12th anyway. If she were reaching for D1/D2 I wouldn't start posting and sending videos until she has strong L10 routines. It could be in just one or two events - ex if she has an excellent high value vault or a 10.0 SV L10 routine on another event.