Women Xcel Appreciation Post

[gymfan1]

Share your Xcel stories or experiences and what you love about Xcel!

 

[Coach Kate]

I coached Xcel after having done DP (JO). I loved seeing kids staying in the sport longer, being multi sport athletes, and excelling in art, science, math, drama, languages, and other interests. I also loved seeing kids who were overwhelmed and burnt out in DP come over to Xcel and smile in the gym again.

 

[charsgymnastics]

When I was younger I was in JO (level 3 training 4) and was constantly in the gym especially because I was preparing for TOPS quite early and spent around 25-ish hours and the gym and it burnt me out so quickly because I was so young and my life was already me being in the gym everyday so before I could even qualify for TOPS I quit
fast forward 7 years later im 14 and want to take up gymnastics again and my coaches knew nearly 8 months after starting again that they wanted me on a team but I was quite out of the age range for compulsory you could say lol. they put me on the xcel team and it was the best decision ever, I made so many friends and loved this sport more than I ever did when I was doing fast paced training at a younger age. I excelled with the 10 hours I trained per week and i think thats what makes xcel so special

 

[Mthegymqueen]

Ive only ever done xcel, and I don't think I would want to change it for any other way. I love the freedom I have to choose whatever skills fit me and how I learn the best in my routines. I probably would have not SURVIVED any level higher than Level 3 if I did Compulsories. While the "gym" (more like an apartment closet that was two floors and broken windows on the 2nd floor) was definitely NOT the way to start my competition career, I am glad that I changed gyms, stuck with xcel and made some of my closest friends in the sport than I have ever had. On to the final 2 years of my club career (in xcel)!

 

[gymfan1]

On to the final 2 years of my club career (in xcel)!

Me too!

 

[raenndrops]

The year before Xcel "Nationalized," each region set their own requirements for each level. Some were harder than others. Our team had lost a girl the year before due to fears of BWO on beam and flyaway on bars. We had another girl who would be stuck in "old level 4" at 14 years old because she was 5'9" tall and didn't have a back handspring without a spot. Both of these girls were the perfect candidates for Region 5 Xcel Gold. At the first meet, I noticed a girl OG's age that was in Xcel Gold. OG had "retired" after several fears crept in at "old level 6", family issues, and she didn't qualify for YMCA Nationals ... season high score was only 30.6 and she needed a 31.
The following Monday, OG texted me that she missed gym and wanted to come back. She said she didn't want to drop back a level, so she would just take the low scores until she could get her skills back. I told her there was another option—Xcel Gold, and she could do it as an 11 year old. We had "Prep-Op" in our district before that, but the girls were all at least 14, and it was more like Platinum. OG came back. We choreographed around her fears. She was in love with gym again. She competed Gold for 2 years. She got enough skills back to move to Platinum the next year, but DRAMA. Took time off. Came back as an Optional L6 in high school. Then more drama and school and injuries ended her career.
Our gym made rules about moving to Xcel - You had to be at least 10 years old (and stuck at a single compulsory level for 3 years). If you were 11, you only had to be stuck for 2 years OR dealing with fears that prevented you from succeeding at the level you just competed. At 12+, you could go directly to Xcel if it was your first year competing or if you were in at least 7th grade.
YG actually choreographed her own Xcel Gold bar routine at gymnastics camp when she was 8-1/2. At 10 years old, she competed that bar routine (2 years of "old" L4 and 1 year at "new" L3 and she still wasn't ready to move up ... the deciding factor for her was that the "grapevine" on beam scared her ... additionally, she didn't have her kip or beam cartwheel yet, lol). She competed Gold for 2 years and Platinum for 3 years. If it weren't for Xcel, she would have quit at 11 years old and not come back.
LSS started out in L3. Competed a year, took a year off, competed another year of L3, then a year of L4 (2019-20). She knew she would be switching to Xcel Gold the next season and with the restrictions, could only practice in her bubble at first (when practices could be in groups of 3 ... and YG and their friend, L'il blonde-headed girl were both in Xcel, so it made it easier). When practices expanded, team was done in 2 sessions and we needed to be in the 1st session because of time constraints. First session was mostly compulsories, so my 3 were still their own group. She competed Gold for 2.5 years, earning 2nd Place Vault at Y Nationals in 2022 ... on a "1 and done" due to a knee injury she had been nursing (with doctor's permission). If it wasn't for the injury, she would have started the following season at Platinum. Instead, she made the switch mid-season. She competed at Nationals and got her season high Bars and All Around scores for Platinum. 2023-24 season, she had several different medical issues/injuries, but would have competed at Nationals if it had been safe to do so. This year is her senior year. She qualified for Nationals in her second meet of the season. She is going ... meet fee has been paid ... hotel is booked. Without Xcel, she would have quit 5 years ago.