WAG Xcel Nationals for 2018?

[chalkbowl]

It also doesn't say "Nationals". No way I read that "ad" and take it to mean an Xcel National Championship meet.

We do a "World Classic" meet in our area from time to time. We really didn't think it meant "World Championships".

World Class Invitational is named after the host gym...World Class. World Class Invitational also does not specify it required a certain score in order to compete. In this case the gym name most certainly is not "USA Championships" and it's very misleading when it mentions that qualification is necessary.

The email from Annie Hefferon went to ALL USAG Professional members yesterday, so their has obviously been a lot of confusion regarding the competition

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Crud edit timed out.

The ad is worded to get everyone (read as parents and kids) excited to be a "USA Champion". If kids and parents came at our coach with this (when we did Xcel), she would of said. This is just a meet, nothing more or less. And we are far to busy training to travel to just a meet in TN in July.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

In this case the gym name most certainly is not "USA Championships" and it's very misleading when it mentions that qualification is necessary.

I think the coaches are bright enough to get it, which led to a ton of WTH questions, causing a blast email sent to clarify.

 

[MeetDirector]

So it looks like the name of the meet has changed - it no longer is touted as "National Championships". The meet is still sanctioned as an Xcel Invitational meet which is what it was all along. 360 Sports is a good outfit that hosts many meets during the year; whoever picked the name of this meet obviously was too ambitious and they have since realized the error of their ways.

 

[GymDad9.9]

The profiteers here are the company promoting the meet, not USAG. USAG does make a small amount per gymnast for sanctioned meets ($1), but that isn't where the profit margin lies. It is not appropriate to call this "Nationals" and use Xcel Regional scores as qualifiers if this level of competition isn't official for the Xcel stream. USAG doesn't have a Nationals competition in place. It may not be "illegal", but it certainly is shady.

While the meet itself may have an official sanction, it is being billed by the promoters as a level of competition not offered by USAG, so it is understandable why there is confusion and some feelings that all isn't on the up-and-up.

Here is the sanction:
Link Removed

360 Sports is beating USAG to the punch in establishing a post-Regionals competition that draws athletes nationally. Call it what you want to call it and make of it how you wish to. Now is it shady because of what 360 is looking to do or have they worded and nuanced this thing to be something that it isn't; is the USAG so concerned for its members to protect them from someone shady or is USAG simply protecting a competitive franchise of theirs? I'm of the opinion that USAG is trying to protect a competitive franchise and is out front to throw as much shade on this event as they can without being heavy-handed about it. My prediction.....by 2020, USAG will have an Xcel National Championship.

 

[MILgymFAM]

They already changed the name- problem solved. Everyone up in arms is just silly. Are they mad that someone dared say xcel could have a wider net competition? From the very beginning it was clear that it wasn't an official usag nationals- that would run counter to their whole xcel ideals. That said, it could've been a really fun thing that gyms could do if they wanted to... just like any other meet. All the shade being thrown is silly.

That aside, no one answered my question yet: can a regular old SANCTIONED invitational meet (like the San Fran classic or flower power or any other of the hundreds of regular meets per year) have a qualifying score to attend? Is there something in either the JO or Xcel codes that addresses this specifically?

 

[Seeker]

USAG is the governing body for Xcel. 360Sports is trying to pull a fast one on unsuspecting parents and programs. Not being a part of Xcel, I don't know if there is an appetite for this or not...I guess time will tell.

If USAG created their own event, that is a wholly different thing -- that's not what this is though. This appears on the surface to be your standard issue bait and switch. Buyer beware.

ETA: they apparently got the "message" as the name has now been changed. Interesting.

 

[GymDad9.9]

USAG is the governing body for Xcel. 360Sports is trying to pull a fast one on unsuspecting parents and programs. Not being a part of Xcel, I don't know if there is an appetite for this or not...I guess time will tell.

If USAG created their own event, that is a wholly different thing -- that's not what this is though. This appears on the surface to be your standard issue bait and switch. Buyer beware.

ETA: they apparently got the "message" as the name has now been changed. Interesting.

My gym has a pretty strong Xcel program. I doubt they would be fooled by the marketing of this event but then again I doubt they would send their athletes either for the very reason that the event is not being run by USAG.

 

[Seeker]

That aside, no one answered my question yet: can a regular old SANCTIONED invitational meet (like the San Fran classic or flower power or any other of the hundreds of regular meets per year) have a qualifying score to attend? Is there something in either the JO or Xcel codes that addresses this specifically?

I don't think there is any provision that would not allow that, but that would likely eat into their profit margin. If space was an issue due to Venue size or other limitations and they were at capacity, then using score cutoffs may be an option to reduce headcount, but that could have disastrous consequences as many teams would not come if a certain number of athletes did not "qualify".

 

[Seeker]

My gym has a pretty strong Xcel program. I doubt they would be fooled by the marketing of this event but then again I doubt they would send their athletes either for the very reason that the event is not being run by USAG.

If your gym has seasoned coaches and a strong Xcel program, you are more than likely not the target market for this type of marketing.

 

[coachmolly]

My gym has a pretty strong Xcel program. I doubt they would be fooled by the marketing of this event but then again I doubt they would send their athletes either for the very reason that the event is not being run by USAG.

Lots of new, inexperienced gyms are using Xcel as their first venture into competitive gymnastics. So there are plenty of clubs out there with lower level Xcel teams (probably rec centers, cheer gyms, dance centers, etc) who are just getting their toes wet in the competitive gym world who might be confused by this kind of thing.

 

[raenndrops]

My gym has a pretty strong Xcel program. I doubt they would be fooled by the marketing of this event but then again I doubt they would send their athletes either for the very reason that the event is not being run by USAG.

So does that mean your gym ONLY goes to meets run by USAG? That would be unusual since most regular meets are run by teams or booster clubs.

 

[GymDad9.9]

So does that mean your gym ONLY goes to meets run by USAG? That would be unusual since most regular meets are run by teams or booster clubs.

No. The way this particular meet is being marketed, as a championship of sorts, not run by the USAG, does not seem like something my gym would consider. My opinion here, I do not know what my gym would do.

 

[3rd_time_around]

360 Sports is beating USAG to the punch in establishing a post-Regionals competition that draws athletes nationally. Call it what you want to call it and make of it how you wish to. Now is it shady because of what 360 is looking to do or have they worded and nuanced this thing to be something that it isn't; is the USAG so concerned for its members to protect them from someone shady or is USAG simply protecting a competitive franchise of theirs? I'm of the opinion that USAG is trying to protect a competitive franchise and is out front to throw as much shade on this event as they can without being heavy-handed about it. My prediction.....by 2020, USAG will have an Xcel National Championship.

You are not getting it. Its not about beating them to the punch, or protecting a franchise by USAG. It is that this is NOT a USAG Xcel National Championship, as it was being presented to be. They have changed the name in the last couple of days to say Xcel USA Championship. It is obvious that they wanted everyone to think that it was an Xcel National Championship, using the scores from the USAG Xcel Regional championships as a pre-qualification to enter the meet. Giving the impression that this is like the JO Nationals, a meet that uses Regional scores/placements as a pre-qualification to enter the meet.

USAG is letting people know that this is not a USAG Xcel National Championship.

I know a thing or 2 about 360 sports productions, and its not surprising to me that they were trying to mislead people. I know I'll get the usual snarky answers from certain members here, but I have knowledge of things that I can't share here, and I'm just not surprised.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

You are not getting it. Its not about beating them to the punch, or protecting a franchise by USAG. It is that this is NOT a USAG Xcel National Championship, as it was being presented to be. They have changed the name in the last couple of days to say Xcel USA Championship. It is obvious that they wanted everyone to think that it was an Xcel National Championship, using the scores from the USAG Xcel Regional championships as a pre-qualification to enter the meet. Giving the impression that this is like the JO Nationals, a meet that uses Regional scores/placements as a pre-qualification to enter the meet.

USAG is letting people know that this is not a USAG Xcel National Championship.

I know a thing or 2 about 360 sports productions, and its not surprising to me that they were trying to mislead people. I know I'll get the usual snarky answers from certain members here, but I have knowledge of things that I can't share here, and I'm just not surprised.

I agree, a marketing ploy, to up interest and there by cash.

 

[raenndrops]

It is that this is NOT a USAG Xcel National Championship, as it was being presented to be. They have changed the name in the last couple of days to say Xcel USA Championship.

How is it that they changed the name in "the last couple of days" when it was the Xcel USA Championship Invitational at least as far back as April 26?

 

[3rd_time_around]

How is it that they changed the name in "the last couple of days" when it was the Xcel USA Championship Invitational at least as far back as April 26?

Because I'm extremely busy and my days run together and it feels like May just started. Sorry, I work 3 jobs and am the main taxi driver for my 4 kids, 1 of which is a senior with all that stuff, and in my mind its still like May 2 or 3. The name was changed. I've gotten at least 6 emails/messages/posts about this meet already.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

This was the original picture/logo. You can still find it by googling.

Even the original hyperlink was Xcel-National-Championships blah blah. It definitely made me think it could be a real Xcel nationals. DD's coaches however have been coaching for a zillion years and I'm sure the fact that it said invitational would have immediately let them know what it really was.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

This was the original picture/logo. You can still find it by googling.

View attachment 6718

Even the original hyperlink was Xcel-National-Championships blah blah. It definitely made me think it could be a real Xcel nationals. DD's coaches however have been coaching for a zillion years and I'm sure the fact that it said invitational would have immediately let them know what it really was.

Yep I can see parents and kids getting all excited about National and not read the fine tiny print Invitational.

Coaches however would go.... huh and start making calls to USAG. Which then caused USAG to tell the meet sponsor they were out of line and change it.

 

[MeetDirector]

They have a new web page up on the meet: Link Removed

This page has a list of questions and answers about the meet obviously as a result of the concerns raised here and elsewhere about this meet.

It is still a USAG sanctioned event, but that DOES NOT mean it is a USAG endorsed/sponsored meet; they simply have pulled a USAG sanction for the meet and therefore will be following USAG rules and policies in the conduct of the invitational meet.