What does it take to be elite?? - Page 4

**Geoffrey Taucer** · #31 02-28-2008, 06:22 PM

Well, it's not as if going elite and getting a scholarship are mutually exclusive.

If going elite is something you really want to do, then I say go for it with everything you've got.

lannamavity · #32 02-28-2008, 10:24 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by gymnasticsbabie hey, bad news.. my coach said I couldn't go into the elite group right now because of my bars. Im really bummed because its like my dream. i know everyones like, well you can just go and get a college scholorhsip, but thats really not what i want to do. i don't know if i should continue following what i want to do, or if i should just give it up. like i know if i upgrade my bar routine, she'll let me go. but i feel stupid asking again. ughhh its just really frustrating.. what now? continue on like nothing happened? or forget it and go to college...

It's sad to hear that NCAA would be such a disappointing fate

...but the truth is, I don't know that you are such a "shoe-in" to a good college team either. A good goal may be upgrading everywhere and seeing where the work takes you.

Working hard and proving that you want to be better may be more productive than just asking the coach if you can switch groups just to call yourself an "elite".

Dreaming about something and actually committing to the work are two very different things.

gymgymgymnast08 · #33 02-29-2008, 01:27 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by gymnasticsbabie hey, bad news.. my coach said I couldn't go into the elite group right now because of my bars. Im really bummed because its like my dream. i know everyones like, well you can just go and get a college scholorhsip, but thats really not what i want to do. i don't know if i should continue following what i want to do, or if i should just give it up. like i know if i upgrade my bar routine, she'll let me go. but i feel stupid asking again. ughhh its just really frustrating.. what now? continue on like nothing happened? or forget it and go to college...

aw that stinks. thats all the more reason to work harder on bars so you can get more skills and then become elite. then you can be like see I told you so to your coach.
just make sure you keep working harder and don't get discouraged!!!!

Tuduri · #34 03-07-2008, 12:21 PM

gymnasticsbabie:

Work on your bars. Then make elite. Then you will have an even better chance to get a scholarship. You will relish the feeling of showing your coach that you had the intestinal fortitude to do it. It will be an achievement you can look back on and enjoy while getting your doctorate.

We are all with you.

I am sending you the Spirit of the Flame mojo.

Tuduri

gymnasticsbabie · #35 03-07-2008, 07:06 PM

thanks everyone for your support, im talking to British Gymnastics about doing my A levels next year in England and then training over there. seriously confusing stuff to figure out haha

lannamavity: its not like collegiate gymnastics is a "disappointing" fate for me, well it is, but its not because I look down on it, or that i think it's second tear to elite gymnastics. how can i say that truthfully when sitting down to watch the Georgia gym dogs, or UCLA bruins? i just don't LIKE it. i dunno its like when i was in track i was a really good fit for the 4X1 team and we won the junior olympics one year as a team, but after that i was done. and they kept asking me to come back and i said no, because i just don't like dealing with the stress of everyone depending on me all the time. that sound REALLY bad and i can't really explain it. its like college gymnastics to me is so team oriented, i just would hate that everyone is disappointed in me for screwing things up. and i know i'll run into that in elite gymnastics, it just seems that you run into it a lot less frequently. don't get me wrong i think college gymnastics is wonderful, its just not for me. its not what think about all the time, and i've told my parents this they just don't want to listen because they say i need a "second choice" ughhhh

Tuduri · #36 03-07-2008, 10:25 PM

Gymbabie:

I know this may be difficult to do, but you have to look at the big picture. What you do after gymnastics is what is important in your future as an adult. Getting an advanced education is foremost. You will look back at gymnastics as a pleasant episode in your life whether or not you do gymnastics in college or whether you make elite.

Go for elite now when you have the chance. Whether you make it or not is really not important. What is important is whether you gave it your best shot. Latter in life you will want to know that you gave it your best shot.

So go out and improve and throw your best skills. If you make ellite, that's great. You will cherish this all of your life. Also, it will improve your chances of getting a college scholarship. But even if you don't male it, you will know that you gave it your best shot. That is all we can do in life. So just go for it. College will follow, whether on a gymnastics scholarship or not. But make the effort to reach the goal which you obviously wish to accomplish. Whether you compete in college or not, your degree of effort to accomplish your goal iof making the elite level is what will haunt or follow you all of your life. Make a resolution, go for it, live with it. You've completed only a fraction of your life. Look at it positively.

Tuduri

gymrunner · #37 03-09-2008, 08:42 AM

Think hard about that decision. My daughter began elite training when she was 11 and began suffering alot of injury issues and was just breaking down to the point she decided it was not worth it. It really depends on what you want out of the sport. If the Olympics or international competitions are a goal, and a realistic one given your talent, and you really, really want it - go for it. I've just seen so many talented girls go elite only to drop out of it because of injuries caused by the insane training regime. The coaching environment is also not the healthiest given our experience. If college is your goal, its not so important as college coaches want strong skills, but primarily they want you healthy and consistent. Good luck however you go with it.

gymrunner · #38 03-09-2008, 12:43 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by lannamavity It's sad to hear that NCAA would be such a disappointing fate ...but the truth is, I don't know that you are such a "shoe-in" to a good college team either. A good goal may be upgrading everywhere and seeing where the work takes you. Working hard and proving that you want to be better may be more productive than just asking the coach if you can switch groups just to call yourself an "elite". Dreaming about something and actually committing to the work are two very different things.

This is so true. To college coaches, the elite label means an entirely different thing. In fact, we encountered many college coaches when my daughter was recruited that shy'd away from recruiting elites because of past wear and tear and their inability to adjust to a lighter training regimine and different equipment settings and still maintain what they had as young elites. I know my daughter was chosen by a top 15 program over several elites. Also, elite means more when you are a younger gymnast than when you are 17 or 18. The name Holly Vise comes to mind. A good gymnast to be sure, but definately not what she was, nor is she even talked about as a top collegiate gymnast. If you look at the rankings of top ncaa gymnasts, you will see many level 10s routinely scoring better than elites in college. The top 2 collegiate freshman recruits for this year, Hannah Redmond and Jen Kessler, were both level 10s. There is so much competition for collegiate scholarships that there are definately no shoe ins, especially at the large programs, even if you call yourself an elite. basic skill level, consistency, maturity, coachability and even body type (and the parents' body type) are the important factors college coaches look at based on our experience.

lannamavity · #39 03-09-2008, 03:47 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by gymnasticsbabie thanks everyone for your support, im talking to British Gymnastics about doing my A levels next year in England and then training over there. seriously confusing stuff to figure out haha lannamavity: its not like collegiate gymnastics is a "disappointing" fate for me, well it is, but its not because I look down on it, or that i think it's second tear to elite gymnastics. how can i say that truthfully when sitting down to watch the Georgia gym dogs, or UCLA bruins? i just don't LIKE it. i dunno its like when i was in track i was a really good fit for the 4X1 team and we won the junior olympics one year as a team, but after that i was done. and they kept asking me to come back and i said no, because i just don't like dealing with the stress of everyone depending on me all the time. that sound REALLY bad and i can't really explain it. its like college gymnastics to me is so team oriented, i just would hate that everyone is disappointed in me for screwing things up. and i know i'll run into that in elite gymnastics, it just seems that you run into it a lot less frequently. don't get me wrong i think college gymnastics is wonderful, its just not for me. its not what think about all the time, and i've told my parents this they just don't want to listen because they say i need a "second choice" ughhhh

I appreciate your honesty, but the bottom line is that if you screw up on a college team, you still have the support of your team. If you screw up as an elite, your career is over and you are sitting there by yourself. That's reality.

As I said in past posts, you may want to find an ex-elite to talk to, so you can get the real story.

gymgymgymnast08 · #40 03-09-2008, 04:45 PM

This doesn't have anything to do with being elite but you said like you don't like your team counting on you and everything. I don't know if I like that. In level 6 It did not work I got liek a 6.8 on beam in level 7 it worked i got a 9.1 on beam in level 8 it works and it doesnt. lol.
But my team beasted it out today! LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!

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