WAG High School Gym

[gymnast4]

Sad to say I just completed my final season of competing with my club! I had an awesome four years competing but I'm starting high school next year and I don't want to do another year of xcel. I really want to do high school gym in the winter but I don't know if I would be able to make the team. Most of the girls are at least L7 and higher and the highest level I've competed is xcel gold. I was wondering if anyone could suggest a plan of what skills I should definitely have for hs tryouts and what the coaches are going to be looking for. Starting now through summer and fall I will be going to the "high school classes" offered at my gym which are basically open gyms w/ a little structure. They are twice a week for 1.5 hours each which really doesn't seem like enough to me but that's basically my only option. So I would be so thankful if someone could tell me a good plan for workouts and getting new skills and conditioning since I won't have a "team coach" for a while to structure my practices.
Here's a list of the skills I have:
Vault- fhs
Bars- pullover, cast to horizontal, back & front hip circles, squat on, jump to high bar, long hang pullover, long bar kip (just started making these)
Beam- cartwheel, handstand, full turn, split leap, tuck jump, wolf jump, split jump 1/4 turn, front tuck dismount
Floor- robhs, front tuck, 1 1/2 turn, fhs walk out, switch leap, variety of jumps,
Here's a list of the skills I'm currently working on:
Bars- kips
Beam- back walkovers, switch leap, straddle jump, pike jump, tuck jump 1/2 turn, roundoff
Floor- front tuck step-out robhs, round off back tuck, robhs x2, fhs step out robhs

 

[Gymkateer]

Honestly, your best bet might be to ask the high school coach. In my area, the teams range from beginner to advanced. The coach of the particular team you want to join will know best what level is needed.

 

[ivyagogo]

You'd do just fine at our high school. I think it all depends on where you live and what the coach expects. Move here and we'd love to have you!

 

[fuzi]

A lot of this depends on what state or region you are in. Your best bet would be to ask your coach what skills you should be working on.

If you can't do that, PM me your state or region and I can try to help you interrupt the rules in your area to be as competitive as possible.

 

[raenndrops]

In Ohio, HS gymnastics uses Modified L8 rules (with L9 vault values). Of course, most teams in our Conference are willing to take girls who basically have at least L3 skills... and if they don't have 12 girls that meet that qualification, they are willing to take girls who have L3 skills on 3 events. They aren't necessarily guaranteed to be able to compete much, but they do compete some.
We had a girl on our HS team that competes Xcel Gold. We had another that is Xcel Platinum... one that retired after her 2nd Old L4 season due to back issues (she only competed bars and beam for the HS), one that competed through Old L5, some L7s, and a L10 gymnast.
Depending on your area and the rules, it may benefit you to be an event specialist and focus on 1-2 events. Our girls were trying to figure out 4 B skills on each of the events they were looking to compete. This was our first year having a HS team and the ones that didn't quit because it "wasn't what I thought it would be" all earned their Varsity Letters. The L10 even made it to States!

 

[SuperGirlmlm]

You said most were level 7 and up, does that include the JV team if you have one?
I have a friend on hs team and I've been to a few meets, and a common vault is a fhs half twist/full or half on, twist off.

 

[vagymmomma]

Do you know any current girls on team? They could probably be a great resource as well as the coach. I think how much you compete will depend on your team. Some high schools would turn cartwheels (ha ha) to get an xcel gold member girl but others are loaded with optional club girls. High school gym is about team though and I have heard will be a great experience in any case.

 

[raenndrops]

You said most were level 7 and up, does that include the JV team if you have one?
I have a friend on hs team and I've been to a few meets, and a common vault is a fhs half twist/full or half on, twist off.

We had one girl competing a tsuk, but most of our girls competed 1/2 on-1/2 off (which they learned specifically for HS). Our "back ups" competed FHS.

 

[gymnast4]

Thanks everyone. All of the girls on the team made it to state and the team actually took 1st. We only have varsity- no JV. I think the requirements are modified level 8/9. Also, does anyone have experience with tryouts because I'm mainly nervous for the tryouts.