WAG Xcel Hours

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XB 6 or 9
XS 12
XG 12
XP XD 16
There can be some crossover but Xcel is not used instead of compulsory. Xcel is pretty competitive here and DD's gym does pretty maxed out routines. DD is XG and doing L5/6 skills
That's more then my girl trains JO

When she was Level 2 it was 6 hrs a week
Level 3- 7.5
Level-4 will be 7.5 (coach would like more, but we'll see).

We have a high placing Level 4 who trains 2 days a week that's 5-6 hours a week.
 
That's more then my girl trains JO

When she was Level 2 it was 6 hrs a week
Level 3- 7.5
Level-4 will be 7.5 (coach would like more, but we'll see).

We have a high placing Level 4 who trains 2 days a week that's 5-6 hours a week.
At ODD's gym
L2s go 9
L3 go 12
L4 go 12 as well I think
At YDD's gym
Devo team goes 9
no L2 or L3
Level 4 12
no L5
L6 16.5

I think hours a your gym are really on the low side. Which to me is a good thing. My ODD was going to move to L6 but did not want to commit to 16,5. hours
 
I think hours a your gym are really on the low side. Which to me is a good thing.
I think it's a good thing too.

I was just curious because of the kinds of hours I see posted here and we have had some issues at a couple of our Xcel meets with parents at other gyms saying our girls doing both JO and Xcel train more hours so we are cheating. And from being on here and calling the gyms of the griping parents it's not true.
 
If they have a complaint about competing against gyms with more practice hours, then they need to switch to Amerikids. In Amerikids, you are grouped with gyms that train the same number of hours.

In Excel, the judges are looking for form and execution deductions only - just like in JO.
 
If they have a complaint about competing against gyms with more practice hours, then they need to switch to Amerikids. In Amerikids, you are grouped with gyms that train the same number of hours.

In Excel, the judges are looking for form and execution deductions only - just like in JO.
Yep I know apparently some of the parents didn't get the memo :)

And their argument doesn't even cut it, because we don't train more hours o_O
 
Our gym competes Amerikids and JO, but it sounds like our teams have low hours in general. My daughters will compete L2 Amerikids next year (one might move to L3 instead of repeating L2 depending on how the summer goes) and train 2×1.5 hrs per week. I think our JO optionals max out at 14 hrs per week with a few more hrs when they add a Saturday practice. I am happy with th e coaching and feel that the coaches have my kids' best interests in mind when making decisions.
 
Standard around here: Bronze 4, Silver 6, Gold 9 and we're not really an exception in that regard.

16 hours for bronze is literally the craziest thing I've ever heard. I can't even fathom what the reasoning would be behind competing that level while training those hours, but I'm certain I don't agree with it...flame away.
 
Standard around here: Bronze 4, Silver 6, Gold 9 and we're not really an exception in that regard.

16 hours for bronze is literally the craziest thing I've ever heard. I can't even fathom what the reasoning would be behind competing that level while training those hours, but I'm certain I don't agree with it...flame away.
That is completely ridiculous. That would even be on the high side for level 3. Up until this point I have had the kids preparing for Bronze 3 hours/week and they have mostly learned all of the skills they need (and I'm not coaching the bare minimum). There is some refining to be done when our hours finally increase to 5 over the summer, but there is no way I would have kids coming 16 hours/week competing Bronze.
 
I run the Xcel program at my gym, and we try our best to keep the kids' hours low because they are involved in more activities than just gymnastics. We still place in the top half at Bronze-Gold, and in the top third at Platinum and Diamond. The kids progress slower than those in the gym more, but the expectations are still high as far as technique and form go. We will occasionally have kids switch from one program to another, but not back and forth. They have the below required hours with the option to come to a 3.5 hour practice on Fridays.

Bronze - 5
Silver - 5-6
Gold - 6
Platinum - 6-9
Diamond - 9

Also, high school kids can come up to 15.5 hours in the summer, since they pretty much don't progress in the fall during high school season. The goal of our Xcel program is to create quality high school gymnasts.
 
That is completely ridiculous. That would even be on the high side for level 3. Up until this point I have had the kids preparing for Bronze 3 hours/week and they have mostly learned all of the skills they need (and I'm not coaching the bare minimum). There is some refining to be done when our hours finally increase to 5 over the summer, but there is no way I would have kids coming 16 hours/week competing Bronze.

That would be on the extremely high side for level 3. Most level 3 teams go 9-10 hours a week.
 
DD's current gym gives the Xcel kids the choice to go 5 or 7.5 hours a week. They have four workouts a week so I suppose one could go 10 hours, but that's not listed on the prices so I am not sure.
 
This is so not what USAG intended for the program.
Actually, though, it is allowed and acceptable.
From the Rules and Policies on the USAG website: "Athletes competing in both Xcel and the JO Program in the same competition year should register as an Athlete member."
They are ALLOWED to compete in 2 state meets a year (one per season). If compulsories are in the fall and Optionals / Xcel are in the spring, that is 2 different seasons. Why should a gymnast have their season end in December and have nothing to do (competition wise) until the following August.
I do think they need to be APPROPRIATELY placed in the proper Xcel Division (if they competed L3, they should compete Silver or Gold... depending on if they are expecting to move to L4 in the fall... If they competed L4, they should compete Gold or Platinum... If they competed L5 and are REPEATING L5 in the fall, they should compete Platinum; If they are NOT repeating, they should compete L6 or L7 and NOT Xcel).

I also don't think gymnasts that compete both should be eligible to compete at Xcel Regionals.... ESPECIALLY if they are competing Xcel and JO at the SAME time (in the same competitive season) and just CHOOSING to go to Xcel States because there is the possibility of a Regional Competition.
 
It just depends on your state. In my state it isn't possible to compete in two state meets in a season (that goes for all levels). You could theoretically do an Xcel Gold invitational and then level 6 the next week (just throwing out random choices) but since you can't do both state meets, no one does.
 
I do think they need to be APPROPRIATELY placed in the proper Xcel Division (if they competed L3, they should compete Silver or Gold... depending on if they are expecting to move to L4 in the fall... If they competed L4, they should compete Gold or Platinum... If they competed L5 and are REPEATING L5 in the fall, they should compete Platinum.

In our area, L3 and L4 tend to compete Bronze, L4/5 Silver, L5 Gold. Depends on the kid.

And remember the rule is you can't compete at more than 1 state meet a season AT THE SAME LEVEL. L4 and Excel Bronze are different levels. So you compete compulsories in the Fall, then Excel in the spring when your coaches are more concerned with their optionals group.
 
Actually, though, it is allowed and acceptable.

They are ALLOWED to compete in 2 state meets a year (one per season). If compulsories are in the fall and Optionals / Xcel are in the spring, that is 2 different seasons. Why should a gymnast have their season end in December and have nothing to do (competition wise) until the following August.
.


Well ,this is quite normal in most sports, and I wonder if competing for that many months in a row woudl contribute to higher burnout. Basketball, baseball, football, soccer, all have a season, and so does gymnastics. Also, IMO, that would be really hard on the pocketbook. My ds competes Dec-April/May, and that is plenty. He loves the off season, and having a chance to work skills without the stress of competing, and to get stronger. It also gives him a chance to be a kid.

Now, if a kiddo is moving from fall compulsaries to spring optionals, that is different, as they will have the off season. Or if they are planning not to compete the fall compulsaries that next year (ie..compete fall2014, spring 2015, spring 2016) but to do it regularly would, imo, be difficult for gymnasts and families.
 
Actually, though, it is allowed and
I also don't think gymnasts that compete both should be eligible to compete at Xcel Regionals.... ESPECIALLY if they are competing Xcel and JO at the SAME time (in the same competitive season) and just CHOOSING to go to Xcel States because there is the possibility of a Regional Competition.

Again no one is asking my opinion on rules. But if you compete, you should be able to compete the whole way. Been on both sides. Folks ticked at us for being too good. And smoked by those better then us. The rules are what they are.

But after this year I know one thing, you are planning on going to states or regionals for Xcel, its not recreational. Its competitive.
 

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