Parents Is College Gym An Option?

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crazygymmom

Proud Parent
Hi! I'm more of a lurker than a poster and I enjoy learning from you all! I have a question, but background info may be helpful.

My daughter is a 13 year old level 9. Her story is a crazy one...
She started level L4 at 6, L5 at 7, L6 at 8, "skipped" 7, L8 at 9 (regional qualifier, fell apart mentally at regionals), L9 at 10 (regional qualifier, fell apart mentally at regionals)... and then the craziness...

She competed ok that season, but near the end started getting all kinds of blocks. Went back to L8 as at 11, still working through blocks (tsuk, giant, bhs bhs series, full-yes, one skill on every event!). She did well enough to qualify for regionals, but with all those blocks we didn't go.

During summer training she had an icky injury, took time off, and made the decision to switch gyms. (blocks were not being addressed by gym, viewed as defiance, major differences of opinion, not an easy change as she had been at initial gym for 9 years).

Training for last season at the new/current gym she injured herself again and she opted out of competing.

Now she is training for 9, has all her skills, feeling better mentally, etc.

For the question, my dd has her heart set on doing gym in college. Unfortunately, we are in a state/area where practicing 15-20 hours a week is the norm. I've read some posts here and learned of girls making commitments as 15-16-17 year olds and dd is not far from that. Is college gym a possibility for her doing "so little" training? She's willing to (and does) condition/watch videos/learn things (no actual practicing big skills) when not in gym so I understand that could count as "training" to a point...

Anyway, I appreciate any input (and no, moving is not an option right now).
 
Are you saying because she only practices 15-20 hours/week you don't think she has a shot at college gym?

If she has the skills/ability, it really shouldn't matter how much she practices. Our L8-10s only practice 16 hours/week during the school year (20 hours/week during the summer) and we have 4 girls heading into 10-12th grades with full college scholarships already committed. 1 girl graduating this past year had a full scholarship.

We have other girls that will go on to college gym without scholarships.
 
Yes, that's what I was wondering about, if she even had a shot up against gymnasts who practice nearly double of what she does. It just seems she wouldn't be as "refined" (I guess...).

That's great to hear about your gymnasts!
 
At some point, I think it is more about the talent of the girl than the hours, assuming you are getting enough hours to get you to that level.

My dd just moved to the 16/20 hour practice schedule and I do not think she will ever get a college scholarship because she just isn't at the level of talent & drive of these other girls. Even if she practiced 25 hours/week, I don't think she'd get there. She's a decent little gymnast (age 13 and trying to get to L8 this year), but nothing like the 13-15 yo L10s. She has too much fear!
 
To the OP -

I haved lived through the college recruiting process. In the end, it is not as much about the number of hours, but what they are doing in the hours spent training. I am going to be real with you (and I am going to reference the following to D1 programs) - your daughter will need to be a good level 10 (injury free) by her sophomore year. She will need to be competing 10.0 SV routines in videos that you share with colleges. She will need to be "visible" to colleges meaning she needs to attend college-bound camps and compete in the big meets that attract college coaches. She needs to be coached by someone with success coaching college recruits.

And, she will need to keep her academics up to her highest ability because she will still have to be academically qualifed to be admitted.

Good Luck
 
I would also add that there is a difference between competing on a college team and getting a scholarship. Division one teams have 12 scholarships to offer, but most carry a roster of about 18 or 19 athletes. If a gymnast has, say, a great vault(yurchenko full) or bar set(10 start value with potential to score 9.8+) by senior year of high school, she would have a great chance at a walk on spot at many division one schools.
 
Correct, 12 scholarship athletes total, average 3 scholarships per year. My experience shows that a full team is more like 16 to 17 athletes for only 4 -5 walk-ons total. My experience also shows that they are really looking for good all-arounders, event specialists would not be taken over an all-arounder. And remember, a walk-on has to be able to pay for college other ways, hence the emphasis on academics.
 
I spoke with a college gymnast who did no more than 20 hours a week. She told me that she always knew that she didn't want to commit to elite so she continued level 10. She was great all around and is still one of the best gymnast to come from our nearby college. It's not about the amount of time you are in the gym, it's more about the talent & drive to get it all done while you're there. Also, she came from a gym that has frequent college coaches coming in to watch the girls practice so I guess that increases the chances a bit as well?
 
Honesty is exactly what I need!

Her coach is an ex-D1 gymnast. I know that probably doesn't mean a whole lot. She has not coached any college recruits and had her first L10 last year (she's 14 and not interested in college gym). She also has a L9, 17 who doesn't want to continue in college. My dd, though, and her teammate, both L9, both 13, are very interested in college! My dd has wanted to be a college athlete since she started competing at 6.

As far as big meets, I will definitely talk with her coach about that. I think they do one a season.

Luckily, academics are great! She freaks out if she gets anything below a 95% and normally does not. She takes everything she does very seriously!

I am not trying to plan her future, but I would like to help dd take the right path if college gym is what she wants. Thanks again for all the input.
 
I spoke with a college gymnast who did no more than 20 hours a week. She told me that she always knew that she didn't want to commit to elite so she continued level 10. She was great all around and is still one of the best gymnast to come from our nearby college. It's not about the amount of time you are in the gym, it's more about the talent & drive to get it all done while you're there. Also, she came from a gym that has frequent college coaches coming in to watch the girls practice so I guess that increases the chances a bit as well?

Yes, I bet it does. We are close to a D1 school, and dd has been to their camp several times and knows most of the staff. The timing for the camp, though, didn't work out this year or last. I think I will try to make it a priority the next few years. I know that coaches from all over the country come and work with the girls.
 
OP -

It sounds like she is on the right path: talent, passion, and timing. Her coach is critical in the marketing process (and it is marketing); NCAA rules limit contact between college coaches and athletes, but not between the college coach and the club coach. Her coach needs to be her advocate with college coaches and help her get the exposure that is so critical. The club coach can go a long way to making this a successful journey.

Also, let me add that her college dream needs to be realistic. By that I mean look at the D1 schools out there and get a sense of who they are recruiting.

Good Luck.
 
And Division 3 schools, while they do not do scholarships for athletics will have academic money available for the right "fit"
 
If she has her eyes on a D1 scholarship, she will need to be a solid level 10 this season or next at the absolute latest.

By solid, I mean she will need to start out of a 10.0 on all events and should be competing at regionals, at the very least, if not NIT or nationals.

If she is looking at D2 or D3 or is interested in walking on, rather than a scholarship, she may have a bit more time.
 
We are just starting to go through the whole college recruiting process now. From all the info we have gathered so far, the top 20-30 schools start committing girls in the freshmen year (top 10 schools mostly) through sophomore year. But the lower ranked schools tend to start committing in later sophomore through early senior year. So as long as she is not set on a top 10-15 school, she has time to develop and perfect her skills. Now, if she is still having a lot of blocks, this will hinder her progression towards 10. Do you have confidence that your coaches will be able to train the higher level 10 skills? single bar releases, double backs/ twists, etc? She will definitely need these to be competetive in 10 and for the colleges to look at her.
 
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Although it may be the most conventional, there are plenty of girls who have not followed that exact path to D1 AmandaLynn is describing. So don't throw in the towel if that's not exactly how its going for your dd.

My dd talks about D1 as if she knows she's going and nothing is going to stand in her way. I worry a lot about that... But I tell myself if her passion is still that great entering her Jr/Sr year of high-school, and it isn't happening for her, she'll find a way to keep gym in her life as a college student if that's what she desires. There are plenty of ways. One example, our gym has a L10 going to a school with no team but she'll be coaching at a local gym, how wonderful is that?
 
Trust me when I tell you that the schools that are visiting gyms this summer are looking for 2018, 2019 officially. And even beyond that "unofficially". And they are interested in level 10s. Preferably those that have qualified to NIT or Nationals.

You may catch a break where a commit falls through in your graduation year and you can get into a D1 spot later, but it gets VERY stressful for the athlete the closer they get to their graduation year.

Another thing to factor in is that they are coming from a gym without a relationship with NCAA coaches. That makes a huge difference.

Long story short, there is a shot, but she needs to get in gear and make herself visible to college recruiters beginning this year. If she is competing level 9 this year, qualification to easterns/westerns with a strong performance should be the goal, and aim for level 10 By next year.
 
Now, if she is still having a lot of blocks, this will hinder her progression towards 10. Do you have confidence that your coaches will be able to train the higher level 10 skills? single bar releases, double backs/ twists, etc? She will definitely need these to be competetive in 10 and for the colleges to look at her.

Luckily, blocks are mostly gone thanks to A LOT of drills and going backwards to move forward.

She hasn't been on bars in a while because of a recent injury so we aren't sure about the block there. As she's slowly getting back on bars, her coaches are actually trying to build her confidence and excitement and have had her working toe shoots (brand new) and something else. She's loving them so we are hoping to have her good there (her WORST event!). But she does have a few different release moves. She had her double back and is working on it, too. Basically, she's starting over and loving it :)
 

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