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Men's Artistic Gymnastics

skschlag

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So, D is heading into high school next year. Over the years, I have read a lot about recruiting for college for girls, but not really for boys. I have a few questions.

1. Is there anything he should be doing now to start the process? If not now, when?

2. What kinds of things should he do?

3. Do colleges look at JE vs JO when recruiting?

I know we have several boys in this area of life now....so any and all opinions, thoughts, ideas are welcomed!!!
 
So, D is heading into high school next year. Over the years, I have read a lot about recruiting for college for girls, but not really for boys. I have a few questions.

1. Is there anything he should be doing now to start the process? If not now, when?

2. What kinds of things should he do?

3. Do colleges look at JE vs JO when recruiting?

I know we have several boys in this area of life now....so any and all opinions, thoughts, ideas are welcomed!!!

1) next fall, have him register with the NCAA. 2) make sure his coach knows he wants to do college. Attending camps at colleges can be good. Stay healthy 3) Colleges look at both JE and JO.
 
One more thing. Next winter, after 1st semester, if his grades are high enough. Apply for USAG Academic All American
 
Sce, would the register for NCAA thing make sense if, say, hypothetically one had a child who is entering high school next fall as a 13 year old who will still be competing L9 next year?

(Still trying to process the reality that this kid is starting high school in the fall.)
 
Sce, would the register for NCAA thing make sense if, say, hypothetically one had a child who is entering high school next fall as a 13 year old who will still be competing L9 next year?

(Still trying to process the reality that this kid is starting high school in the fall.)

If he is a high school freshman next year and hopes to be a college athlete, then yes he should register with the NCAA during his freshman year. But, wow young high schooler!
 
If he is a high school freshman next year and hopes to be a college athlete, then yes he should register with the NCAA during his freshman year. But, wow young high schooler!

It's a long story, but basically we moved when he was almost three and didn't have him in a great preschool, so when we had the opportunity to get him out and into public school, we jumped on it. He was intellectually ready, but the first few years were occasionally challenging for Mr. Rigid Rule Follower, who simply could not understand why the other kids "refused" to play Connect Four correctly. Fun times.
 
If he is a high school freshman next year and hopes to be a college athlete, then yes he should register with the NCAA during his freshman year. But, wow young high schooler!

Good to know. Hadn't even thought about registering anywhere...
 
Staying healthy is the key. From my experience, there is not much to do as a Freshman or a Sophomore other than keep working hard and keep their grades up. Grades are more important than you might think. The student has to be able to get into the school as a regular student (this isn't like football recruiting). I don't think there is a rush to register with the NCAA. My son did it as a Junior. I think they really only need that so that they can take official visits as a senior.

Schools do look at both JE and JO. Many coaches were at first day of level 10 nationals all day. If you look at the list of kids that signed in November this year (on stickitmedia), you will see most are from JE, but there were a number of JO also.
 
Long way to go for me, so just curious...

I would assume that the junior year of high school is an important one for kids looking to be recruited? Where do they have to stand
on a national level to be attractive to colleges? If I wanted to be snoopy, would I just be looking at 16-17yo L10 results and assume that
those are the kids who are the juniors?
 
And another thing....

Let's say you had a goal school. Would it be helpful to track that team during your high school years, paying particular
attention to the strengths of the guys they'd be losing the year you'd be entering (so, like, the guys who would be seniors
the year that you'd be a HS senior) and see if you could match your strengths to those strengths. Like, if they're losing
their best "floor guy", wouldn't it make sense for you to work hard to develop your floor skills to be more attractive
to the college's coach?

Because that's totally what I would do, but when I asked the kid I know who's a junior this year (who has a pretty
strong preference for school) if he was doing that, he looked at me like I was crazy.

(I am crazy. But still...)

Maybe I've asked this before....
 
Well, I did talk to PD/HC a bit about it. He said to go ahead and start a youtube type channel, but not to stress over it yet. Also, he has talked to several coaches about ds, so that is helpful. But he wasn't worried about doing too much as an incoming freshman. I think I will just chill a bit and take his advice ;)

But if anyone has anything, it would be great general info. There are several boys in the same boat as ds, so it would be great to have some info on how this all works for the boys!
 
Lilmiss, the thing is that by the time they're teenagers, they are going to have their good and bad events. If by happy accident, your child's strength lies in what his preferred college is likely to want in his recruiting year, then all is well, but I don't think that most guys will be able to do more than nudge themselves up in that direction if they are already inclined that way. Mine is hoping to do college gym as well, but we are almost certain at this point that if he has exceptionally strong events, they are much more likely to be pommels (yes, despite the horror show of the last two years), parallel bars, and high bar. Unless something VERY unexpected happens, he's not going to catch anyone's eye on floor or vault. And while I think he has the potential to get good on rings, I don't expect him to get anywhere close to achieving that potential until he's at least 23 or so if he's still doing gym at that point.
 
I also recommend a twitter account that highlights not only gymnastics but the other positive things they do - if nothing else its a nice record as you go to fill out applications for schools and colleges. Just make sure it is professional and doesn't contain the sometimes seen "bad teen age stuff". Plus its fun to tag coaches, schools, and organizations and see it retweeted or favorited. I run ours - my kids might get them when they get older - maybe not!
 
Lilmiss, the thing is that by the time they're teenagers, they are going to have their good and bad events. If by happy accident, your child's strength lies in what his preferred college is likely to want in his recruiting year, then all is well, but I don't think that most guys will be able to do more than nudge themselves up in that direction if they are already inclined that way. Mine is hoping to do college gym as well, but we are almost certain at this point that if he has exceptionally strong events, they are much more likely to be pommels (yes, despite the horror show of the last two years), parallel bars, and high bar. Unless something VERY unexpected happens, he's not going to catch anyone's eye on floor or vault. And while I think he has the potential to get good on rings, I don't expect him to get anywhere close to achieving that potential until he's at least 23 or so if he's still doing gym at that point.

Thanks! I hadn't realized that things would be so "set" by the time a kid is 14ish. I guess it makes sense though.
 
It's a long story, but basically we moved when he was almost three and didn't have him in a great preschool, so when we had the opportunity to get him out and into public school, we jumped on it. He was intellectually ready, but the first few years were occasionally challenging for Mr. Rigid Rule Follower, who simply could not understand why the other kids "refused" to play Connect Four correctly. Fun times.
I have one of those! lol!
 
It's a long story, but basically we moved when he was almost three and didn't have him in a great preschool, so when we had the opportunity to get him out and into public school, we jumped on it. He was intellectually ready, but the first few years were occasionally challenging for Mr. Rigid Rule Follower, who simply could not understand why the other kids "refused" to play Connect Four correctly. Fun times.
sounds like a gymnast!
 

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