WAG Changes to next years elite calendar

[my4buffaloes]

Great idea. I don't think it is fair they they can do both JO and elite. I think they should choose. Once they obtain elite score they should be able to compete in level 10/ open meets but not advance to regionals or nationals. JMHO

I agree with you. Gymnasts at the elite level are above and beyond those that stay JO. Frequently it seems that elites or drop back elites take spots from well deserving JO gymnasts at nationals. Which then means girls are not seen by college coaches which then effects scholarship offers. If you are elite, then you are elite, not JO anymore.

 

[lovofu]

Heard from a reputable source that next years American classic will ne held much earlier in the year, either end of February or early March. Which means new junior elites that are also doing JO won't be able to compete at nationals if they compete at the classic meet.

Any idea on what will happen then with the Nastia cup? Usually the same weekend as the American Cup.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Any idea on what will happen then with the Nastia cup? Usually the same weekend as the American Cup.

I don't think any of this will affect JO meets like the nastia cup.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

I agree with you. Gymnasts at the elite level are above and beyond those that stay JO. Frequently it seems that elites or drop back elites take spots from well deserving JO gymnasts at nationals. Which then means girls are not seen by college coaches which then effects scholarship offers. If you are elite, then you are elite, not JO anymore.

I dont agree with this. I want my daughter competing against the best in the sport.

 

[skschlag]

I dont agree with this. I want my daughter competing against the best in the sport.

Boys have to make this choice. My son will have to decide to do JE next year or go JO and do the region team. They can't do both...

 

[skschlag]

Boys have to make this choice. My son will have to decide to do JE next year or go JO and do the region team. They can't do both...

well, if he qualifies JE

 

[Texastwister]

I agree with you. Gymnasts at the elite level are above and beyond those that stay JO. Frequently it seems that elites or drop back elites take spots from well deserving JO gymnasts at nationals. Which then means girls are not seen by college coaches which then effects scholarship offers. If you are elite, then you are elite, not JO anymore.

I don’t see Sr. Elite girls competing in JO, unless they have dropped back down. Am I missing something?

 

[Texastwister]

I agree with you. Gymnasts at the elite level are above and beyond those that stay JO. Frequently it seems that elites or drop back elites take spots from well deserving JO gymnasts at nationals. Which then means girls are not seen by college coaches which then effects scholarship offers. If you are elite, then you are elite, not JO anymore.

Also most elite gymnast are committed . If a college coach is at jo’s And your daughter stands out, they will notice her with or without elites being there.

 

[amiandjim]

I don’t see Sr. Elite girls competing in JO, unless they have dropped back down. Am I missing something?

Faith Torrez qualified senior elite and competed at JO Nationals.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Faith Torrez qualified senior elite and competed at JO Nationals.

If you are a first year elite (junior or senior) you can still compete JO until you compete at a classic meet. Once you compete at a classic as a junior or senior elite you can no longer do JOZ without petitioning back down. With the first classic being before nationals next year any new elite who competes in that meet can not then do nationals. That is the boat we will be in. Lily really wants one more shot at a nationals title but if she qualifies as a junior elite and competes in the classic then she won't be able to compete at nationals. We may have her skip the first classic to get one more try at nationals.

 

[amiandjim]

If you are a first year elite (junior or senior) you can still compete JO until you compete at a classic meet. Once you compete at a classic as a junior or senior elite you can no longer do JOZ without petitioning back down. With the first classic being before nationals next year any new elite who competes in that meet can not then do nationals. That is the boat we will be in. Lily really wants one more shot at a nationals title but if she qualifies as a junior elite and competes in the classic then she won't be able to compete at nationals. We may have her skip the first classic to get one more try at nationals.

Yes, I realize that I was simply saying that a senior elite did compete at nationals.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Yes, I realize that I was simply saying that a senior elite did compete at nationals.

Well she wasn't technically a senior elite yet....

 

[Aussie_coach]

It does seem like there is a grey area. Sure true elites probabaly should not be competing againstnlevel 10's, but what about those 1st year qualifiers, who are aiming to break into the elite scene. It is a big transition.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I dont agree with this. I want my daughter competing against the best in the sport.

She is competing against the best in the sport. If she is JO then she is competing against the best in JO. If she is elite then she will compete against the best elites.

Plus you are not looking at it from the perspective of someone who is not trying for the elite route. There are no elite gyms in our area if that was a route we wanted to pursue (we do not, nor have we ever). Gymnasts that are not on that elite path cannot possibly compare with the coaching, the hours, the skills, etc of girls that are on that elite path. So they lose out in just attempting to make Nationals many times.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Also most elite gymnast are committed . If a college coach is at jo’s And your daughter stands out, they will notice her with or without elites being there.

In heavy elite areas there are plenty of girls that do not make Nationals at all because they cannot compete against elite level girls. Therefore the college coaches are not able to see them at Nationals.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

She is competing against the best in the sport. If she is JO then she is competing against the best in JO. If she is elite then she will compete against the best elites.

Plus you are not looking at it from the perspective of someone who is not trying for the elite route. There are no elite gyms in our area if that was a route we wanted to pursue (we do not, nor have we ever). Gymnasts that are not on that elite path cannot possibly compare with the coaching, the hours, the skills, etc of girls that are on that elite path. So they lose out in just attempting to make Nationals many times.

There are a lot of gyms that have elite trading where those girls only train elite and only compete in elite qualifier meets. I’m so happy that my daughters gym does not do that. Her elite training is only an additional 4 hours per week. And if she were only able to compete in elite qualifier meets then her friends and family would never get to come to a “home” meet since all elite qualifiers are far away from us. I’m thrilled that she can still do the fun JO meets and compete at state, regionals and nationals. If that hadn’t been an option for her I can guarantee that she would not have continued down the elite path.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

In heavy elite areas there are plenty of girls that do not make Nationals at all because they cannot compete against elite level girls. Therefore the college coaches are not able to see them at Nationals.

College coaches know about girls outside of nationals. It’s not like nationals is the only way to get on a college coaches radar.

 

[Texastwister]

In heavy elite areas there are plenty of girls that do not make Nationals at all because they cannot compete against elite level girls. Therefore the college coaches are not able to see them at Nationals.

There is a difference between girls who are training elite and girls who are actual elites. If you are training for elite doesn’t mean you’re going to become one, so these girls have every right to compete in jo’s.

 

[my4buffaloes]

There is a difference between girls who are training elite and girls who are actual elites. If you are training for elite doesn’t mean you’re going to become one, so these girls have every right to compete in jo’s.

You are right, if they are not elite yet then they have every right to compete JO.

 

[LemonLime]

The rule in question is very limited. Elites in the United States range from Simone Biles to 11-year-olds who earned 48s a few times and a magic 50.5 once. While no one wants to see an amanar at regionals, a low-nosed full yurchenko splat by a child under 5 feet tall shouldn't strike fear into the hearts of thousands.

USAG only allows two kinds of "elites" to compete at JO Nationals.

The first type are former elites who tend to dominate and are on their way to hardcore NCAA careers. They have every right to give up their elite status, adapt their routines, and compete head-to-head with the best JO athletes. Sr. C-Sr. F are like mini NCAA competitions and, if you want to compete NCAA, there's nothing wrong with competing on this playing field while in high school. Excellence creates more excellence.

The second type are brand-new elites who qualified for the first time in the weeks or few months prior to JO Nationals. I think two senior elites competed at JO nationals this year and they did very well. Around seven competed in Jr A and B with highly mixed results. Gymnasts this age fall a lot and are still learning. It seems unfair to say because they scored a 50.5 at one meet or camp they should not compete against other athletes their age who are similarly learning.

It is wildly important to qualify to JO nationals multiple years before the end of sophomore year to be seen by college coaches. Some club gyms do not attract college visits, and it's expensive to attend NCAA camps or big invitationals. If these baby elites truly dominated regionals and JO nationals - as if they might competing in a level 8 meet - maybe the rule should be re-evaluated. The truth is they don't. They do well, but qualifying elite in the weeks before or after JO Nationals does not transform them into Simone Biles. Also, the rule only applies to their first year elite. No gymnast will be knocked down to 8th place at regionals by the same gymnast multiple years and the vast majority of "elites" in this situation are in Jr. A and Jr. B.

The USAG rule which states a gymnast is not an elite until they compete at a Classic seems sound to me, as does the rule an elite who competes at a state meet is no longer an elite that calendar year. Regional imbalance seems the bigger problem to me than a handful of kids trying to catch their jaeger for the first time in a meet.

As an aside ... there are around seven bites at the apple to qualify elite in a given year, but only two (and rarely three) chances to qualify as an elite to Championships. The Classics are brutal meets. Nerves are strung super tight, one rolled ankle or illness takes you out for the year, and routines which used to score X instead score X minus .5 because E scores tighten. Any rule or schedule which discourages elite-qualified gymnasts from competing at every Classic for which they are eligible to compete is a bad rule. Love Championships and love JO Nationals, but I'd rather eat a bucket of worms than sit in the stands watching my children compete at a Classic meet or JO regionals again!