Event Specialist

[gymnast16]

Hello, currently, I am in level 5 gymnastics, and only a couple more years till college. One f the coaches at my gym recommended becoming a specialist in one or two events, to make the college team. Is this likely and a good idea? Basically, 2 full years to work on yurchenko fulls on vault if that is what i decide to do. If i dont make it, what would happen, would my work pay off, and what events would you recommend to be a specailist in? I am progressing well, back tuck, backwalkovers on beam, kips... ect.! thanks

 

[Deleted member D3987]

huh? level 5>couple years to college>yurchenko fulls. someone tell me if i missed something...

 

[gymdog]

The good thing is there are many colleges participating in NAIGC, which is a different stream of gymnastics, either for schools that don't offer intercollegiate competition, or for gymnasts who are looking for a program where they can compete a wider range of skills (i.e. you can pretty much do what you can and keep working).

It is, I guess, possible. I would have been on the not really possible side before, except I actually know someone who started competing gymnastics L5 at age 15 and did end up training two years after starting college, and was able to make a less competitive NCAA program...but still not doing yurchenko fulls. So I guess I can't say impossible in one respect. The yurchenko full part, I think, is probably unrealistic...unless you are already flipping yurchenkos.

 

[bookworm]

i have to agree with dunno...if you are only a Level 5 now, the likelihood of you learning and being able to compete a Yurchenko full successfully for a college level program in 2 years is pretty slim. You might be able to join a club team at a college for the sake of training and staying in the sport as an alternative but to really be an event specialist in vault doesn't seem like a realistic goal at this point.

 

[gym law mom]

Are you thinking of being an "official" event specialist in the USAG system? I know thats an option for L10s and maybe L9s(?). Lots of rules regarding scores you have to have and when you declare you are competing only as an event specialist. Do some research on it in the usag site and your state site. Thing is you still have to qualify up to at least L9(getting those mobility scores) over the next 2 years and if you're thinking about doing a yurchenko full, that vault is only allowed at L10, so you can't be say at L8 and do that vault in a meet so college coaches would see it.

I think both coaches have good advice regarding the yurchenko. My gymmie does them, but she has worked on timers, timers and more timers for 1 year before she started flipping them.

 

[bookworm]

I just looked at your post again and noticed you said you are "progressing nicely..doing back walkovers, working on a kip..." I don't know who is advising you on going the specialist route in college but given the skills you have at this point (i.e.no kip or walkover) I think this person, while he or she may be well meaning, is doing you a total disservice by getting your hopes up. You are not even into the second level of compulsories and as one prior poster said, the vault you aspire to is a Level 10 vault.

I would focus my energies on more realistic pursuits at this stage of the game. You said you are in high school...I would go the High School sport route where you are likely to be successful.

 

[GetaGrip]

The Yurchenko full part sounds a bit unrealistic, but I was level 5 last year and I can almost throw tsukaharas now, so I would say that a Yurchenko wouldn't be too much different if the fear factor doesn't hit you too hard.

 

[gymdog]

The Yurchenko full part sounds a bit unrealistic, but I was level 5 last year and I can almost throw tsukaharas now, so I would say that a Yurchenko wouldn't be too much different if the fear factor doesn't hit you too hard.

The entry is more difficult to perfect. Throwing a yurchenko usually takes longer. Many coaches today are going the flipping tsuks route as a lead up to eventual yurchenkos. It is a way to flip with a more familiar forward entry. The roundoff entry takes longer to develop.

Also, it took me a lot longer to learn how to twist on vault, and to be honest I was never very good at it. I could do a tuck full, but I had issues with opening up and getting into the twist correctly. I learned a pike tsuk in a couple weeks once I had some drills down. I have great fast twitch muscle and just about the minimum level of coordination it must take to be an optional gymnast, apparently. If I was one of the kids who started L8 at 10 or 11, yeah maybe, but I started late too. And it just wasn't enough time for me to develop something like that. If the girl had power, I'd probably be looking at front fronts.