WAG Ideal age for going elite?

[wandrewsjr]

A few threads lately have me thinking, how young must girls start serious training to acheive their maximum potential, if elite is the goal? I see so often comments posted that encourage the slow and steady path, there is no rush, pushing skills too young leads to burnt out and injury.

But the best senior all-around gymnasts in the world the past few years - Wieber, Komova, Mustifina, Bross, Liukin - all started competing as junior international elites when they were between 10 and 12 years old. Johnson is an exception, she didn't become elite until the ripe old age of 13!

So, what does everyone think is the answer? Obviously a girl who is competing level 4 at 8 yrs old or level 5 at 10 yrs old is not going to be on the path towards going elite at 12. At what age do we have to decide if a girl wants to go down the elite path?

 

[bookworm]

I don't think you decide at "what age" a girl wants to go down the elite path...I think the girl's skills and progression will lead you to say "hmm, could she be a candidate for elite?" and I think that it usually does come up when a girl is around 11 or 12 years old and then the ball just rolls from there...

 

[AlwaysCuriousMom]

I don't think you decide at "what age" a girl wants to go down the elite path...I think the girl's skills and progression will lead you to say "hmm, could she be a candidate for elite?" and I think that it usually does come up when a girl is around 11 or 12 years old and then the ball just rolls from there...

Wouldn't it be more like 9 years old? There are alot of jr. elites that are 11 & 12 already. And this is so weird to me, as my DD is 8, lvl 5 and I feel like it would be impossible for her to be elite by 12, although in my mind she is incredibly talented. Everyone says "slow and steady," but I don't think in reality that is the case. My mind is just turning and it doesn't make any sense to me.

It seems to me that there are girls who are picked out at ages 5/6/7 who are specificaly trained with elite in mind. I would love for someone to tell me it's not like that.

 

[gymgal]

There really is no simple answer. Too many factors:

It depends on what type of gym you are at and how talented and motivated the gymnast is. It also depends on who you mean by elite - are we talking Olympic team caliber or just testing/competing elite - because there is a huge difference.

Most olympic bound gymnasts have done some level "skipping" somewhere along the way - some as much as 3 levels in one year. But the elite competitions are filled with girls who have gone through the levels one year at a time - you just don't hear about them as much because they "peaked" before they could make a name for themselves. I really hope this changes in the future with ladies like Sacromone, Johnson, and Memmal in the spot light at 20+ yrs. old.

If a parent really feels that their gymnast might be able to "make it" to the National team some day, then they are going to have to put her in a gym that caters to this. If a parent wants to give the gymnast the opportunity to compete elite (but not national team) or maybe a college scholarship, then the child still needs to be in a good gym but it is less important for the child to start super young and/or skip levels. From what I have been reading, you want a gymnast solidly competing level 10 by at least grade 10 for any chance at a scholarship in D1 school and obtaining elite status is almost a must with the big contenders.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

in utero...just sayin.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

in utero...just sayin.

I lol'd

 

[Aussie_coach]

In Australia, the goal is by 6 years of age. There is a separate competitive stream for developing elites. There are less levels it goes 1-2-3-5-6-8-10, but to give you an idea by level 2 they must be kipping, casting to handstands etc.

Kids start competing in these levels at 5-6 years of age and are sent to be trained in High performance centre's in each state and compete and train in a whole separate system. The absolute latest age they can enter this pathway is at level 5, at around 8 or 9.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

in utero...just sayin.

darn I knew I waited too long

 

[sportzmomov3]

in utero...just sayin.

If I could've liked this 100 x, I would have!!

 

[wandrewsjr]

in utero...just sayin.

Ok, this literally did make me laugh out loud. But, SERIOUSLY, this can't be too far from the truth with Jordan Wieber. She was COMPETING full-in double backs and double pikes at 10 years old. Isn't in utero about the time the progressions would have to start towards that(hopefully they at least waited until she could walk)?

 

[gymcoach26]

A few threads lately have me thinking, how young must girls start serious training to acheive their maximum potential, if elite is the goal? At what age do we have to decide if a girl wants to go down the elite path?

Because girls have to go elite at such an early age, that decision to try out that path would have to be thought of at an even earlier age (before most kids can even comprehend this) which leads me to think it's almost always initially the parents idea.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Know what level Alicia Sacramone was when she was 7 years old?

It's a trick question; she hadn't started gymnastics yet.

Intelligent and sustainable progression is always always always more important than fast progression.

 

[Faith]

Ok, this literally did make me laugh out loud. But, SERIOUSLY, this can't be too far from the truth with Jordan Wieber. She was COMPETING full-in double backs and double pikes at 10 years old. Isn't in utero about the time the progressions would have to start towards that(hopefully they at least waited until she could walk)?

According to Jordyn Weiber's website she started gymnastics at 4 years old. She competed Level 5 as a 7/8 year old in 2003, and qualified TOPS. Then she seems to have managed to jump to Level 10 by age 10. Although it does also say she competed Level 6 in 2004, Level 8 in 2005, and Level 10 in 2006, qualifying elite mid-2006 (at 10/11 years old).

I'd be interested to know how much up training she did though- she may have competed Level 5 but what level was she actually at skill wise.

I'd be worried that's 5 years of elite training before being eligible for senior competition. I suppose the question is is it easier to race and gain the skills young, and maintain them, or to take it slower and gain the skills along the way so you're ready with elite skills for senior competition. Isn't Lizzie Leduc one who qualified elite really young, but now has 5 years until "her" olympics?

I did read on a reputable gymnastics site that if a gymnast has reached Level 5 by 8 years old, then elite is still possible.

 

[maryRS]

With all this being said, it seems like a lot of things would have to happen, one of them being having parents who think their kid is it, and are willing to get them in a program where it can be possible. Face it you can have the most talented 6 year old, but if she is in a rec program, it is strongly unlikely she will make anything close to elite by 12 years old. So I'm thinking that your mom is probably going to be what we all call "one of those moms" who we all roll our eyes at, thinking oh yeah you think your kid is so great.....and they come here posting about how wonderful she is and gets put in her place lol. I'm only half joking here. It has to start young. I'm sure there are exceptions.

 

[wandrewsjr]

According to Jordyn Weiber's website she started gymnastics at 4 years old. She competed Level 5 as a 7/8 year old in 2003, and qualified TOPS. Then she seems to have managed to jump to Level 10 by age 10. Although it does also say she competed Level 6 in 2004, Level 8 in 2005, and Level 10 in 2006, qualifying elite mid-2006 (at 10/11 years old).

I'd be interested to know how much up training she did though- she may have competed Level 5 but what level was she actually at skill wise.

I'd be worried that's 5 years of elite training before being eligible for senior competition. I suppose the question is is it easier to race and gain the skills young, and maintain them, or to take it slower and gain the skills along the way so you're ready with elite skills for senior competition. Isn't Lizzie Leduc one who qualified elite really young, but now has 5 years until "her" olympics?

I did read on a reputable gymnastics site that if a gymnast has reached Level 5 by 8 years old, then elite is still possible.

I guess this would be my main question/concern, too. Were Wieber and Liukin better off having that 4 to 5 years of elite competition experience under their belt before they hit the big senior elite stage? Obviously it worked for them. But then there are of course the many "burn out" stories, whose names we will likely never know.

I would guess if you asked every athlete who was lead down the early training path, "was it worth it"? You would likely have a wide range of opinions.

 

[Kiwi]

In Australia, the goal is by 6 years of age. There is a separate competitive stream for developing elites. There are less levels it goes 1-2-3-5-6-8-10, but to give you an idea by level 2 they must be kipping, casting to handstands etc.

Kids start competing in these levels at 5-6 years of age and are sent to be trained in High performance centre's in each state and compete and train in a whole separate system. The absolute latest age they can enter this pathway is at level 5, at around 8 or 9.

Our gym and a few others in NZ are also using this system. New Zealand is so small and gymnastics such a small sport here that we get very few elites. At our gym, girls who are invited into competitive are placed in either the IDP or STEPs program. Sometimes if the coaches think they are not doing well enough in IDP they will be moved down to STEPs. To stay in IDP you need to be totally dedicated.

 

[sally]

HPC where my dd is at, give contracts to each gymnast on a yearly basis, so at the end of each year you have to wait for a new contract if you don't get one you have to go back to national levels or try for a club that does idp which there isn't many where we are from.

 

[LemonLime]

Wouldn't it be more like 9 years old? There are alot of jr. elites that are 11 & 12 already. And this is so weird to me, as my DD is 8, lvl 5 and I feel like it would be impossible for her to be elite by 12, although in my mind she is incredibly talented. Everyone says "slow and steady," but I don't think in reality that is the case. My mind is just turning and it doesn't make any sense to me.

It seems to me that there are girls who are picked out at ages 5/6/7 who are specificaly trained with elite in mind. I would love for someone to tell me it's not like that.

Once every few years there will be an 11 year old that qualifies elite (Lau, Key, Hernandez over 8 years?). Generally only one to three 12 year olds will qualify elite every year. The vast majority are 13 turning 14 and some are 16+ the first time they qualify (Howe, Jay).

 

[LemonLime]

Because girls have to go elite at such an early age, that decision to try out that path would have to be thought of at an even earlier age (before most kids can even comprehend this) which leads me to think it's almost always initially the parents idea.

Although a parent can take a child to a gym that has an elite program, their control over the situation ends there in 99% of the cases. A child being trained for elite begins with a plan made by the COACH.

 

[C's MOM]

A few threads lately have me thinking, how young must girls start serious training to acheive their maximum potential, if elite is the goal? I see so often comments posted that encourage the slow and steady path, there is no rush, pushing skills too young leads to burnt out and injury.

But the best senior all-around gymnasts in the world the past few years - Wieber, Komova, Mustifina, Bross, Liukin - all started competing as junior international elites when they were between 10 and 12 years old. Johnson is an exception, she didn't become elite until the ripe old age of 13!

So, what does everyone think is the answer? Obviously a girl who is competing level 4 at 8 yrs old or level 5 at 10 yrs old is not going to be on the path towards going elite at 12. At what age do we have to decide if a girl wants to go down the elite path?

I wonder why people are so concerned about this? I read the post where someone said they must be so young and that it is the parents initial idea. Well if that were true, do coaches really listen to parents enough to push a girl into the elite stream?
I also read the post about A Sac and I would like to think that like she a kid's motivation, desire, and strong work ethic would see them though that path regardless of age.
Ironically, my son asked me the question of how a gymnast becomes an elite. That question boggled me because I really don't know. Also, I trust DD's coaches enough to say they would have my child's best interest at heart. If they thought anything about her potential, they would tell me. And again, her motivation, desire, and strong work ethic would have to carry her through any path. My intervening would definitely kill any potential she may have. It kills her when I ask, "How was your day?" If she doesn't come out with, "Mom, I did a...Mom I got my..." It's a mood point for me to ask. Same goes for school! She's so independent and intrinsically motivated!!