WAG Large meet/ Invitational favorites/ suggestions

[gasrgoose]

What are your favorite large meets or Invitationals? Which meets are the best organized? Any suggestions are appreciated. We are planning for next year optionals 7-10 girls. No west coast, the travel would probably be too difficult to arrange. Midwest or east coast? Bahamas?

 

[MeetDirector]

Chicago Style is huge and generally well-organized. 6 meets going on at the same time.
Kurt Thomas in Dallas is good; San Antonio Alamo Classic is good too. We've done both. Metroplex is also good.

Good Luck!

 

[MaryA]

Chicago Style is huge and generally well-organized.

Yes, I was skeptical about Chicago in February, but it was a good meet... Very well run. Well, awards were long and painful for DD's session. Someone needed to tell the announcer that he didn't need to tell us every single score going out 23 places... Top 3 would have been fine. He also didn't need to explain the tie process to us every time there was a tie. By level 7, most people understand the tie process anyway, and he explained it to us at the beginning of awards, but yet every time he would say, "O.K. There's a 3-way-tie for 15th place, so those will be 15th, 16th and 17th places." Every. Single. Time. Sorry... Apparently I needed to vent about that. But that was a small thing in a huge meet and I was really glad we went.

I think HC is talking about that San Antonio meet in the future. I LOVE visiting San Antonio!

 

[bookworm]

Chicago, hands down...we went to the big meet in Arizona one year but I wouldn't return to that one, and some of the Florida meets are just that, in Florida, but with not much else to offer although I will say the Sand Dollar Invitational was a decent Florida meet. We did the WOGA meet one year and let's just say that organization was not their strong suit...I didn't care for that meet at all. The Excalibur Cup in VA is a nice meet and not too difficult to get to as well.. The Christmas on the Chesapeake is also a nice meet in Baltimore but it's early in the season so some people don't like that but it's well run. If you had to pick one though, I'd go with Chicago.

 

[cbifoja]

We really enjoyed Circle of Stars in Indianapolis last month. We also went to Sand Dollar and it was okay but the venue was a little wonky because they had two gym set ups in the same area and the music sometimes drowned out the other gym.

We are getting ready to go to the Arnold in a couple of weeks!

 

[GymBeeMom]

Excalibur Cup in Virginia Beach. East coast, little chance of snow, well run meet. It was this past weekend, I think Feb. every year. Our 3rd year attending this meet and we really enjoy it.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Chicago Style--very well run. Did Sand Dollar this year and it was okay--expensive though. Have done Metroplex in the past. For some reason our coaches didn't care for it and we haven't been back.

 

[gymnastbeth]

I love the Chicago Style meet, my gym goes every year.

 

[Clover]

Circle of Stars, absolutely!

 

[pt coach]

I love Circle of Stars and Chicago Style. I also loved Atlantis Crown...because it is in the Bahamas! We tried a new meet this year in December called Gymnastics on The Grand. Absolutely loved it. They did event finals for levels 7-10 and that was a lot of fun!

 

[Granny Smith]

I'd vote for Chicago Style as well.

 

[GymBee97]

I have to say I loved the Sand Doller Invitational in Disney. Ok I love anything at Disney but it was a good meet and we got a mini vacation too. Had to stay 5 days at aleast LOL.

There is one too At Atlantis on Paradise Island that we had looked and and may do this next season. All the optionals are keen on going to that one. I wouldn't mind the bahamas for of course a few extra days just before Christmas!

 

[gasrgoose]

Thanks for the responses, so far. Chicago sounds really good, but the Alamo in Texas would be warmer. Does anyone have any comments on the Manhattan Classic? We love NY but how's the meet?

 

[Ingwe]

My Dd's Gym went to the Manhattan Classic this year. I thought the meet was okay. I didn't care for the venue(warehouse and totally freezing) or the seating. It was run well, and I have no "real" complaints about it. We go to a different "Travel" meet every year so we won't be going back there again any time soon.

That being said, the girls LOVED NYC. This was the 1st time there for most of them (We live in the deep South) and they just couldn't get enough of the city. In fact, my Dd announced that she would like to go to college somewhere in the area. (in 6 years lol)

We did this trip as a L9 and L10 trip only and it really was a great experience for the girls.

I am hoping for a warm weather trip for us next year. I did not like the freezing cold or snow.

 

[gasrgoose]

Thanks Ingwe. Also any great meets in AL, SC, NC, TN or northern FL?

We are in GA and trying to do fewer meets in GA next year but would like to be able to drive to some as well. Sounds like we are pretty similar to other gyms 1 or 2 big "travel meets" a year.

 

[Ingwe]

We seem to travel out of state a lot...(that gets old lol) we went to Atlanta Crown, and are going to The Pink Invitational in Savannah...among other so far this season

The Tiger Paw Classic in SC is a big meet and pretty popular. My personal opinion on that one is that is takes way too long. The sessions are like 3/4 hours long and they have way too many age groups. Awards take at least another 1 hour to get though.

Ozone in Tennessee is a good meet as well. Very well run. One of my favorite meets to attend.

We went the Bahamas meet in 2011 and I would go back there for sure. (mostly because it was the Bahamas in December lol)

 

[Gymdad2]

Bellasmom,

Welcome to the Arnold. We live 20 miles from Columbus so the Arnold was on the schedule every year for the 12 years dd was in usag jo. Haven't been for 2 years since she is now an ncaa gymnast. The Arnold is a good meet, well run, good venue, nice awards, and Arnold does give a welcoming speech at some sessions. My knock on the Arnold is that gymnastics is only a small part of the entire event and you have higher than normal costs for admission, parking, concessions, etc. I recall one year we had an afternoon session and we had to park blocks away with a long cold windy walk to the center as all the closer garages were full. The Columbus Convention Center is a huge multi-level building. It's easy to get lost in it and there is always a gigantic crowd for all of the on-going events and exhibits. Lastly, Columbus is March is not exactly a vacation wonderland but for all that it is a fun meet. I hope you enjoy your stay and good luck to Bella.

 

[MyBoysFlip]

Another note on Arnold- be prepared to explain to your kids why people are walking around "naked" as I was asked last year. It really is a great meet for people watching! Or just walk the long walk to the gymnastics area and stay there!