WAG Put into Xcel without being told

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gymmom27

Has anyone's daughter been put into the Xcel track without being told?

My daughter is 9 and was told she was moving up to the Bronze level of team. We were expecting level 3 or 4 and since I had never heard of Bronze I started researching and learned about Xcel. I think the idea of the program is great, what I'm not happy with is the way the gym approached it. They put her into the Xcel track at the pre-team level but didn't tell us, we were only told she was moving to pre-team. When I called the gym to ask about the Xcel program last week I was told that it was their "B team and JO is the A team" and to think of it "as the major leagues vs the minor leagues, the major leagues being JO." When I asked why we weren't given a choice in the two tracks I was told that because my daughter moved to pre-team at 8 she missed the cut-off for the JO path. Apparently in our gym you have to move to pre-team by the time you're 7.

My concern is the way they approach JO vs Xcel. If my daughter decides to go Xcel that's fine, but I wish it had been a choice we were aware of when the decision was made. There are other smaller gyms in the area that will take a 9 year old for L3 or L4 if we want to go the JO route. Are most gyms like our current gym or is it unusual to be automatically placed in one track or another?
 
From what I have seen, gyms usually let it be known that there are 2 tracks and make parents aware of what they are getting into.

I don't like the way your gym views Xcel though. It is not a "lesser" track - Major vs Minor leagues kind of thing. Xcel is merely a DIFFERENT track than JO... in fact, I think for the early levels, it is better because the girls can play to their strengths from the beginning. The whole goal of JO is to "Make it to Optionals" ... well, Xcel is all optionals, all the time! At some gyms, they will move a girl into JO (after scoring out of L4 and L5) when she is ready for JO Optionals.

Depending on how high the Xcel program at your gym goes, you may want to consider a gym move sooner rather than later.
 
At our gym, there are also 2 tracks. You aren't given a choice but are told what team your DD will be offered. Typically, we wouldn't be able to negotiate where we want our child to be placed. It is possible at our gym to cross over to JO track at some point, although, I've read on CB that it's generally not the case at other gyms. Did you ask if she competes bronze this season if she might cross over to JO at some point later? We had 3 older silver girls come to L4 this year and I believe they will get to score out to L5 also.
 
Does she have the skills for level 4? If so, Xcel Bronze is absolutely ABSURD. (does she have a kip? Cartwheel on beam? double back handspring?) Xcel Bronze, at least in our area is like levels 1 and 2. If she has the skills for level 3 and possibly 4 and they are placing her on Bronze, I'd have major issues with that.

And I agree with the pp. I don't like the way that they are looking at it and that they say 8 years old is too old. I'd consider looking into other gyms.
 
Yes, exact same thing happened to my DD. She was invited to join a "team", nobody ever explain to us what the "team" was, until a few months later I realized that something was off, and did my own research, and figured out the difference between JO and Xcel. I was furious too that we were never given a choice, they just decided that my DD would fit better in Xcel, and they put her there. When I approached them and asked about the possibility of switching to JO, I was told that she was too old (8 by then). We switched to a different gym, where DD competed L3 and is now training for L4.
At our current gym everyone goes JO route, unless they WANT to go Xcel.
 
I wouldn't be happy with the way that was handled. Even if your daughter doesn't have qualities or skills x, y, and z that your specific gym may be looking for to join JO, everything should have been introduced to you the moment you expressed interest in a team track.

I also find it sad they are referring to JO/Xcel like major and minors. Though that may be the case in your specific gym (only selecting the most obviously talented at an early age for JO), the program is used in different ways at different gyms/parts of the country.

Another posted asked about your daughter's skills - if she has most/all of level 3 or 4, then looking for another gym might be her best option if she really wants to go JO.

Imo, this was handled poorly. Sad for your DD to have one expectation then not be offered a spot. booo.
 
At our current gym everyone goes JO route, unless they WANT to go Xcel.

This seems to be how it is at DD's gym also. Very occasionally someone will switch tracks though. One of DD's teammates chose to switch to Xcel after a season of (old) L5. Another gymnast switched from Xcel to JO and competed with DD's team to score out at L4 and L5. If I had to guess her age, I'd say she was 13/14 at the time?

Xcel is a great option for girls who love gymnastics and competing but also want to play another sport, or those who don't want to spend 5-6 days in the gym!
 
At dd's gym its the JO track or nothing. The goal being high-level optional gymnastics aiming for college. If the JO track isn't for them, they go elsewhere. This is not to say that Xcel isn't a good program, it just has its limitations planned into the program. DD's gym has so many JO girls that there flat isn't any room to accomodate the Xcel program.

In your case, I would be very upset. 8 is not too young for JO level 4 by any stretch. And to be slotted into a program that you knew nothing about without your consent would send me through the roof. I would look for another club sooner, rather than later. You need to sit with your dd and really understand what her goals are and move forward based on that.
 
It sounds like our old gym. My DD wad placed in Xcel after being told level 3/4. But, now everything has changed and level 4 now is a "tougher" level to get through. Gotta have that darn kip!
 
I asked about the possibility of moving over to JO after competing Xcel and the same lady told me that doesn't happen. So if DD wants to compete JO and we can't talk her current gym into moving her over we'll have to switch gyms. :mad: To make it more frustrating the other gym close to us is smaller and farther away. Although they have level 10 gymnasts while our current gym has a few elite level girls.

A pp asked what skills she has. She has a round off back handspring and front handspring but not the double back handspring. She has long hang kip (I think that's what it's called - jumping from a platform to the bar over a pit) but she hasn't gotten her kip from the floor yet. Maybe these are the reasons they were looking at Bronze for her? She does have a cartwheel, back walkover and the level 4 dismount on beam.
 
That is what I'm thinking. *IF* doing Xcel, why not Silver?? I can see not doing level 4 if she doesn't have the kip unless you still have a while until season starts (I know some areas of the country don't start until winter). If season is still a ways off, I'd think they could give a chance who has one kip to get the other . My DD got her low bar kip 1 week after getting her high bar and it seemed most of her team mates got one soon after the other.

But regardless. Xcel Bronze is not the right place. Maybe Silver or level 3, or even 4 if she gets that the other kip and there is time to work on it.

Between the Bronze placement, the lack of communication and their view on B teaming a 9 year old, I'd look to leave.
 
She has a round off back handspring and front handspring but not the double back handspring. She has long hang kip (I think that's what it's called - jumping from a platform to the bar over a pit) but she hasn't gotten her kip from the floor yet. Maybe these are the reasons they were looking at Bronze for her? She does have a cartwheel, back walkover and the level 4 dismount on beam.
She is WAY past Bronze. She would not be allowed to compete the RO BHS and the FHS if she competes Bronze, but it is perfect for Silver.
She could definitely do Silver (or be close to Gold in Xcel). Neither of these levels REQUIRE a kip.

With this new information, it is time to check out the other gym.
 
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It is odd that the track was no explained at the pre-team level. Knowing the gym's philosophy it may not be the best fit for your daughter.
 
That is crazy! DD's gym does xcel but they do it in a competitive way. Train optionals from the get go. To have athletes belittled to 'B or minor league" athletes is ridiculous. I would be looking for another gym!
 
That is crazy! DD's gym does xcel but they do it in a competitive way. Train optionals from the get go. To have athletes belittled to 'B or minor league" athletes is ridiculous. I would be looking for another gym!
I think some gyms do use Xcel as a less serious. As others have said, it requires less hours etc and does not lead to college or elite. But which track should be partly the athletes choice.
 
Now that you listed her skills, assuming her form is halfway decent (not abysmal), your 9 year old should definitely be on JO Level 3 or 4 (depending on when comp season starts), or Xcel Silver if she wants the Xcel track.

If she has a long-hang kip already, I'm gong to predict she could do well in JO. Bars are often the killer apparatus and kipping at all is a great sign. The other kip is often soon to come. And her beam skills are great for her age and experience.

Were there any other reasons, other than age, that were cited for your daughter NOT being selected for JO at your gym? Did they mention form, flexibility, strength or perceived work ethic or anything? If it's age alone, this is very sad for your DD. I hope you can make another gym work for her if she has the desire and time commitment for a JO track. If Xcel is preferred or equally acceptable to her, then perhaps negotiate to start at Silver, if possible, at your current gym if moving is not a viable option.
 
I think some gyms do use Xcel as a less serious. As others have said, it requires less hours etc and does not lead to college or elite. But which track should be partly the athletes choice.

I know xcel is used differently at different gyms. I am just saying to is wrong to call young kids B athletes or minor league caliber. Even if a gym uses xcel as an "easier" program to say an 8 year old can never progress out of xcel to JO is crazy on my opinion. It isn't a gym I would want my daughter training in.
 

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