WAG Reality Check re Div II or III Prospects

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moogacat

Proud Parent
By way of background: My daughter has done some form of gymnastics since she was 4, but didn't move to a competitive gym until she was 10. She's currently 13 and about to start her 4th competitive season. We moved there specifically to do Xcel, and have never seriously considered JO. She's got a lot of natural talent, and has already moved up to Diamond this season and is working L8-9 routines even at 10 hours a week. Her coaches have talked to her about possible college prospects, which would mean she'd need to move to JO after this season.

Are they just seeing potential that's not realistic? I wouldn't even imagine that a kid moving to JO at 14 would have a shot at even lower ranked Division 1, but wondered if maybe DII or III might be a possibility. My daughter is not sold yet and like a typical 13 year old has different thoughts depending on the day, but I can tell the comments are stuck in the back of her mind, and I want to make sure we keep some reality in the discussion. We don't have to make a decision even in the next few months, but she's started working out one day a week with the L8s and L9s, so the discussions about moving to JO are starting to happen more frequently.
 
At 14 years old, she can petition to JO, but I believe the entry level is level 7. I may be wrong, but pretty sure that’s the level. She’d then have to score out of level 7 to do 8, level 8 to do 9, etc. so keep that in mind. (It can be done quickly, but it would need to be done first). If she’s able to do level 9 and 10 after that, she has the same chance as anyone else at that level. JO scoring is tougher than Xcel, so be prepared for that also.
 
Rhode Island College has had level 7s compete ... totally reflected in how they score as a team... so I’d look at some of the D2 and 3 rosters and then look up their scores on mymeetscores and see what level and how they’ve done in club and that can give you a start
 
Also going to College Camps of interest in the summer is a good idea.

But JO track is pretty much the way to go. And how driven she is could make all the difference.
 
Sure it’s possible. Anything is possible. There are lots of stories of older girls doing college gym (mine was one of them). But the real determining factor is that your daughter has to want this, a lot. So yes, set her up, give her the chance and see what she does. The path will become clear.
 
Thanks all for the insight. Extremely helpful! Thankfully I’d already warned her she’d need to score out of Level 7 and 8 if she wanted to come over as a L9. I didn’t want to discourage her per se, but I also wanted to make sure no one was filling her head with ideas that were frankly silly and unreachable. It sounds like she might have a shot if she stays interested, stays healthy, and is willing to put in the work— all of which aren’t givens.
 
Wanted to add. If your gym has college connections that helps. And I’m sure someone will chime in to disagree.

But my experience with gymnasts and athletes I know. Actually life in general relationships matter. Our gym has had multiple athletes go to the same college. I’m sure the relationship of the coaches didn’t hurt.

Also why going to college summer camps are important.
 
Are they just seeing potential that's not realistic? I wouldn't even imagine that a kid moving to JO at 14 would have a shot at even lower ranked Division 1, but wondered if maybe DII or III might be a possibility. My daughter is not sold yet and like a typical 13 year old has different thoughts depending on the day, but I can tell the comments are stuck in the back of her mind, and I want to make sure we keep some reality in the discussion. We don't have to make a decision even in the next few months, but she's started working out one day a week with the L8s and L9s, so the discussions about moving to JO are starting to happen more frequently.

To answer your question I would ask what experience do your coaches have with coaching athletes to go on to compete in NCAA or USAG Collegiate gymnastics? Do they have any athletes that are currently being recruited or recently have been recruited? Do they have level 10s that are making JO Nationals? These things are not the end all be all, but would go to show that her coaches have the experience to get athletes to this level, and know where she stacks up compared with other gymnasts that they have coached to college level gymnastics.

Moving to JO would most likely give her a better shot at college gymnastics that staying Xcel. As far as D1, D2, or D3, the skill level in all 3 divisions has increased over the past few years, as has the difficulty and requirements for level 10 routines in general. Its not as easy to get that 10.0 start value anymore at level 10, and now most athletes hoping to be recruited are shooting for 10.1 start values.
 
To answer your question I would ask what experience do your coaches have with coaching athletes to go on to compete in NCAA or USAG Collegiate gymnastics? Do they have any athletes that are currently being recruited or recently have been recruited? Do they have level 10s that are making JO Nationals? These things are not the end all be all, but would go to show that her coaches have the experience to get athletes to this level, and know where she stacks up compared with other gymnasts that they have coached to college level gymnastics.

Moving to JO would most likely give her a better shot at college gymnastics that staying Xcel. As far as D1, D2, or D3, the skill level in all 3 divisions has increased over the past few years, as has the difficulty and requirements for level 10 routines in general. Its not as easy to get that 10.0 start value anymore at level 10, and now most athletes hoping to be recruited are shooting for 10.1 start values.
Sorry.....there is still no 10.1 SV. It’s a 10.00, with a +.1 bonus added to the earned score if all the conditions are met. No one can earn over a 10.00 SV in JO. Just clarifying. Carry on.
 
Sorry.....there is still no 10.1 SV. It’s a 10.00, with a +.1 bonus added to the earned score if all the conditions are met. No one can earn over a 10.00 SV in JO. Just clarifying. Carry on.

Yes! Sorry for the confusion. In our gym we just refer to it as a 10.1 start value (and yes...head coach has been a judge for many many years and understands the distinction, and this is still how they refer to it....) Most of our level 10s have at least one routine that has that "bonus tenth" if not several, so we just say 10.1.....So to clarify for the original poster, I will further clarify and rephrase:

Level 10 routines that meet requirements actually start out of a 9.5 not 10.0, then must build bonus (connections and multiple D skills...etc..) to get to a start value of a 10.0. Most athletes in our gym who are hoping to be recruited to D1 and D2 scholarships are aiming for bonus vaults that give the extra 10th, as well as bar beam and floor routines, meeting all level 10 requirements, with at least 6 tenths of bonus, and at least one E skill......I think that's what you need to get that extra tenth, but I could be wrong.....

Recent knowledge of composition deductions as well as connection values to get proper in bonus is a must, since so much has changed in the past couple of years, which is why I was asking if the OP's coaches have RECENT experience coaching athletes to collegiate gymnastics. My oldest started level 10 about 8 or so years ago so I have watched the changes and difficulty increase happen before my eyes! My other gymnasts have it way harder requirement-wise than she did at that time.

This may be TMI for most, but I hope that clarifies what I was trying to say :)
 
And of course in 2021 USAG is in a new cycle so we really don't know what changes will happen.
 

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