WAG Targeting elite only "After level 10" - thoughts?

[Seeker]

Ashton was lvl 10 by age 11, did 5 years of lvl 10 before turning Elite as a specialist. Have there been other Elite specialists with 1 or 2 events to compete?

This also seems somewhat uncommon. Seems sort of an oddly fast trajectory and then 5yrs as L10 before elite? Was it during that time that she hurt her back?

 

[Aussie_coach]

Can you elaborate? First, how would a gym identify someone with elite potention "from the day they walk in the door?" And what would a gym be doing differently for someone who met that criteria?

You don't identify the talent the day they walk in the door, but have your program structured so all gymnasts of the appropriate age have the potential to work towards that goal.

Successful elite programs have their end goal in mind and design all their levels programs to provide the potential to reach this goal.

 

[Seeker]

You don't identify the talent the day they walk in the door, but have your program structured so all gymnasts of the appropriate age have the potential to work towards that goal.

Successful elite programs have their end goal in mind and design all their levels programs to provide the potential to reach this goal.

This is accurate based on our experience. Dd was just moved to the wider bar setting at 13. She has no interest in Elite, but the gym waited to move her until she was sure (or they were sure she wasn't going to change her mind!).

 

[CrazyCatLady]

You don't identify the talent the day they walk in the door, but have your program structured so all gymnasts of the appropriate age have the potential to work towards that goal.

Successful elite programs have their end goal in mind and design all their levels programs to provide the potential to reach this goal.

Good to hear that there are different ways of accomplishing the goal of elite.

 

[Jenny]

This is an interesting point I had not thought of, thank you. The bars setting is closer in FIG - that makes sense as a difficult switch. What, specifically, would be special about floor and beam routines that one would want to be taking into consideration in advance of the L10 season (if aiming for elite post L10)? Higher difficulty, I assume, but is there some kind of different construction or elements that one might not have been training toward in L10? If too complicated to fully explain, perhaps an example? Just curious.

Thanks again for the info share!

FIG routines on beam and floor have different requirements and also the deductions are generally doubled. So some skills might attract too many deductions to be worth doing in fig but would work for level 10. Some skills are also given a different (higher) value in Level 10 than in fig. eg a leap might be a 'b' worth 0.2 in fig but may be a 'c' worth 0.3 in level 10. Generally because fig is an open ended score gymnasts include as many skills and combinations of skills to raise their score. So you might see skills included which do not fulfill a criteria but are purely there to get a combination bonus. In level 10 once you have enough skills to reach a '10' and maybe one bonus you aren't going to add any more.

There are also differences in artistry requirements , standing still before tumbles deductions and lunging/ sticking landings on floor.

 

[gymgal]

This also seems somewhat uncommon. Seems sort of an oddly fast trajectory and then 5yrs as L10 before elite? Was it during that time that she hurt her back?

From looking at her scores on mymeetscores, she was originally at KPAC, which wasn't doing elite at the time, I believe. She moved over to Everest after the 2011 season. No personal knowledge but it seems that she likely was on the college track (4-6yrs in L10) but when she moved gyms, plans changed, or she moved gyms because she wanted to pursue elite.

 

[flipster]

From looking at her scores on mymeetscores, she was originally at KPAC, which wasn't doing elite at the time, I believe. She moved over to Everest after the 2011 season. No personal knowledge but it seems that she likely was on the college track (4-6yrs in L10) but when she moved gyms, plans changed, or she moved gyms because she wanted to pursue elite.

I wonder if she changed bar setting at the time of the move to FIG. If so, that is pretty amazing. She was about 16 y.o. then. Hard to believe it would be possible.

 

[LemonLime]

Ashton tested elite in 2012 at the Woga Classic. She must have just turned 14. Here are some videos: http://www.flogymnastics.com/video/607790-w-fx-e-everest-nc-2#.WNxaHjvyuM8

 

[flippingtogether]

Ashton tested elite in 2012 at the Woga Classic. She must have just turned 14. Here are some videos: http://www.flogymnastics.com/video/607790-w-fx-e-everest-nc-2#.WNxaHjvyuM8

Wow those long legs!!!!!!!