How are ages determined, and is membership required?
The ages of the athletes are determined as of December 31st of the year of the test. For example, an athlete who is 8 years old by December 31st must test with the 8 year old age group. In addition, the athlete must turn 7 during the current testing year before she is eligible to test and an athlete may not be 12 years of age any time during the testing year. All athletes MUST also be a registered USA Gymnastics Athlete Member.
What athletes are qualified?
Children are qualified for participation in TOPs if: a. They will be 7 to 11 years of age anytime during the current testing year, b. They have a CURRENT USA Gymnastics Athlete Membership, c. Their medical and accompanying forms have been completed, d. They are not a currently qualified Elite Level athlete.
What are the benefits of TOPs?
ATHLETES benefit by seeing clearly how their physical abilities and skills compare to other athletes of the same age from across the United States. The athletes get access to some of the leading authorities in gymnastics via the regional and national clinics. The athletes’ problem areas are identified and noted for more in-depth analysis and remediation. The athletes begin a tracking that will allow them to see how they have progressed from year to year. The 9-11 YEAR OLD AGE GROUP is invited to participate in a national test where they are evaluated by the USA Gymnastics national staff. They are then ranked with other gymnasts their age from across the nation. Those who qualify and pass the national testing will be invited to attend a training camp at USA Gymnastics expense. The training camp will include training, evaluations of the athlete's current performance status, and suggestions for improvement. The individual athlete's personal COACH will have an opportunity to see how his/her coaching efforts compare to the rest of the nation. The feedback from the TOPs testing can be invaluable in determining where the coach's methods stand relative to the rest of the nation. The coaches of all TOP age groups are eligible to attend the national testing and the national TOPs training camp, an opportunity that has been almost exclusively reserved for elite level coaches in the past. The TOPs training camp and other educational materials will be provided as part of the informational feedback to TOPs coaches.
Is there more information on TOPs on the Internet?
Yes, all this information, plus more on the TOPs program can be found on USA Gymnastics' Web Page. This information may be found at the TOPS web site.
Is selection into TOPs a guarantee for gymnastics success?
TOPs is an educational process designed to find "potentially" talented athletes and educate these athletes along with their coaches and parents. There are several factors involved in the development of an elite athlete, therefore, TOPs cannot be a guaranteed predictor of gymnastics success or failure.
Members of 2007 TOPs Team:
Alyssa LeFevre
Athena Pritchett
Haley Haynes-Carstens
Emily Rohach
Megan May
Selsabeel Elghandour
Shelbee Avelino
Pictures from TOPs State Testing
