Becoming a member of the United States elite gymnastics program takes hard work and dedication. The elite program consists of gymnasts who ultimately compete to make up the national team, which represents the United States all around the world, including at the Olympics. Besides being a gifted athlete, however, national team hopefuls must meet certain criteria and go through a rigorous qualification process for a shot at gymnastic stardom.
Men's and Women's Eligibility
Gymnasts aspiring to be selected for the elite program must compete in either the World Championships or the Pan American Games. The minimum eligibility requirements to be considered for nomination include an age minimum of 16, a valid FIG Athlete License and U.S. citizenship. The gymnast must hold a valid U.S. passport. The gymnast also must be a member in good standing of USA Gymnastics.
Women's Qualifications
Female gymnasts trying out for the elite program must achieve a compulsory score of 35.00 at a regional or national qualifying event. From there, hopeful gymnasts must earn a score of 54.00 at a Classic Competition event or on an international assignment to be able to compete at the national championships. The gymnasts who post the top six scores during the national championships are selected to the national team. In addition, coaches may select up to eight more gymnasts to the national team from both the junior and senior divisions, if necessary.
Men's Qualification
Men gymnasts competing for a slot in the elite program and the opportunity to compete as part of the world championships team must place first or second overall at the annual championship event. Additionally, a gymnast must place in the top three of up to six different individual events during the championship competition. A gymnast also can be chosen by the world championship team selection committee, no matter the scores he posts at the world championships. A petition for selection may also be submitted by the gymnast.
Competitions
Gymnasts selected for the men's and women's national teams must represent the United States at World Cup events, the World Championships, the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games. The national team roster remains the same for all of these competitions but can be altered by the men's and women's program committees. The committees also can change the selection and qualification procedures on an annual basis if they deem it necessary. Gymnasts may be subjected to testing for doping before or after competitions, which is a process governed by various organizations involved in coordinating competitions.
Member Comments