It’s nearing the end of the level 10 season and so, just as happens in college gymnastics, all eyes are on nationals. For every level 10 athlete trying to get recruited to a college team, qualifying to Level 10 nationals feels like the Holy Grail. It’s the meet where they have the opportunity to get as many coaches’ eyes on them as possible, and increase their chances of getting recruited to the school of their dreams.
Those eyes certainly are watching; flanking both sides of the competition floor sits almost every college coach in the country. They proudly drape their school’s flag over their table and search, with a list of names of potential recruits in hand, for the athletes who will contribute the most to their team and have the potential to fill holes in their lineups. They meet with coaches to try to get as much information about their potential recruit as possible. They can finally see the side of a recruit that you can’t see in an Instagram post or an email – how do they compete? How do they handle a bad warmup? How do they treat their coaches and teammates under stress?
By the time nationals rolls around in early May, most recruits have done their fair share of emailing and connecting with coaches online. Their goal is to do their best gymnastics possible to show the college coaches what they can do. But what about the club coaches of these recruitable athletes? What can they do to help get their athlete recruited? What do NCAA coaches want level 10 coaches to know about recruiting?
“I think club coaches have an enormous responsibility to their athletes,” said UNC head coach Danna Durante. ”From my perspective, they hold that student athlete’s ability to get to college in their hand, and it is a fragile thing.”
Club coaches have an obligation to set up their athletes for success, both inside and outside of the gym. Inside the gym, the foundation must be laid early on for the athlete to reach their potential; their strength and basics are the fundamental building blocks to becoming the type of gymnast that NCAA coaches want to recruit. Even as early as compulsory levels, the coaches must be aware of their impact on the development of their athletes. “Are they thinking about how much potential they can give this little gymnast to have?” Durante said.
Outside of the gym, the relationships club coaches build with college coaches are necessary to give a well-rounded picture of who the athlete is as a person–not just a gymnast–and nationals can be a great place to start those conversations.
“We’re trying to learn as much as we can about these young people beyond just their gymnastics,” said Durante. “So if you have a good relationship with that club coach, and it’s one of trust, and you know they’re being honest and forthcoming with you about the strengths and opportunities for growth for their athletes, then you feel like you’re getting real information.”
Club coaches spend so much time with these athletes and know them best; they know their work ethic, their injury history, their demeanor, and what kind of teammates they are. College coaches rely on club coaches to understand whether or not an athlete would be a good fit for the culture of their team.
“We view our club coaches of our athletes, our recruits, as partners,” Mizzou associate head coach Whitney Snowden said. “This is about helping the athlete to reach their potential and maximizing their experience, and I think you need to do that in partnership with their club coaches.”
Mike Hunger, previous owner of Twin City Twisters in Minnesota and current assistant coach at the University of Utah, has a lot of experience on both ends of the recruiting journey. “The first questions that college coaches always asked us when they came into our gym was not about the gymnastics. They can see that on video, they can see that in results. All that they generally ask is ‘what type of kid is this and are they going to be a good fit for our program?’” Hunger said.
When it comes to training inside the gym, NCAA coaches are looking for a few fundamental things.
“The basics, I think, are vitally important in the foundation that you’re instilling in your club athletes,” Durante said. “If their basics are strong, if their foundation is, both technically and strength wise, is strong, then those are the things that just make it easier for them to have some more immediate success, but also build off that success year to year.”
Club coaches have a lot more time with their athletes to clean up their form and basics early on in their development. NCAA coaches are much more limited on time, so recruiting an athlete with a great foundation of strength and clean skills can be just as important as the skills themselves.
“Ultimately, having options [for skill selection] is great, but being able to execute those skills with really refined form in a consistent manner, that’s what collegiate gymnastics tends to be about,” said Snowden. “That consistency level on a high level.”
It’s no secret that gymnastics can be hard on the body, so keeping the athlete healthy enough to have a long, thriving career also falls on the club coach’s shoulders. “I would say to do everything in your power to keep them as healthy as possible, and to me that means more soft surface landings,” Hunger said. “[Keep them] as healthy as you can keep them, because careers now are going longer than they used to.”
Club gymnastics tends to be more of an individual sport, a characteristic that changes entirely once gymnasts reach the NCAA. Finding an athlete who meshes well with the team and who can be a good leader is a priority for NCAA coaches, and club coaches have more to do with that than they realize. “As club coaches, I think we’re in the developmental stages,” said Hunger. “We have to impress upon our kids that, you know, what’s the old quote? ‘Don’t try to be the best on the team, be the best for the team.’” A club coach sets the tone for the culture in the gym by leading by example. The way they collaborate with their fellow coaches and talk to themselves and others teaches their athletes what is expected, behavior wise. The culture they create in practice builds good leaders who will lead an NCAA team, so it must be a priority, alongside coaching safe and technically sound gymnastics.
Gymnastics techniques are forever evolving, and it’s important for coaches to stay up to date with the latest. Other resources, both on recruiting and training, are available but can feel hard to find. What should a coach do if they want to learn more about recruiting?
“I would really encourage club coaches to start to tap into local colleges in their area and get as many perspectives and as much information as you can,” Durante said.
In recent years, there has been a mixer after the Saturday sessions where college coaches and club coaches can mingle and talk about recruits, which can be a great place to make connections. “Be brave,” Snowden said. “Don’t be intimidated by college coaches. We’re just coaches, and we want to continue to connect and meet people as well.”
All in all, remember to enjoy the process and focus on what matters: being the best coach you can be to your athlete, and showing up for them in every way. “You know, it’s just the bottom line…if you want to sell up our whole industry in one sentence, [it’s] you want to win, you work the hardest,” Hunger said. “Your number one job is to make sure that kid has the best performance she can.”
“Really [be] patient, and encourage the athletes to just take a breath and enjoy the process,” Snowden said. “Recruiting is supposed to be fun!”
With nationals just around the corner, club coaches are busy helping their level 10 athletes perfect every detail inside the gym in order to perform their best. Now, outside the gym, these same club coaches can do some prep of their own to ensure they have done everything possible to set up their athlete for a successful end to their recruiting journey. Let the next round of commitment announcements begin!
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Article by Annie Monks
