The Xcel Program was created as a national program in 2013, and by design, allows gymnasts to begin competing at a lower skill level than the Junior Olympic program. As designed through USA Gymnastics: “Xcel is an alternative USA Gymnastics competitive program offering individual flexibility to coaches and gymnasts. The goal of Xcel is to provide gymnasts of varying abilities and commitment levels the opportunity for a rewarding gymnastics experience.”
Xcel is a USA Gymnastics sanctioned recreational-competitive team, adopted by Gymnastics Canada. In the last several years, Xcel has developed into its own full program, with levels Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. These levels coincide with the Junior Olympic Levels in the High-Performance route.
The gymnasts will have their own routines which they will have the opportunity to compete!
The gymnasts work with the coaches and will pick floor music that fits their personality and style! Our competition season for Xcel begins in January and typically ends in early May; however, Xcel team girls train 10 months a year (September to June), with the option to continue training during the summer to maintain their skills.
The Xcel program was created to keep gymnasts involved and excited about the sport. In many other sports, athletes can start competing in games and tournaments very quickly after they begin. However, with gymnastics, this is not the reality. Athletes in gymnastics will train for several years before meeting the necessary requirements to be able to compete. The Xcel program bridges the gap and allows gymnasts to start competing sooner, by lowering the skill requirements at the entry level.
In addition to the basic entry levels, the Xcel program also has more advanced levels that allow gymnasts to keep competing in the Xcel program as they progress to higher level skills. The Xcel program is ideal for not only entry-level gymnasts, but also older gymnasts that are looking for a fun way to stay in shape and be involved in the sport.
