Talent Opportunity Program (TOP) TOPs is a talent search and educational program for female gymnasts, ages 7-11, and their coaches. The TOP program is designed to find "potentially" talented athletes and enhance the information flow and educational opportunities to the athletes, parents, and coaches to help improve the athlete's training. During the summer, gymnasts are evaluated on physical abilities at the regional level. From the more than 3,000 participants, approximately 300 gymnasts, ages 9-11, qualify to participate in the National TOPs testing.
At National Testing the gymnasts perform physical abilities tests including cast handstands, leg lifts, shoulder flexibility, split flexibility, sprint, rope climb, vertical jump, handstand hold and press handstands as well as perform required skills on each of the events including vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. The scores are tallied and the top 16-20 gymnasts nation-wide are named to the TOPs National Team. The next 20 girls in ranking order make up the TOPs "B" Team.
The National Team Members and the "B" Team Members will then travel to Bela Karolyi's Ranch in Houston, Texas, in December for a National Team training camp conducted by the USA Gymnastics National Coaching Staff. In 2005, Gym World EAST coach Tricia Ogle was appointed by USA Gymnastics to serve as the Arizona TOPS state manager. Additionally, Tricia was a member of the USA Gymnastics National Staff at the 2006 & 2007 TOPs National Testing in September in Houston. Congratulations Tricia! "It takes enthusiasm to get started, it takes committment to finish!"
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