Earlier this year, USA Gymnastics (USAG) announced the launch of an Xcel Sapphire division, a pilot program for 2022-23. 

     USAG Sapphire provides a level above Xcel Diamond for upper-level gymnasts who want to continue in the sport.

     The USAG Xcel Program runs parallel to their Development Program (DP), formerly the Junior Olympic (JO) Program, which is founded on progressing through their numerically-based levels (e.g., DP Levels 1-10). The Xcel Program is a completely separate program from DP.

     “The Xcel Sapphire Program offers gymnasts who can perform higher-level skills and bonus combinations at an Xcel Diamond level (and beyond) the unique opportunity to advance,” said USAG judge, gymnastics coach and former elite collegiate gymnast E. McMurray.

     Gymnastics coaches and gymnastics academies/gyms across the U.S. that have been requesting an Xcel program higher than Diamond have finally gotten their wish.

     “The National Xcel Committee is very excited to provide an opportunity for athletes to experience a more challenging division that will allow them to grow and progress within the philosophy of the Xcel Program,” said National Xcel Committee Chairman Claudia Kretschmer. “This will be a pilot year, and we look forward to receiving feedback from the membership to help the program grow.”

     The Xcel Sapphire program, a volunteer-based pilot program, will roll out to four participating regions during the 2022-23 competition season, beginning this fall. The participating regions include the following:

• Region 3: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming
• Region 6: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont
• Region 7: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia
• Region 8: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee

     Region 5 comprised Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, which did not volunteer and as such, is not a participant in the pilot. Region 5, in the heart of the Midwest, is among the top five regions in the U.S. consistently turning out talented, skillful and strong NCAA Division 1, 2 and 3 gymnasts as well as acro/tumbling-eligible gymnasts year after year in DP and Xcel programs. When asked why, USAG Xcel Chair for Region 5 Nancy Gibson declined to comment, but McMurray did offer her thoughts.

     “I’m not certain why Region 5 did not participate. My opinion is that because Region 5 is among the top five regions in the country, they’d rather stick to focusing on DP priorities. I don’t think Region 5’s absence will have a huge impact on the Xcel Sapphire pilot program, though I am disappointed they chose not to participate,” McMurray said.

     Xcel Sapphire is for gymnasts who are able to meet and exceed the Xcel Diamond requirements. Excel Gymnastics Academy head coach Dayna Schmuggerow affirmed the importance of an Xcel Sapphire Program.

     “I believe Sapphire will offer gymnasts rising through the Xcel program viable means to hone, perfect and challenge themselves further,” Schmuggerow said. “Sapphire is a great option for gymnasts who can perform DP level 9 and 10 skills. It is also a solid path for a gymnast who is strong on one or two events (e.g., beam and floor) but is unable to move up because of weakness on another event (e.g., vault). Sapphire will serve these gymnasts well because it showcases their best abilities.”

     Founded as a national program in 2013, the Xcel Program enables gymnasts to start competing at lower skill levels. There are five divisions in the Xcel program: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and now, a pilot for Sapphire. All Xcel divisions have optional rules. There are four to five routine requirements and each gymnast can have their routine choreographed for their personality and individual strengths and weaknesses. In the USAG DP, the routine is already choreographed and every gymnast must perform the routine exactly the same. As such, the judging is more strict and produces lower scores than what the gymnast may achieve in Xcel. 

     McMurray stated, “I think the main reason for this new, higher Xcel level is to better serve the gymnasts who fall more into DP 7-10 skill levels. Xcel Diamond is currently meant to serve gymnasts who have either worked their way from Xcel Bronze or have decided to leave the DP program in favor of Xcel, and their skill set lies somewhere in between DP levels 7-10.” 

     While there is not a completely equitable comparison from the Xcel Program levels to DP, the USAG website does offer a rough comparison:

• Xcel Bronze to DP 1-2
• Xcel Silver to DP 3
• Xcel Gold to DP 4/5
• Xcel Platinum to DP 5/6
• Xcel Diamond to DP 6/7
• Xcel Pilot Sapphire to DP 8, 9 and 10

     McMurray emphasized, “Gymnasts specifically coming from DP levels 8-10 have no other choice to compete in the Xcel program if their gym does not offer USAG DP. There is a growing number of gyms dropping USAG DP because of financial hardships associated with these levels, lack of skilled/experienced coaches and the time commitment required for gymnasts to be successful at DP levels 8-10. Gymnasts at these levels come to a point where they either need or want to back off of their over 20 hours per week of training to safely perform well. Now, they can turn to Xcel Sapphire and continue to be challenged. Sapphire is a step up from Xcel Diamond, which is essentially DP 7 rules with the option to add in higher skills without DP deductions.”

     To compete in USAG Xcel Sapphire, gymnasts must be at least 12 years old, have scored a 34 (all around) at Xcel Diamond and have completed DP Levels 8, 9 or 10. Gymnasts can also submit a video and petition to their assigned regional chair.

     Xcel Sapphire Program gymnasts are eligible to prepare for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) acro/tumbling teams, NCAA Division 3 teams or National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) college club gymnastics. McMurray agreed with the USAG and said, “With more collegiate Division 3 teams/programs starting up as well as acro/tumbling teams and programs, I think Xcel Sapphire will be key for many gymnasts aspiring to make their way into the college scene.”

     The thought process behind the naming convention of the Xcel Sapphire Program has not yet been disclosed. However, it is the belief of Schmuggerow that, “Sapphire is blue. Blue is widely known as a first-place color (e.g., a blue ribbon). With this visual association in mind, perhaps USAG feels Sapphire will be the highest (and last) addition to their Xcel Program. Ergo, Sapphire.”