Addison Fatta defers OU to continue elite into 2024

[irichluck21]

Fatta was originally scheduled to start at Oklahoma this fall and compete in NCAA this year.
However, she decided at National Championships that she is going to defer this year and go for Paris.

 

[RedBirdie]

Interesting choice.

 

[irichluck21]

Well…it doesn’t explicitly say Paris, it says she’s not ready to be done with elite career yet. Which sounds to me that once she goes to NCAAs, she is done with elite and does not plan to do both as several others have.

 

[MaryClare]

I’ve heard that continuing elite is not the done thing at OU…

 

[irichluck21]

I’ve heard that continuing elite is not the done thing at OU…

Typically, Oklahoma does not sign elites.

This is something sort of new for them.

They had Ragan Smith, who was elite until she went to OU and Faith Torrez was elite but dropped to level 10 the year before going to OU. Jordan Bowers was elite as a junior but she soon dropped back to level 10 and was level 10 when she signed. Ava Siegfeldt was also an elite but dropped back to level 10 before going to OU.

Usually KJ goes for the “ninja” level ten gymnasts. She doesn’t care much if a gymnasts has done elite, but she looks for specific styled gymnasts and those that would fit into the structure of the team.
This is why OU became super strong on vault, which used to be their weakest event, but they worked on that.
KJ looks for gymnasts that she can teach new skills to and upgrade current level 10 sets.

 

[MaryClare]

Yeah, I think for the likes of Ragan and Addison, they make very sure that they done with elite because it isn’t an option there.

It’ll be interesting to see Florida this year, they’ve got quite a lot going on

 

[KristyJ]

So what you are saying is the question of Sooner or later is more required at OU?

 

[irichluck21]

So what you are saying is the question of Sooner or later is more required at OU?

 

[Orange]

Brenna Dowell did a year at OU and then deferred for a year to go back to elite, but she went back to GAGE instead of staying at Oklahoma.

Kindler seems to like the level 10s, although she could be recruiting the elites and just losing out to Florida and LSU. I’d be kind of curious to see what an Oklahoma coached elite would look like. Do you think Ragan’s ankles would hold up for a comeback?

 

[MaryClare]

I don’t think the number of elites doing NCAA has changed, but the number of NCAA gymnasts continuing their elite careers through college, or doing some years at college in between Olympics

 

[BB12]

Do you think Ragan’s ankles would hold up for a comeback?

It’s been a miracle they’ve held up for 4 years of NCAA and are still holding on for her to take a 5th year!

 

[BB12]

This is good for Addison. Even though she won’t make the Olympic team, aiming for trials or a minor event next season is still a great accomplishment.

OU is stacked next year so she wouldn’t have competed much anyway.

 

[irichluck21]

@Orange I completely forgot about Dowell.
But she still went back to elite and then back to OU.