skipping level 6?

isaelijohjac · 07-30-2008, 11:07 AM

Hi.

My daughter just left her Y program to compete with a private club. She is 8 years old. She did really great at the Y and loves gymnastics! Her new coach has said that she should probably just compete 1 meet as a 6 and move to a 7. She has all of her 6 skills-not all pretty (clear hip needs work). She is 8 years old, and I am not really seeing the rush to move her. Her coach has said it is better to have them compete optional faster before any fear sets in.

I am not sure what is best for her right now. I am inclined to think she should be a 6-maybe have a great season, and then move on. I have heard varying answers to this and would appreciate any thoughts...
thanks.

gracefulone · 07-30-2008, 11:20 AM

Just from my experience, I'd say if you have any apprehensions, keep her at 6. The two girls I know of at my gym who skipped 6 now are level 8's, both with severe mental blocks on backhandsprings. They haven't done one comfortably in about 3 or 4 years! The coaches kind of regret pushing them too far too fast, but that's just what I've seen.

TDiver · 04:41 PM

I skipped level 6 and went straight to level 7, but something that usually holds people back is their bars and that is the event I was ahead on. I'm not sure if her gym requires giants to compete level 7 so that could be a challenge as well for some people.

If she wants to move to level 7 there are advantages and disadvantages. I was only 9 in level 7 and I never had too many mental issues, and what I did I could work through with a little patience.

She is young so there is no rush unless she wants to get to the elite level. I have friends that are going to be sophmores in high school and are going to be competing their 4th year of level 10. Sure they are continuing to improve, but it can get a bit boring if you just continue to have the same skill level.

I've never been too much of a fan of level 6, but I think it was mostly the bars. I was so thankful to only have to do that baby giant one time! Plus she would have her own routines as a level 7.

Whatever you both choose, good luck!

**Geoffrey Taucer** · 05:50 AM

At my gym, our girls would almost always skip level 6 (even before we switched to only doing prep-op). They'd do one meet at 6, then spend the rest of fall getting ready to compete 7 in the spring.

Level 7 is not a huge step above level 6. I don't know the exact requirements off the top of my head, but as I recall the only thing that really separates 6 and 7 is a layout on floor and an acro with flight on beam (ie a backhandspring). And besides, 7 is more fun because you have your own routines.

When in doubt, talk to the coaches. Make sure they're aware of your concerns. But also be ready to trust their judgement. That is, afterall, what you pay them for.

lannamavity · 07-31-2008, 12:22 AM


Quote:
Originally Posted by isaelijohjac Hi. My daughter just left her Y program to compete with a private club. She is 8 years old. She did really great at the Y and loves gymnastics! Her new coach has said that she should probably just compete 1 meet as a 6 and move to a 7. She has all of her 6 skills-not all pretty (clear hip needs work). She is 8 years old, and I am not really seeing the rush to move her. Her coach has said it is better to have them compete optional faster before any fear sets in. I am not sure what is best for her right now. I am inclined to think she should be a 6-maybe have a great season, and then move on. I have heard varying answers to this and would appreciate any thoughts... thanks.

You are right to question this one.

The only good reason I can think for an athlete to "skip" anything is because they can already do it well...and is that really "skipping it?" I have seen many kids race through these levels where they are supposed to learn their basics, and in the end almost every single one of them moved up a level, cried for a full season and then quit. Often the move is made to appease parents, even out groups or make coaching "easier" for the short term.

The red flag to me would be the "fear" thing. Does this coach avoid fear by skipping skills, and basics? In the long run, the lack of foundation skills and fewer numbers will catch up and that same fear will arise from lack of experience. Why is this coach anticipating fear?

Your daughter is lucky to have a parent who is willing to step back and ask whether this is something which should be rushed in a world where almost everyone will do anything to get "bigger, better, faster, more, more, more..."

isaelijohjac · 07-31-2008, 06:25 AM

Thanks so much for all of your responses! It's so good to get all of the input!

Gym-Nice-tics · 08-02-2008, 01:11 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoffrey Taucer At my gym, our girls would always skip level 6 (even before we switched to only doing prep-op). They'd do one meet at 6, then spend the rest of fall getting ready to compete 7 in the spring. Level 7 is not a huge step above level 6. I don't know the exact requirements off the top of my head, but as I recall the only thing that really separates 6 and 7 is a layout on floor and an acro with flight on beam (ie a backhandspring). And besides, 7 is more fun because you have your own routines. When in doubt, talk to the coaches. Make sure they're aware of your concerns. But also be ready to trust their judgement. That is, afterall, what you pay them for.

I completely agree with you. The jump from six to seven is small, just a few minute tricks. For the past two seasons we have sort of skipped six at the gym I coach at. The girls compete six from November to January then move to seven.

In most cases I think it was beneficial to the girls. They enjoyed seven more than they ever would have enjoyed six and often their seven scores were higher than their six scores. Only one gymnast struggled with the jump, and that is because she actually jumped four to seven. She did one five meet, two six meets, and bumped up. We thought she might have an issue, but her mom and her told me that she would be too bored with five and was ready for the challenge. While her first half year of seven was rough, she did score 37's this season, so it worked out in the end.

BlairBob · 08-07-2008, 04:26 PM

If you have you or your child or your athlete has any desire, possibility, and inkling towards a college scholarship or Elite, don't waste too much time in compulsory. Especially if they are young.

If however, you were very far away from any gym that competed that high to the point it was never going to be a possibility, then it wouldn't matter so much.

gymdog · 08-07-2008, 04:40 PM

I'm always surprised when I hear on message boards about how many gyms skip L6 or think L6 to 7 is no big deal. None of the gyms around me skip 6 as a rule (i.e. they only do it with exceptional gymnasts) and I perceive L7 to be very competitive, perhaps one of the most competitive levels here. Many girls have very polished routines particularly on bars and it's difficult to compete at states unless you have a free hip handstand and good giants. This was true even when I was a L7. My gym did not really (and still doesn't) "allow" L7s to compete two free hips below HS so the extra year in compulsories is usually used to work on getting a cast HS and a free hip HS, both of which can be incorporated in the L6 bar routine, and beginning giants.

I can think of one girl who skipped 6 and had a really difficult time. She was frustrated with the success gap between her L5 performance and her L7 performance. In the long run this did not help her. Elite is one story but most of the girls I know doing NCAA gymnastics (even with scholarships) in fact did both L5 and 6. It's not necessary to skip L6 if NCAA is the goal.

lannamavity · 08-10-2008, 02:19 PM


Quote:
Originally Posted by gymdog I'm always surprised when I hear on message boards about how many gyms skip L6 or think L6 to 7 is no big deal. None of the gyms around me skip 6 as a rule (i.e. they only do it with exceptional gymnasts) and I perceive L7 to be very competitive, perhaps one of the most competitive levels here. Many girls have very polished routines particularly on bars and it's difficult to compete at states unless you have a free hip handstand and good giants. This was true even when I was a L7. My gym did not really (and still doesn't) "allow" L7s to compete two free hips below HS so the extra year in compulsories is usually used to work on getting a cast HS and a free hip HS, both of which can be incorporated in the L6 bar routine, and beginning giants. I can think of one girl who skipped 6 and had a really difficult time. She was frustrated with the success gap between her L5 performance and her L7 performance. In the long run this did not help her. Elite is one story but most of the girls I know doing NCAA gymnastics (even with scholarships) in fact did both L5 and 6. It's not necessary to skip L6 if NCAA is the goal.

All of my experience in gymnastics is right in line with this post. The compulsories are something for future optional gymnastics to do while they learn their optional skills, not something to avoid.