virginia beach, VA gymnast's mom

[beachtumble]

Gymstrada VB

[Tumblequeensmom]

Hi Ginger... My daughter just loves gymnastics... she had been taking rec classes for years, but one of her coaches a few years ago told her that "she was too old" to be on the competition team!!!! Then I started hearing about other girls close to her age being asked to the team, but didn't have the same skills she had, etc. I finally talked to the "head" coach last summer and she said "sure!" I just wish I had pursued it earlier instead of letting it drop! Anyway, I just hope she's not to "old" for it now!!! She has made remarkable progress!

Regarding the meet at OLHS... we all felt that the judges were harsh, particularly on the floor! Katy did well, she still scored above her required "35's", but she sooo badly wanted above a 9 on the floor! Oh well, maybe next time.

so far, no reports of stomach bugs up here in northern Virginia... I'll keep my fingers crossed!

I hope everyone down there gets healthy and happy quickly! Is anyone coming up in April for the Shenandoah Tumbler's meet in Winchester? I'm still waiting for session times.

-Lynn

[littlegymchampsmom]

wow, so many from virginia... we are from Northwest Indiana, sort of a suburb of Chicago.

[beachtumble]

Hi Lynn. We are not attending the meet in Winchester. I saw this morning that the section times are now up for that meet though. Our next NOVA meet is in mid-April in either Chantilly or Manassas. Our gym has not told us which one yet. It sounds like your daughter is doing really well at the meets if she has a personal goal to make at least in the AA 35's or better. Our daughter has made one score of 35 at a meet. We are proud of her progress and she is having a great time. I am surprised that your daughter was told previously that she was too old to compete. It seems to me that any child who meets the skills and minimum age requirements would be allowed to compete. I guess it could maybe depend on gym size or number of coaches, etc.
Our next meet is also St. Patrick's weekend in Chesapeake. Does your team have many Level 4's competing as 6 yr olds? It doesn't seem like there are nearly as many 6 year olds as 7 & 8... Kind of like with your daughter being a little older. How many 11 and ups do you all have on your team (level 4)? Ginger

[Tumblequeensmom]

Hi Ginger... Katy IS the oldest on the team, but only by a few months. There is another 6th grader and three 5th graders. Most of the team is made up of 2/3/4th graders, but then we do have quite a number of younger girls as well. The coach actually splits them up into two basic "age" groups.... the older/more skilled girls, and then the younger... we actually do have a few 6 year olds! The "older" group is currently working very hard on their skills for level 5.... double/triple back handsprings, kip on the bars, and today DD told me that they were doing the cartwheels on the beam.

She has done VERY well, but I can't help but feel a little frustrated over the fact that this one particular coach had told her she was "too old". And that was at 9 years old!! GRRRRR.... oh well, can't do anything about it now.

Yes, I saw the times were posted for next Saturday... I really DO wish theywould post these things more than a week in advance, but oh well. I do love the times this time tho..... since I live about an hour away, 10:30 is absolutely PERFECT!

We're going to the Manassas meet in mid-April.. It would be fun to keep an "eye" out for each other if we're at the same one (and same session that is!)

O.K. have a great afternoon!

-Lynn

[beachtumble]

Hello. i responded to you earlier today but for some reason i can't find my reply. So i will try again S's NOVA meet we found out will be in Chantilly. Perhaps we will be able to say hello at the State Meet. S's group is learning some level 5 skills as well. She was practicing a kip yesterday. What kind of practice schedule will you all have for the summer? i think my d's schedule will be similar to last summer w/ practice being 4 days a wk. 9a- 1:00 pm (last yr it was 9a-12p). i wrote earlier today briefly about my hesitation regarding putting too much personal info on this site as i have wondered about internet predators searching sites like this. My job experience has led me to be more cautious. I wasn't sure about putting my daughter's photo on this forum or info about practice days, etc. Any thoughts on the matter? ginger

[Tumblequeensmom]

Hi Ginger... I agree w/you re: privacy... I HAVE, however, posted videotapes of K's meets on Youtube b/c it's the only way I have of showing my family what she's doing! Of course there are no last names mentioned. . .
I have NO idea what the summer practices will be like yet. Since she didn't join the team til September we weren't involved at all last summer. I do understand that the practices are more hours per week.

We went to an "open gym" today at another gym (Shhhh!) and K was able to practice her kips, double back handsprings, and just play at doing the Level 5 routine. She was also trying to get her cartwheel on the beam. But it was basically just 2 hours of fun... amazingly a lot of girls from our gym ended up being there to hangout and have fun...

One of the other mom's there told me that she has NO doubt that K will move up after State's this year. She's already gotten her two 35 min. scores and ALMOST has her kip, so we'll see what happens. Of course the gym won't let us know anything til after the State meet.

Has your daughter gotten the elusive kip yet? K's working hard on it!

Have a great afternoon!

[bigtiny]

Hey,
I was just reading back through old posts, and I saw this one from VB area families. Which gym around here offers an open gym where they'll actually let them practice their advanced skills on their own? At our gym, they really limit what the girls can practice in open gym because it is supervised by class teachers, not team coaches....

Another VB parent