New gym mom here

[mom2kazkids]

I am a mom of a level 3, now moving on to level 4 7 year old DD. She had her last level three meet last night. Our gym did three level 3 meets and she recevied 4 blue, 3 red, 2 white and 3 yellow ribbons total. Floor is her best event and bars is her worst. Still working to get her mill circle, she continues to bend her knee and fall back. Also she is not a real fan of beam and is pretty timid on it. Plans are at our gym to skip the fall compulsory season and start competing level 4 in the winter season when the boys and optionals are competing. That way the 3/4 and the 4/5 have more time to get to the next level. Also we are a small gym and the coaches/owners are a younger couple and she still works full time nights in addition to coaching. So that way the season is not so spread out for them.

Looking forward to chating with you all.

Barb

[flippymonkeysmom]

Welcome !! My dd is at a small gym too - she loves it. We were at a bigger gym and she felt she got lost in the shuffle so we switched and she is much happier now

[gymmomntc2e6]

Welcome -

we have a lot in common !! my 7yr old dd is also a L3 moving to L4 at then end of the season. She has 3 more meets. She will do 2 @ L3 and the last on @ L4. She is also bending her knee on the mill circle and falling back - however she LOVES the bars they are her favorite - she got her shoot through on Thursday and when messing around in gym she works on her kip !! She also really likes beam - kinda odd

we are also at a small gym. We love that as well.

[Blackie6]

Welcome! My DD is a L4 too. We are in NJ and don't have too many L3's around here, just pre-team. Having just completed her first year as a L4, I am happy to turn over my "rookie" status here on the board, LOL

I was in your shoes last year and it was very exciting seeing my DD compete for the first time and do things we never imagined she would/could do. Bars is my DD's favorite too but not always her best score at meets. She is also working on her kip and sometimes gets it and sometimes not. Good Luck to you & your DD as a L4...can't wait to hear all about her meets!

[gracefulone]

Hi. I'm a level seven and I also coach. Mill circles and shoot throughs are some of the hardest things for me to teach. It usually works out best for me to just demonstrate! They just seem to get it better! It sounds like your daughter is doing well; she'll get less timid on beam as she gets older. I used to be so weak on beam, and then I started winning on it as I got older.

[mom2kazkids]

Here are videos of my DD at her 2nd meet. Please disregard the comments from me.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeBXu8ISOqM floor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euOQL-fJYJU beam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppXKwVH_mGo bars


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt1n8pVd27w vault


The video of her last meet did not turn out that great.

Barb

[Blackie6]

Thanks for sharing! Very cute. (you can see my DD on youtube too, search Oobie1998) I am jealous that your gym does this level 3, it would have been perfect for my daughter. She went onto L4 had basically had to learn all those skills within about 4-5 months to be able to compete. She had learned only learned the ROBHS about 4 weeks before her first competition and I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown watching it, LOL

I think now our pre-team has been given instructions to work more L4 skills because now that there are spots on the team (a whole bunch moved uo to L5) they wanted to move up some pre-teamers and they just aren't ready yet. But at least doing your L3 gives them an opportunity to compete and get that experience, plus so many L4 skills. Your DD won't have any problem making the transition.

[mom2kazkids]

We changed to our current gym in Sept 07, about 9 weeks before her first meet so that she could compete L3. I really think that it has helped her and the rest of the L3 get used to being in front of the judges and the fact that the level 4 routines build on the level 3 routines. DD can do her BHS on the tramp--one of only about 3 of the 12 that will move up to level 4. With going to meets and you tube she can do the whole level 4 floor routine minus the RO BHS series, but since we will not compete til the winter season, I have no worries that she will be ready in 9-10 months.

Thanks for your comments.

[Megley]

Welcome! Your daughter's videos are great! My dd is a 6 yo Level 4 and we are about three meets into our season with four more and states to go. The mill circle is a real bear to get. My dd struggled with it for awhile. At first, she could not get around at all, then she could not stop herself from going over, next she spent some time stopping herself by bending her leg, finally she is just now learning to keep her leg straight and stop. She has not fallen off bars in the three meets we've had so far (knock on wood)! I've watched all our L4 girls get this skill and they all seem to go through the same progression of not getting around, then falling forward and finally putting it all together and figuring it out. What is so frustrating is that it disappears after Level 4 never to return! I honestly think they'd be better off taking it out of the routine and spending all that time on learning the kip. Anyway, I'm sure your dd will get it soon!

We don't have a fall season, just winter/spring so my dd will do Level 5 starting next January. She is working hard on her kip and is very close. About half the girls have them and Lily is at a disadvantage as she just started working on them (due to a gym change). I'm pretty sure she'll get it by the summer and hopefully have it with straight arms by fall. I'm honestly more worried about the jump to highbar. She is a pipsqueak and can not reach the hb right now when she jumps.

Anyway, welcome again! I look forward to hearing more about your dd's progress.

Meg

dd Lily (6yo Level 4)