DD is moving to team next week

[mariposamama]

I hope that she gets those skills she needs over the summer so she can move to L4. They do work hard and it is so hard to see them frustrated.

[mariposamama]

Well, 2nd practice down and she is still loving it. I think all 5 of the girls did really well. Today they just threw them in with the other L4s and they had fun. They had to climb the rope without their legs for the first time. Abby thought that was just too cool. She has no problem climbing to the top using her feet, so this new challenge was fun.

I think they are all having a bit of a hard time with being corrected all the time. Foot turned just so, hands turned just so, etc. That is new for them. My DD struggles the most with this because she isn't the most graceful in the bunch and I don't think she gets the importance of that just yet. She isn't the youngest on team, her and another are the only 5 year olds and the other one is 3 months younger than her, but I think that my DD is definitely not as mature. She is pretty spirited and not very focused on the details yet. Luckily, she doesn't notice, so that is good. And I think she is amazing, but I know she will struggle with that for awhile.

She was trying very hard and having fun. I think she pulled her inner thigh muscle though because they were working front splits and she is so not flexible that way. She has her middle split and that one comes easy for her, but she struggles with both front splits.

Thanks for helping me through this first week. I think I had a harder time than DD did. She loved it and I still worry about everything I have read and all that stuff. I wish I didn't worry so much, but I do.

[melmonette]

Yeah I am so glad she is loving her new level 4 team The form thing took Emily about a year before she made the connection with the hands and feet and positioning and last night I was told by some other parents how graceful Emily looks. She has come a long long way so it will come for your dd too.

[gymmomntc2e6]

While I still don't know if my DD will be moving to L4 or not She is currently doing 6 hours (actually a little more since she stays late EVERY day). I think that as long as you can objectively watch your DD and see that she is having fun and it is not too much for her she will be fine.

It does take some time to get used to the extra conditioning and longer practices, but once they get used to it they seem to love it. Our L3's work w/ then rest of the team. the warm up w/ the team then the levels split up for training. there are no rec classes going on while the team is practicing except for maybe the last 1/2 hour and on nights when they take the tumbling class (rec kids in that class as well).

Best of luck to you and DD. She will have those splits in no time. You will be amazed. Last night the coaches daughter L8 was working on cast handstands on the practice bar (recovering from injury) and my DD told the coach she wanted to try that so, there she was practicing cast handstands and LOVING every minute of it.

Hopefully soon I can post in the new L4 thread !!!!!

[mariposamama]

Thanks guys!

Melissa-Glad to hear the form thing could eventually come to her. LOL. She is the only one of the 5 that really doesn't have it. The others seem to get it. Emily definitely looks graceful, so there is hope! LOL.

Gymm- I hope to have you posting over there soon as well. That is so cool that they let her try new things that she wants to try. I am thinking they see her drive and how hard she works and know her personality and hopefully won't hold her back. And hopefully things will just click for her and she will get what she needs. Especially since it seems like it is only bars that are giving her a bit of a hard time. Of our 5 that moved, 2 were struggling more with bars, my DD her BHS and the other 2 are pretty much good to go. Though they all have their strengths and struggles.

[starmaker]

It is so exciting when our little gymmies finally reach the next milestone. After working so hard for so long and then finally making the "TEAM" it is a huge accomplishment.
Congrats to Abby for joining Team!! She is really cute. My dd loves watching her videos. She asked me the other day when she is going to meet her so they can play. lol
As per the increase in hours....kids are very resilient!
As long as the training schedule remains consistant kids will adjust rather quickly and painlessly. At least that was my expeience when dd increased hours from 6 to 9 hours a week. Now if she goes more than 4 days with no gym she misses it. Not only will she ask for gym but its almost as if her body is asking for it. During spring break dd went 5 days with no gym. On the 4th morning she was stretching and aching telling me her body just needs to move. (exercise- her muscle are asking for it)

Abby will do just great and have tons of fun in the process!!
Good Luck

[mariposamama]

your comment about meeting up to play made me laugh. my DD oftens asks me if she will ever see some of the gymnasts we see on youtube. kids are so cute.

olivia is super cute, too, as well as super strong!