What kind of gymnast do you have?

[gymbabisMom]

I have a 14 year old level 7. We started her in gym for her 10th birthday because her little friend at school went and she wanted to go too. She made the training level 5 team the within a year. Level 5 season was pretty bad but she made a lot of improvement. Level 6 started better and improved all along in spite of her trying to amputate her big toe on the vault board before her second meet. We switched gyms right after level 6 state. which was a great decision for us even though the gym she was at was a great gym. She is much more relaxed at our current gym and had a good level 7 season after 2 months of training. Due to the fact she felt rushed into level 7 last year she has decided to do 7 again. Also she had some elbow problems that kept her out of gym for about 2 months recently. She had her giant pretty well before the elbow and is just now getting it back, not sure if she'll be able to do it for her first meet next weekend but we're hopefull for the rest of the season. Her best event is vault followed by floor, then beam and bars. She's really agressive on beam and does beautifully in the gym but is very nervous and inconsistent at meets Bars have always been a struggle for her, she is not a light boned girl and carries a lot of muscle, but they are greatly improved and we are hopefull for this season. So that'sthe end of my novel for now. Hope someone else has something to say.

[teammom]

Hi, I have two gymnasts -
1 -- Level 9 - 15 years old. This is her 2nd season as level 9. Gymnastics is her life. She much prefers going to the gym than anywhere else! She was 1st alternate for Westerns last year, so she does pretty well. She is having a few struggles on some new skills this year, but she is so close to nailing them that she should be fine really soon!
2 -- Level 6 -- 11 years old. This is her 1st year as a level 6. She really started gym because of her older sister and the fact that she was at the gym a lot with me. It is too far to drive back and forth so we stayed a lot when she was little. She also loves gym. Her spring season starts next weekend.
I am also team mom to a lot of the other optional level girls. They come to me for many things so it is just like they are my own. They are mostly all great kids!

[Gymbabi]

One of the best things about gymnastics is the friends the girls make. We were at a meet today and there were girls from 4 different gyms cheering my daughter on. It was nice.

[gymbabisMom]

That last post from gymbabi was actually from me.

[gymbabisMom]

Team Mom, What part of the country are you from? We are in California, specifically nor-cal. Our coach, who also judges, says that norcal is one of the tougher areas. There are some really great gyms here, but also they seem to score them pretty tough. So far gymbabis season is going okay, but since it's her second as level 7, she's not thrilled with her scores so far. I plan to have a discussion with her coach tomorrow about what we can do to get her scores up before the next meet 2 weeks away. In San Francisco in case anyone else is going to that one.

[gamom]

I also have two gymnasts:
My older daughter is about to turn 10 and will be competing her second year as a level 6 this Fall with level 7 to follow in the Spring. UGG - Not to excited about the back to back season.$$$ She is one that likes going to the gym to be with her friends.
My younger daughter just turned 7 in April and just finished AAU 5 in May where she placed first in the state. She will be competing USA 5 in the Fall. She is a very competitive child so we shall see how the year progresses.

[xkitten93x]

I'm 14. I've done gymnastics off and on. (2-8 then didn't start again 'til 12.) I worked my way up to level 4. Now I'm doing level 3. Gymnastics is really fun, and my second passion. (Dance is my 1st)...

But gymnastics really helps me with stregnth and flexibility.

P.S. Sorry I'm not a parent, this topic just caught my attention.

[auntiedina]

hi~

i have a niece who i started out in gymnastics when she was 2 years old. She turns 5 on the 8th of July.

She absolutly LOVES it and is DYING to be a Level 3. her coaches think she'll be level 3 in August. She just recently started kicking back from backbends by herself....doing backbends is taking a little slower road for her though.

While she was a level 2 she went to "competitions" so to speak ... but from i understand at level 3 the competions are different ( more costly and in different cities than here). I guess i'll get to see what that is all about when it happens.

She doesnt take private lessons or anything..and to tell you the truth. i don't know much about gmnastics. Which is why i'm here....I'm hoping that i can learn from you guys and help my niece reach her fullest potential in the sport.

So any tips and advice would be great! Cant wait to get to know you all better!

[canadiangymmom]

I am a canadian mom to a 7 year old new gymnast. My dd tried out for an intro to competitive group and started in January. She was switched from her new group after her first lesson and added to a group of girls who had been training for a year because she is really quite strong. She has been going once a week since she began.

Starting in July, she will be going twice a week with her existing group and once a week with a group of girls who have been competing for a year (interclub levels), with the goal of giving her something to strive for. Her coach says she has a lot of potential (maybe they say that to everyone?) She does seem to get the moves really effortlessly. The coach is planning on putting together a pre-team in the fall and having her move into that.

I guess my post has been a big braggy in nature and I apologize for that. I've found the mom's at the gym are a whole lot more competive than the children and they've been very cool with me since the beginning. None of my friends outside of the gym have kids participating in this sport, so I can't really talk to them about anything related to it. Now I'm hoping to find a support network outside of the gym!

Hope to get to know you all.

Canadian gym mom

[gymbabisMom]

Canadiangymmom,

Your daughter sounds like Gymbabi when she got started. She started in a rec class and within 2 weeks had set her sights on team. She made it in about a year. So she started on her 10th birthday, went to her first sanctioned competion before she turned 11 (as a level 5) and has been going strong ever since. She is currnetly training level 8 (she did 2 seasons as a 7) and is coming along nicely, she'll be 15 in Oct. She too prefers gym to most other activities although she does have a boyfriend and friends she likes to get together with. Gymnastics is still her main consuming passion.