Got our schedule for States

[Blackie6]

My daughter has an 8am session for 6 yr old group level 4 States! YIKES! I knew it would come eventually, we were lucky twice before for other meets, but not sure how to do this now for the one big important meet. I'm not sure it's worth getting a hotel for. It's only about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs away. But thinking about getting up, getting dressed, breakfast, and on the road before 7am with our family of five doesn't seem possible either. Any tips/tricks for early meets? My DD is not a morning person, I'm wondering if going early will be a disaster, but it will nice to be done early too.

Also, there are only 22 girls total for her age group! I wasn't sure she was doing well, this is her first year and just started in February, but now I have to say I'm pretty proud she even made it. I thought there would be more in her age group, but the biggest groups are the 7 yr olds and 8 yr olds with 100+ girls.

It's been a good year & she's made steady progress at each meet. At her last meet (Greater NY invitational) she got her first individual medal (4th place) on bars! For anyone that remembers, my DD scored a whopping 5.8 at her first meet on bars cause she was laughing too much and fell off. Some of her teamates are off to L5 season and it will be sad to see them go, but it will be nice to take a break from the weekend meets and to be able to cut practice once in awhile again, LOL

[gym law mom]

Is the session an 8am open stretch time or is the 8am time the time your coaches gave you? If the time is the one for her to be in the gym to actually start warm up, I would certainly err on the side of caution and go the night before. Any other girls from your team have the early session? What about the coach--she HAS to be there! Talk with other moms about going up early and sharing a room---there may be a few who will be in the next session who will want to go early. The rest of the family could show up the morning of the meet. Make it a fun time for her---motel, dinner with mom(and possibly teammate/coach) and then do hair together and get her to bed.

I think you'll be alot less stressed for dd's 1st state meet if you're not rushing around and worrying about getting her up too early, getting to the gym on time etc. If she's a picky eater, then bring some food, you KNOW she'll eat for breakfast or find a restaurant either at the motel or close by that serves food she likes. We have done things like have 1 parent stay with the girls and another go out for food. Whatever works!

Yes, 6 yo age group for L4 doesn't have large groups---same is usually true for the 7 yos competing L5 and 8 yos at L6.

When is the big day?

[bogwoppit]

I have been there! Usually I look for a suite hotel, so my little one can go to bed as usual with Mom in the next room watching TV. I do not share a room ever, tried it once and the excitement kept both girls and mom's up way too late to make any sense at all.

A suite hotel will have a kitchen, so you can bring breakfast and have a fridge for snacks on the day. I always make it lots of fun, we go to the pool, have dinner together etc.

It is really important, imho, to get dd in to bed at her usual bedtime and wake up in enough time that she can be properly awake and fed without rushing.

We love those away type meets, we live further from the gym than anyone else in the club, so we often have been the only people staying in a hotel, having that one on one time with my kids is awesome.

I have an away meet with my oldest in 2 months, we have adjoining rooms with the coach and her two girls, it will be a riot. Then right after that I'll be off with my littlest for her 2nd comp, we are pretty happy about that too.

Enjoy yourselves, it can be more fun than the meet itself!!!