Parents Would you say something?

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Amusibus

Proud Parent
My little 8 year old is a level 2 in an "xcel-like", slightly more laid-back kind of team program. Her group goes two days a week with an option of a third day. I'd say about 80% of the group goes that third day. I have heard both the coach herself as well as my daughter tell me that "friday is new skills day/uptraining day". We go Monday and Thursday, Friday being the optional add-on day. My daughter learned several new skills over the summer, but from what she is telling me, has hardly practiced them at all since season started in September. Tonight (Friday), I was at the gym doing some volunteer stuff and saw my daughter's group doing things she says they never do on the other days, i.e., floor backhandsprings etc.

My question is, should I bring this up with the coach? It does not seem fair to me that my child is rotely learning routines and doing strength on the days she is there with little chance of being taught new skills she needs to move up, while the kids that go the optional day are getting this "uptraining". The part that really upsets me is that I'd like to have my daughter go that third day, but just cannot afford it right now.

Anyway.... hard for me to tell if I'm just being emotional and this issue struck a nerve because of our financial difficulties, or whether it is a valid concern I should voice. Thanks.
 
I understand the emotional side of the financial issue. I bump against the same thing regularly. Honestly though, the two days that are required are probably a minimum just to maintain skills and perfect routines. I imagine the whole point of the third day is up training, which is not necessary to get through a season, especially at lower levels. I get the frustration about skills too. My dd did from 10-34 hrs a week over the summer, and obviously picked up new skills like lint on a roller. Most, that won't be competed this year, have not been practiced a single time since we moved- not once. Nothing we can do about it either, with only two days of practice a week for her too. It sucks, but I couldn't imagine them trying to up train in such a short time frame- they barely squeeze in what the HC feels is minimum conditioning. I wish that gym were more affordable. I wish that gyms would work in whatever frame of training girls want/need. Since these things are not controllable, I need to get over them and just accept dd will not advance as fast as possible.
 
My little 8 year old is a level 2 in an "xcel-like", slightly more laid-back kind of team program. Her group goes two days a week with an option of a third day. I'd say about 80% of the group goes that third day. I have heard both the coach herself as well as my daughter tell me that "friday is new skills day/uptraining day". We go Monday and Thursday, Friday being the optional add-on day. My daughter learned several new skills over the summer, but from what she is telling me, has hardly practiced them at all since season started in September. Tonight (Friday), I was at the gym doing some volunteer stuff and saw my daughter's group doing things she says they never do on the other days, i.e., floor backhandsprings etc.

My question is, should I bring this up with the coach? It does not seem fair to me that my child is rotely learning routines and doing strength on the days she is there with little chance of being taught new skills she needs to move up, while the kids that go the optional day are getting this "uptraining". The part that really upsets me is that I'd like to have my daughter go that third day, but just cannot afford it right now.

Anyway.... hard for me to tell if I'm just being emotional and this issue struck a nerve because of our financial difficulties, or whether it is a valid concern I should voice. Thanks.
Sounds like an emotional perspective. The program has been defined and there's a clear means of up training.
 
I don't think I would say anything. It sounds unfortunate for your dd, but if it's the "optional" day and they need the required practices to get through the...well *required* practice and conditioning then I would either try to figure out a way to attend that optional practice or come to grips with the fact that the girls that have the chance to put in the extra work are likely going to progress faster than my DD. If she is getting what she needs to progress at a decent pace from the classes she is able to attend, then that's great. It may not be the same pace as the girls who can do the extra uptraining, but that's ok.

Now.... Tough love moment, and I mean it from the most caring place possible.... You do realize that cost is only going to go UP, right? ;) so I wouldn't be too quick to want her to move ahead if you are already struggling with the economics of it all. It won't get cheaper. If she is happy and doing well, don't fret about the extra practice if you can't afford it since it would likely lead to more expenses shortly. ;)
 
Can you put your DD in the Friday session. Y guess is that because it is the optional day they spend more time doing fun stuff and learning higher skills while the other days are focused on preparing the girls for routines and for the skills they need for the current competition season. This is not really unfair in any way.
 
I know it stinks for your dd; but honestly this sounds like a good setup to me. The coaches have been upfront and have tried to come up with options - 1 that is less time and money and just the basics needed and one that is a little more.

My older dd is about to add in another day of training with a class that is conditioning and up training. Some girls parents chose for them not to do it and some girls themselves chose not to do it. The reasons for not include stuff like the extra money (not most's reason as the cist is very reasonable) to not wanting to be there yet another day to not wanting to get up so early every weekend. All valid reasons IMO. But it is likely that the girls in this extra class will start advancing faster than they personally have in the past. It isn't unfair to the girls not in the extra practice, as this is the intent of going one more day per week. Each family had to decide if it was worth doing for their situation.
 
I wouldn't say anything because your daughter is getting what she needs in the 2 days she goes, and the girls that go the extra day , are getting the extra training....

It stinks about not being able to afford the extra day but I would do as SurpriseGymMom suggests and look long and hard at whether you can afford to move forward with this sport , as it only gets much more expensive as they progress....
 
I wouldn't say anything either. Hopefully after the season ends, DD will start to uptrain again for the next year. But as others have said this is a REALLY expensive sport the longer you go on.
 
I understand how you feel. We were supposed to have a third "optional" day for our L2s for up training, but they had to cancel that idea due to gym space and coaching staff issues. Now that school is back in and our hours are down, plus the rec program is back in full swing, none of the really neat summer uptraining is happening anymore for anyone. It's a bummer. I think if you say something they will tell you that the optional day is available. I understand your frustration about the cost too. If you are in it for the long haul, could you maybe look closely at your budget and see if there is some way you could work towards adding the day?
 
Is there some kind of open gym she can go to and practice some skills? It might be less expensive. However, long term, it might be worth a look for YMCA or rec center options. If there are some available where you live, it might be a lower cost option.
 
I think it's like others have said and the two days a week are what's needed to do Level 2 skills, and there's not really any extra time left in those days to up train.

If you have a good relationship with the coach, I would probably let her know finances were preventing you from adding the third day. Maybe they'd do something like letting her come every once in a while for a fee versus committing and paying for every month.
 
Is there work you could be doing for the gym? You might be able to work out a trade, where you handle whatever office task needs doing in exchange for that extra time on Friday for your daughter. It never hurts to ask.
 

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