WAG Which way do we go?

[Natasha]

A couple of years ago we were at the Visa Championships (as spectators). We happened to sit by a parent of one of the competitors. This Elite gymnast had an okay meet, but not the meet she or her parents had hoped for and she did not make the National Team. It was an eye-opening experience for my daughter and I to sit with her parent and have just a little sliver of a glimpse into how disappointing it was for them to put so much time, money and sacrifice as a family into the Elite scene and to realize that her dream of National Team just probably wasn't going to happen for her. Ever since then I have been very thankful that while my dd is talented, she is not "Elite level talented" and therefore we don't have to make those kinds of decisions as a family.

 

[bookworm]

I am a mom new to gymnastics. My daughter just started this last August and has really taken off. She is 8 years old. My question is: her dream/goal is to one day be Nationally Ranked. The gym is willing to push her there.

I'm reading this whole thread and thinking "what exactly defines this child as really taken off in the skill department?" There 's been a lot of chatter about how she wants to be Nationally Ranked (however that's being defined), should she do TOPS, HOPES , Elite ...but then I see her gym has 1 level 7 and no one above that? To put it bluntly, you're being sold a load of bull about any of these lofty goals because the current gym doesn't have the tools to get you there...but they'll take your money for as long as you "believe" ...what exact skills does she have at 8 yrs old that makes them push this? And the fact that they're telling you this with a kid in the sport only 2 months?! Yikes!!

I personally would research other gyms that have upper level optionals (Levels 9 and 10) and have sent some of their gymnasts on to do college gymnastics...it sounds like you are at primarily a rec gym (and there's nothing wrong with that) but there'll be no "National Ranking" coming out of that system....

 

[Natasha]

A few things as far as the gym.
A. The OP says the dd wants to be nationally ranked. We have no information this came from the coach.
B. The gym manager, when asked said they had nationally ranked gymnasts, but we have no idea what this means.
C. We really don't know if they have gymnasts above level 7 or not. The OP saw a board with the gymnasts names on it and levels, but we really don't know what the board is. It is possible that the optional gymnasts haven't yet "tested' for their level and aren't listed under a certain level or it could have been a board for an upcoming meet sign up and the optionals aren't competing yet and the 1 L7 listed is scoring out of a meet…we just really don't know without more information….
D. We don't know what the coaches have offered or promised and the privates from what we can tell were initiated by the OP, not the gym.
E. This is what the OP said that the coach did say:

Head coach said that If I wanted I could stay and they could push her through the level as fast as possible but it may be holding her back but because we have only really been doing this two months they really don't know if this would be holding her back or if she would eventually even out and slow down on the uprise of levels

The OP doesn't say that coaches told her about TOPS or Hopes, just that she had been researching that.

To the OP, I recommend you find more information about your gym. If they seem to know what they are doing, let your dd stay for a year, train and compete with the L3 team and take it from there. Then, after a season of experience you can look at your options.

 

[onelittledream]

Guess it is time for the update: When I originally wrote the post I was not really understanding what was going on and was feeling a bunch of pressure from Head Coach and daughter and so I was looking for some direction. Admittedly I am new and I have no idea when someone is handing me some hogwash. I have talked with daugher and coaches and have come up with a pencil sketch plan of action.

1. The gym is not a nationally ranked gym and what I was told about nationally ranked gymnasts was that they "went on to become" nationally ranked gymnasts. In other words they moved gyms.

2. As far as my baby. She is at level 2 and not been pushed beyond that because we have not hit the first "intergym" competition and they want to see if she will "freeze" during competition. So while she is training with her coach at a much higher level skills she is not going to be "on the board" as over this level till the first competition they have with the gym across town, just to see how she deals at the lower level because she is still new. I got a printout of the routines for level 2 and she is training WAY beyond this with the coach just the routines in the "class" are level 2.

3. Private Coaching- was suggested to me basically because her level of ability far outweighs her level of experience and while they need to hold her back on levels to see how she handles competition and such they wanted her to be challanged and able to develop at her skill level while we gave her experience and tested her commitment and longevity in another way. I feel comfortable with this so we will continue private coaching till experience catches up with skill. She will be moved up if appropriate after next months intergym mini competition, she is working on those "routines" in the classes though I was thinking the routines were warm ups just to show how disconnected I am. With her private coach she is working level 4 and 5 even some 6 skills and while this is what may be considered "normal" for a child of her age the fact that she is at that level only two months in is what caused them to tell me that she has "taken off" and may just be gifted in this area. Plus what the private coach described as a "state of mind" that my baby has when she is on the mat, I have no idea what that means and am way to exhausted at this point to try and figure it out. They did mention the "elite track" because of this, though if the elite track is chosen it would have to be another gym. I guess they just wanted me to know and start researching ahead of time so that when the time comes I was not floundering while trying to make the right decision.

My decisions based on the above is that we will continue with this gym and coach till experience catches up with skill a bit. My child adores her private coach so I want to stay with her till we get to the end of where this coach can bring her. I probably will not give into my child and or the coach by sending my child to "The Ranch" this year but probably next year (summer of 2016) that way everything will catch up with each other by then (skills, experience, etc) Since the people at this camp are supposed to be skilled in recruiting the best elite I will talk to them before the camp to maybe give me their opinion after the camp that way I will have a better idea from those that have been there several times over, what we are really looking at. Besides at that point she will be at the end of her 9th year in this world and from what I am reasearching 9/10 is not too old to start elite training if that becomes the path that is a possibility.

So, what are y'alls opinion on that? Does this seem like a resonable approach after the research/questions answered??

I want to thank everyone that posted you at the very least gave me direction to go and which questions I should be asking. This is all very overwhelming to a new mom that tends to be a bit overprotective.

 

[onelittledream]

OH also we have agreed with the Private Coach that after every session she will give my baby "homework" and beyond this homework there will be no gym at home, for safety reasons. Most of the homework will be strength and conditioning.

And I have watched some of the movies yall suggested : Stick It, the Gabby Douglas Story, and Little Girls in Pretty Boxes. Keep those suggestions coming because those have been great too!!!

Thank you all

 

[bogwoppit]

What I would say is that in the gym world she is not a baby. There are 8 year olds who are L8. When you keep calling her a baby I am thinking she is 4.

If girls leave your gym and then become nationally ranked I would ask why.

I still would not be paying for privates. If she is that good the gym should be able to teach her along side other girls who are different levels. My own girls trained in groups of four different levels. A good coach can easily make that happen.

 

[bogwoppit]

Oh and you do not get to send her to "The Ranch". That is an invite only deal, either through passing TOPs testing or being invited by the staff.

The only way regular kids get to go to "The Ranch" is by going to the Karolyi's summer camp, that is open to everyone with the $$$ and does not get them seen by national team staff and is not anything to do with elite. It is just a summer camp, with camels.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I can understand where you are coming from, sort of. My DD started gym, in beginners rec class, about eleven months ago. She is in Xcel (long story) so it's a little different, but she also shows promise, in her own way. She went from not even knowing how to do a cartwheel to training XCEL platinum (competing gold) this season. Her coaches have all believed she could switch to JO and gain levels/skills even more quickly, as she only trains 6 hours a week.

At her current gym, however, I see perspective with my own two eyes every day- there are these tiny little things training and competing giants and pirouettes and double backs, etc. Is my DD a strong and at least somewhat talented girl to go from nothing to where she is, at her age? Yes she is, but she isn't a phenom. I think your gym sees something in your DD. If you can afford to follow their line, and DD obviously wants to, then why not. Just understand that she is not a baby, not in this world, and she may or may not be extraordinarily talented- and you need to figure what you are willing to put into it all to find out. As for levels and such, people train with levels other than what they compete all the time. If they are up training her I don't see w regular privates are necessary. I personally wouldn't be paying for privates until she was "on the board" and needing help with specific skills.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

You've received a ton of great advice ^^^. Another red flag to me would be the suggestion of regularly scheduled privates ($$$$$$ for the coach/gym). At all 3 gyms we've been, privates for team kids are offered only when there are issues with one particular skill. As someone mentioned, a beginner at an older age can learn quicker than an itty bitty child. If your DD is naturally talented, she will catch up on her own in a year or 2 or 3.

 

[onelittledream]

ah ha.............yes now I see why the push for the TOPS testing so soon.............ok. Hmm, well I am going to have to consider that and talk more about it. I apologize for me calling Catie my baby, I always have and it is a hard habit to break.

 

[onelittledream]

ok, I have put up a sticky on the computer. I will do my best NOT to call Catie a baby on chalkbucket anymore.

I am sure the more I learn the more my opinion will change. So I take it noone agrees with my original plan as posted?

 

[sce]

It is just a summer camp, with camels.

Totally true, but who doesn't love camels?

 

[bogwoppit]

I think she is too old for TOPs. Next year she would be considered a 10 year old. Skills for TOPs testing are pretty stiff. Look at the 10 year old videos. She would need to be able to do all of these almost perfectly to make TOPs National testing at the ranch, and from that testing only a handful get invited to Tops camps or developmental camps at the ranch.

https://usagym.org/pages/women/pages/tops_statetesting_videos.html

After the age of 10 the other paths to Elite are Hopes, or junior or senior elite later. For that you need a proven coach in a proven program and a MASSIVE amount of money.

 

[bogwoppit]

Totally true, but who doesn't love camels?

They give me the hump.

 

[onelittledream]

I think she is too old for TOPs. Next year she would be considered a 10 year old. Skills for TOPs testing are pretty stiff. Look at the 10 year old videos. She would need to be able to do all of these almost perfectly to make TOPs National testing at the ranch, and from that testing only a handful get invited to Tops camps or developmental camps at the ranch.

https://usagym.org/pages/women/pages/tops_statetesting_videos.html

After the age of 10 the other paths to Elite are Hopes, or junior or senior elite later. For that you need a proven coach in a proven program and a MASSIVE amount of money.

Ahhh I will look at the link but your reply has cleared up why they said that a change in gym might be necessary.

 

[bogwoppit]

https://usagym.org/pages/women/video/tops.html

Here are the physical abilities parts of the TOPs test, they need to max these out for their age group.

 

[bogwoppit]

Ahhh I will look at the link but your reply has cleared up why they said that a change in gym might be necessary.

Remember with skills testing it is not just "having" the skills, it is having them perfectly. These are core basics and the idea is they are building blocks to higher level skills. Having them with poor form is not going to cut it. Good basics are the key.

 

[Clover]

ok, I have put up a sticky on the computer. I will do my best NOT to call Catie a baby on chalkbucket anymore.

I am sure the more I learn the more my opinion will change. So I take it noone agrees with my original plan as posted?

My opinion -- I am not really sure that you need a "plan" right now. She is an 8 year old level 2 who has been doing gymnastics for 2 months. Maybe just sit back, relax, and let her enjoy her gymnastics class. If in a year or two you have a 9 yo Level 8 or 9 or a 10 yo Level 9 or 10 then a plan would make sense. For now, just see what happens.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Totally true, but who doesn't love camels?

Camels are nice till they spit!

 

[gymgal]

My opinion -- I am not really sure that you need a "plan" right now. She is an 8 year old level 2 who has been doing gymnastics for 2 months. Maybe just sit back, relax, and let her enjoy her gymnastics class. If in a year or two you have a 9 yo Level 8 or 9 or a 10 yo Level 9 or 10 then a plan would make sense. For now, just see what happens.

I agree with Clover. Sit back this year and see how she likes competition. Then make your moves as necessary. I do question the need for private lessons instead of just placing her in the more advanced grouping but some gyms are funny about adding girls to levels if all their skills are not even. The privates may be to catch her up with certain skills. I still don't agree with it but if that's the way the gym is run, then not much you can do right now. I personally would not waste my time/money on sending her to the ranch camp. As bog said, you may get a photo op with the Bella and Marta, but that's it. They are not at the camp scouting, though I am sure if a phenom came in, the coaches would alert the big-wigs.