WAG Repeat Lv3 or push to Move up Lv4

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mOm2gymnast<3

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As a parent, would you rather let repeat your soon to be 8 year old dd in lv 3 and score high (she will be competing as a young 9 @state next season 2016), or would you rather see her in Lv 4 and maybe once in a while or rarely gets up in the podium?

I am having a hard time deciding. I just spoke with HC today and her rule of move up didnt change. Place top 10 @state we talk and discuss move up, place top 5 @state and its automatic move up. I am having a difficult time understanding her but thats in a different thread. ;)
 
Just depends.....how does your dd feel about it? What are her long term goals in the sport? I've read your other thread. How do you think she will handle not being on the podium? It's a crippling blow to some, others not so much!!
Personally, if my dd coach req'd DD to repeat L3, I would insist that she should take the year off to exclusively up train. Not worth repeating, IMO, but by saying that you would rather her not compete at all as opposed to repeating L3, often will show a coach's true intention of having L3 repeats (if it is a recognition thing for the gym.)
 
Well, it's hard to say. Our gym had most of my DD's L3 team from last year repeat this year. My dd moved to L4 with 4 of her team mates. The girls who stayed back, honestly haven't improved their scores a whole lot and really about the same as they were the year before. There is some uptraining though. My DD's group are doing well and my DD has been medaling every meet. She's not been first though and she was first quite a bit on 3, so I don't know. I talked with several of our coaches when we were discussing the move up and there are so many philosophies. One really believes repeating 3 gives the true basics of gymnastics and helps them improve overall. The other 2 said it would be better to repeat 4, if necessary, than 3. With my DD, I felt she would be bored. She already had her L4 skills and was ready for 4. But then she did score in the top 5 in her age group at states for L3 too? So I don't know. You know your dd better than anyone.
 
Push to be level 4. I know there are different opinions, but in mine, level 3 is really just to learn about competing. I have yet to figure out what a mill circle is going to be used for. You don't vault over the table, go to high bar, and there is minimal "big skills" on floor and beam. It depends on your daughter. Does she want to move up or place? Personally,I would rather move up. My coaches had me repeat level new level 3 after doing a season of old level 4, and it was a confidence booster. I got 37/38 aa and high 9s consistently. Then I moved up, my scores aren't very high (lows 9s high 8s) but I like the challenge. I would think about your daughter, but level 4 is going to be more beneficial in the long run.
 
I don't know how it goes in the US but my experience over here in the UK is that parents do not have the say as to how their child trains and at what level. I know there are exceptions but I like to think my daughter's caches have their best interests at heart and that they have a better idea of how her gymnastics is going than I do. I really can't imagine pushing for her to be moved up or trained differently.


Push to be level 4. I know there are different opinions, but in mine, level 3 is really just to learn about competing. I have yet to figure out what a mill circle is going to be used for. You don't vault over the table, go to high bar, and there is minimal "big skills" on floor and beam. It depends on your daughter. Does she want to move up or place? Personally,I would rather move up. My coaches had me repeat level new level 3 after doing a season of old level 4, and it was a confidence booster. I got 37/38 aa and high 9s consistently. Then I moved up, my scores aren't very high (lows 9s high 8s) but I like the challenge. I would think about your daughter, but level 4 is going to be more beneficial in the long run.

Based on what you say here doing the level again, albeit revised, seems to have been beneficial to you. You certainly do seem to have picked up some far-reaching and practical knowledge along your way to level 4, even if your scores aren't as high as you would like.
 
I don't know how it goes in the US but my experience over here in the UK is that parents do not have the say as to how their child trains and at what level. I know there are exceptions but I like to think my daughter's caches have their best interests at heart and that they have a better idea of how her gymnastics is going than I do. I really can't imagine pushing for her to be moved up or trained differently.




Based on what you say here doing the level again, albeit revised, seems to have been beneficial to you. You certainly do seem to have picked up some far-reaching and practical knowledge along your way to level 4, even if your scores aren't as high as you would like.
Yes, it was beneficial for confidence. However, I would have been fine doing level 4, and wish I did. Level 4 is truley the base level and I would have rather repeated level 4 this year than level 3
 
My dd wants to move up and could care less about placement. She wants to learn skills and perfect them. She doesn't want to stay another year as a lv3. She has all lv4 skills and been scoring 9s on all lv3 events and always place AA. I really don't think repeating lv3 for her could be beneficial. I guess if coach really sticks to new stupid rule and my dd end up not being on the top 10 at state then she will just take a year off and uptrain or go to another gym.
 
I think that using scores as the main factor in the move-up decision is a bad idea, especially the scores of just one meet. It adds a ton of pressure to an already stressful situation, and even the best gymnast can blow an all-around placement with a bad day on beam. Plus, there is tons of variability in scores between age groups. A 36 might place 3rd in one age group, and 12th in another.

The most valid reason to repeat L3 would be not having the L4 skills. Girls usually get hung up on the vault or the kips.

Has your daughter competed states yet? If she is still competing L3, there is no reason to make a decision anytime soon. Most coaches make the level decision after working on new skills for 5 or 6 months.
 
I have never understood using scores as a basis for moving up a level. Our gym doesn't have a set score before move up. After States, (May) the girls start seriously uptraining. When the time comes (generally sept-oct) if the girls have the skills (or are close) they move up.
 
here in the uk it goes by birth date as far as competing goes my dd needs to stay in her class as the other girls are turning 8 so will compete with 8-9 year olds so she will have another year competing as a 6-7 year old . I guess by the time she is 8 she will have the skills needed to move forward and this is why they do it this way here .
 
Kip for level 4 its all about the kip. If she has the kip push if not let it alone.

My girl awesome but didn't have her kip till about month ago. She competed at 3. Now that she has the blasted kip no way another 3
 
I will wait and see how state goes. But I already made up my mind. She is not repeating lv3. And my dd doesn't really want to either. No use and just a waste of money. If coach insists, I think we will pack up and go. Or take the season off and just uptrain. But I hope coach will change her mind because there are others as well.
 
I will wait and see how state goes. But I already made up my mind. She is not repeating lv3. And my dd doesn't really want to either. No use and just a waste of money. If coach insists, I think we will pack up and go. Or take the season off and just uptrain. But I hope coach will change her mind because there are others as well.
Everyone makes the right decision for their kid and families. But really if she has her kip what would the point be. Again its March (really) new season starts Oct/Nov next year. Even if your season end in May, its 5 months so much can happen. Realistcally Aug/Sept is when decisions should be made.

JMO as an ignorant but has eyes parent
 
Everyone makes the right decision for their kid and families. But really if she has her kip what would the point be. Again its March (really) new season starts Oct/Nov next year. Even if your season end in May, its 5 months so much can happen. Realistcally Aug/Sept is when decisions should be made.

JMO as an ignorant but has eyes parent


Yeah. State is in 2 weeks. New season I think starts nov. Girls basically have 7-8 mos to uptrain for the next lv since there is no uptraining in this gym when it's meet season. In the 7-8 mos period they also learn the routine.
 
I guess I just don't want any hurt feelings, etc.. and I am so confused on what to tell hc if ever my dd doesn't do so well on state
 
I also hated it when she said this new rule in front of my dd, listening to her. As if theres not enough pressure already with this sport.
 
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Ugh, what a crazy rule! Honestly age wouldn't have anything to do with it for me: my DD is an 8 year old L3 right now and is most likely moving to L4 as an 8 yo, turning 9 before meets start. But, does your Dd have her kip? FHS? ROBHSBHS? These are skills our gym requires befor moving up among a whole bunch of other skills and minimums on conditioning.

I guess if your DD loves it, is progressing, and has the above skills I'd have her move up. I really see no reason to hold back unless there is a reason. And NOT being in top 10 is not one of them ;)
 
Ugh, what a crazy rule! Honestly age wouldn't have anything to do with it for me: my DD is an 8 year old L3 right now and is most likely moving to L4 as an 8 yo, turning 9 before meets start. But, does your Dd have her kip? FHS? ROBHSBHS? These are skills our gym requires befor moving up among a whole bunch of other skills and minimums on conditioning.

I guess if your DD loves it, is progressing, and has the above skills I'd have her move up. I really see no reason to hold back unless there is a reason. And NOT being in top 10 is not one of them ;)

Yes she has all the lv4 skills and performs them safely.
 
If she already has a decent kip then I would definitely push for Level 4. She can always repeat Level 4 or 5 if she needs to catch up a bit later. I see no reason to repeat Level 3 and keep doing pullovers and flatback vaults unless there are major issues with strength/form or the gymnast can't get the L4 skills by competition season.
 

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