Question for All? "Fast Tracked"???

hannahsmom · #1 01-04-2010, 07:33 AM

I saw this same phrase used some in the thread re: TOPS and I've been wondering about that for a little while. I recently had a meeting with the HC/Owner of my dd's gym. She's been having some issues with a coach and I thought we needed another meeting. In that meeting, he told us that if we could "get her to focus" (she's only 6! haha) that they would be able "to fast track" her. What exactly is "fast track"? I want my dd to be the best she can be, but I don't know that I necessarily want elite to be a goal. If that's what he's talking about, am I wrong for not wanting that as a goal? When she gets older, if she chooses that for her goal, I will support her, but I don't feel comfortable with making that decision at this age. I just want her to have fun and enjoy gymnastics until she's really old enough to decide what she wants. So, is this "fast track" going down a road I'm not necessarily wanting at this point or is that just his way of saying she might skip level 4 or something like that?

optinals rocks!! · #2 01-04-2010, 07:54 AM

fast track at my gym is when hand picked 6-10 year olds are placed in a small class to facous on moving them up to optinals.so like they will compete one meet each level.they usally dont compete at the big meets we just have a judge come in score them because one of my coaches is a meet director it counts as a meet. you cant skip a level but they will always be training the levels ahead of them.like a girl had a casthandstand before she had a kip and they were working on bhs on beam when working on level 5.this class doesnt nessicsarily meen she is going to the olympics it is givnig her the chance to get as far as she wants to go when she is still you and has no fear,because when you get older the more you think about will go wrong!i hope this helps!!!

Shawn · #3 01-04-2010, 08:02 AM

"Fast track" is such a broad (and overused, IMO) term. It can mean different things to different coaches and at different gyms. Some gyms fast track and don't have the girls compete at all while they train. They just go for harder and harder skills without actually competing anything at the lower levels. My daughter would hate that. Her favorite thing is learning new skills but she loves going to meets and getting to compete. She needs the positive reinforcement and recognition. At other gyms, fast track can just mean skipping a level, or doing one level in the spring and the next level in the fall or something like that. I really think you need more information before deciding what's best for your daughter. I think you should ask the HC what he means by "fast track." With a clearer picture of his plans, you can better determine if that will work for your daughter.

As for elite, I wouldn't worry about that just yet. Even if they are training her with that goal in mind, she will still have a lot of gymnastics to do before she gets there and it can (and should) still be fun.

**bogwoppit** · #4 01-04-2010, 08:22 AM

ITA with Shawn, you should ask the coach what "fast track" means at your gym. It is such an over used term and you should be sure whatever it means is the right fit for your child and you.

Shawn · #5 01-04-2010, 08:35 AM

Quick question, what does ITA mean? I've seen that on a couple threads but don't know what it means.

**bogwoppit** · #6 01-04-2010, 08:37 AM

I totally agree! ITA

mariposa · #7 01-04-2010, 09:25 AM

Like Shawn said, it can mean many things. At DDs old gym, fast tracked just meant that you were kind of being watched and trained by the optional coaches and that you wouldn't stay with the same group, you would move faster than most, etc. They also started a Hot Shots group that was to be fast tracked, they were separate from the regular team, trained together and moved along the fast tract together, didn't train with the regular team girls. My DD was invited to do that but I wasn't so sure about it and kept her regular team and we left that gym soon after for other issues anyway.

I would ask the HC if you are wondering how they do it there. And I wouldn't worry about her focus issues. I think they are completely age related and normal.

starmaker · #8 01-04-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by optinals rocks!!

fast track at my gym is when hand picked 6-10 year olds are placed in a small class to facous on moving them up to optinals.so like they will compete one meet each level.they usally dont compete at the big meets we just have a judge come in score them because one of my coaches is a meet director it counts as a meet. you cant skip a level but they will always be training the levels ahead of them.like a girl had a casthandstand before she had a kip and they were working on bhs on beam when working on level 5.this class doesnt nessicsarily meen she is going to the olympics it is givnig her the chance to get as far as she wants to go when she is still you and has no fear,because when you get older the more you think about will go wrong!i hope this helps!!!

This is very similar as to how our gym does "fast track". They basically uptrain them and teach as many upper level skills as possible with the hopes of acquiring it quickly. Most of the girls are fearless and strong. Our gym host several inhouse mobility meets throughout the year to give girls the chance of scoring out and compete the next level. Our girls have skills one to two levels their current competing level. They may skills on one event but not the other. My dd loves this type of training. There is something new to do and boredom never sets in. She goes at a comftable pace. If she is not ready to throw a certain skill she can always opt out...no pressure! The goal of course being to get them into optionals as quickly as possible. For some the goal may be elite but for us it's keep her progressing and enjoying the sport. And like Shawn said she loves aquiring new skills but she also loves to compete. She gets the best of both!!

optinals rocks!! · #9 01-04-2010, 12:47 PM

yeah i agree with starmaker. but it is different at all gyms so i would ask HC to see wat it is like at your gym. your dd may not want to be pushed like this.also see wat the main goal for the fasttrack program is at your gym. ares is to get young girls in to optinals when they are still fearless. also they will most likey be going more hours than regualar team.hope this helps!1

Aussie_coach · #10 01-04-2010, 03:41 PM

In gymnastics you don't always have the option of saying "I'll wait and see what my daughter wants to do and then decide". Because it must begin young, generally if parents wait until their DD says "I've decided I want to aim for the olympics". It's usually too late to go down that road.

To some degree a parent has to read their child at this age to see if there is a possibility of this being a future goal. Things to look for in your child is.
1. Very energetic
2. Just can't get enough gymnastics, does it at home a lot
3. Loves going to the gym for each class and doesn't want to go home
4. Talented - small body, strong, flexible, learns skills quickly
5. A very passionate driven kid who never lets anything stop her.

If your daughter has these characteristics she may be ideal for elite gymnastics and may choose it later on.

Getting her on the elite track now doesn't mean she will go elite it means when she is older and ready to decide she will have options. Lets say she makes the decision at 10 years old if she has been fast tracked from 6 she will probably be in the position to choose to go elite, or if she doesn't want that it won't be too late to follow one of many other paths like trying for a college scholarship, or just enjoying competitive gymnastics, or switching to another gymsport like trampoline, tumbling, acro or even stopping altogether. All those will be her options.

However, if she gets to 10 years old and what has been said is "take your time to get to the higher levels" and she chooses to go elite it won't even be an option.

Remember you can ALWAYS move to an easier stream but its very hard to move up to a harder stream.