WAG Average age of gymnast to go away to gymnastics camp and why?

[MMG2006]

I am asking bc I have overheard other moms talking about this at dd's gym. Mind you we are at a gym that produces elites and recent Olympians... So my question is do you send your dd's for the experience, or is it more for kids/ coaches to be exposed to better/ different training methods bc maybe they could learn from the experience? And if you are at an "elite" gym is it frowned upon to train elsewhere for a week or two. I would imagine so, as I know they aren't allowed to miss team practice unless sick etc. and they are already receiving great training . Just curious... and what age do camps usually accept kids? I can't imagine sending my 7 yo to overnight camp, but I suppose some could and their dd's would love it! Mine probably would too, but it would be too hard for her momma

 

[gothgymmom]

My DD is 8 and she is going for the first time to IGC, which is a week long camp about 4-5 hours away from me. She wanted to go, as she thought she could get some time on the events than she does at the gym, and also to try to help with her form. She got even more excited when she found out Nastia is going to be there the week she is too!

 

[2G1B]

My kids started going last summer, so had just turned 7 and 9. They went mostly for the fun and experience. They absolutely loved it and are going back in July. (flip fest)

 

[cbifoja]

My DD has been to Flip Fest and Woodward. She went to FF as a 7YO getting ready to compete L3 and it was too soon. She did come back with lots of new skills but she was VERY homesick and had a health issue flare up that pretty much ruined her week. The staff there was wonderful and did everything they could to accommodate her but in retrospect, it was just too soon..

DD went to Woodward with her team as a 9YO getting ready to move to optionals. Again came home with useful skills but her form was much better...probably because her coach was there to keep her in line. Homesickness was again a problem but no health issues interfered with her ability to train.

This summer we aren't going to a commercial camp and when I broached the subject with her coach, I was told that she preferred that DD not attend camp without her. She was worried that no one would stress form enough in an attempt to keep her happy. We aren't an elite gym by any stretch of the imagination but the HC still doesn't want to have "her gymnasts" messed with.

DD is going to a college-held camp this summer but HC will be there with the team so she is allowing that. I have no idea what, if any skills, she will return with but as long as gymmie and HC are happy, I'm happy.

 

[MMG2006]

Pretty much what I was wondering... Thank you !

And for those of you from said "elite gyms ".... Do girls go away to summer camps? I would think no, but again I heard "mom talk" about so and so going to another camp... Not sure if they were going or wanting to go, I should say. Again, just curious...seems to be my motto around here

 

[emilykatherine]

I just got back from flip fest, and truthfully I feel that older girls or high level girls get more out of it. Only because ther will normally be less in there group then the lower level groups. I came back with my beam series for level 9 and I can land my vault and beam dismount now plus I got a lot of helpfully advice.

 

[bogwoppit]

Mine both went to camp from age 7 on and had a blast. They went to gym camp, made tons of new friends and enjoyed new coaches and ideas. Definitely worth it because we could afford it. But not essential in any way.

 

[MMG2006]

Can anyone offer any insight as to wether a high level club would be opposed to having a gymnast take a week off during the summer to get the camp experience ? Again not there yet .. Just curious

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Both of my girls loved IGC... My oldest went for the first time at 9, DD2 went a week before turning 9. They went more for sleepaway camp experience, meeting Olympians, making new friends, than to actually try to learn any new skills. DD1 went 5 times, Dd2 stopped after her 3rd summer preferring not to spend time away from summer uptraining. Last year she attend our Regional camp at Woodward for national qualifiers and I think she got more out of that than any other week at IGC. This summer, she's opting for a college camp.

 

[BarCoach]

As a gymnast I went every summer for 2-3 weeks from age 11-18. I loved it! It is one of my most treasured memories and I made life-long friends. I also learned terrible habits due to a lot of "chucking" skills. But all of that was able to be fixed back in my own gym. As a coach I would encourage girls to go away to camp simply for the experience of it, not because I expect they'll necessarily come back better gymnasts.

 

[MMG2006]

As a gymnast I went every summer for 2-3 weeks from age 11-18. I loved it! It is one of my most treasured memories and I made life-long friends. I also learned terrible habits due to a lot of "chucking" skills. But all of that was able to be fixed back in my own gym. As a coach I would encourage girls to go away to camp simply for the experience of it, not because I expect they'll necessarily come back better gymnasts.

What if you already have "Olympic" coaches ?

 

[JBS]

What if you already have "Olympic" coaches ?

It's about the experience. I have been at camp with Chow's.

 

[OzZee]

I imagine if you are at the point of being regularly trained by the 'Olympic' coaches at an elite club then you would be at the level where you wouldn't be having time to off for holidays never mind camp. Until then camp sounds like such fun - wish we had them in our country.
Some coaches I imagine, whether elite club or not, would think its a great idea and lots of fun, other coaches would worry about bad habits and not want their gymnasts to go.

 

[MMG2006]

OzZee, true.... I do think say level 8-10 girls wouldn't go considering the training they are already receiving, and time commitment.I was wondering about all the levels in between, if it is frowned upon. And from your post and others it does seem like it could go either way. Some coaches would be ok with it while others would worry about bad habits etc.

 

[Dr Maleficent]

I don't think our coach would be very keen on the idea. I did contact one camp in the UK but they expected you to bring your coach with you, I guess precisely because of the issue of coaches wanting to oversee all the training their gymnasts get. Here as well as gym training the gymnasts get training at a regional level with a mix of coaches from time to time, which seems like a great idea as they have their own coach there but also get exposure to other coaches and coaching methods.

 

[vagymmomma]

Most camps seem to peak for girls ages 9 - 12 in terms of numbers going. Re: L8-L10 - it still depends on the girl and the club (some clubs definitely frown on the outside camps). DD competed L8 this past season and she's going to Woodward this summer during the gym break week with 10 other girls on the team (ages 12 - 15 -- L8 & L9). They did the same thing last summer and had an absolute blast. And they got skills to boot - mine did her DB off real bar for the first time at camp (she'd been practicing on pit bar onto a mat at her gym so it wasn't a crazy leap).

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

So DD. Is going to IGC for her third summer - she is nine. She loves it. She gets a two week break from gym and chose to go here for one of those two weeks. Last year she went twice, and one of those two I pulled her from gym and school and they were "okay" with it. Coaches did say she needs a break as well from gym, but they understand that she loves it.

She is training L9. She has goals/skills she wants to work on. Just being with other coaches/kids is fun. She loves the experience. I don't expect her to come home with an additional half twist in her tumbling or her blind change front on bars, but if she can get some new input on increased height, time to do literal numbers of yurchenkos, it would be great.

 

[Jmrhgymnast]

I am a camper at Woodward and I love it I think I get more of experience out of it then training I have been going for years

 

[3LittleGymmies]

My older daughter is going to a 3 day overnight college camp. The rest of her time is going to Woodward, but we switched gyms recently and the registration was closed. The college camp is 1/3 of the price and right down the street from our house. I spoke with the coach (who was very helpful) and she she said that the day camp is more for rec kids and the overnight camp is for team kids. I figured that this would be a good introduction to camp anyway and next year she will have an idea of what to expect at Woodward with the rest of her team. She is 9 and seems pretty confident that she will be just fine. Why go? Well for us, her gym will be closed for team that week anyway while most attend Woodward... so she would be doing nothing otherwise. And I think it will be fun for her to do gymnastics in a different element. They normally take girls 7 and up but said they would make an exception for our 6 year old daughter... but we decided to wait another year for her.

 

[x98peterson]

What differences do you see between a University Camp and a private club camp? (as far as skills, who is working w/ the kids, etc).

My daughter who is 7 is attending Univ of Nebraska camp for a week w/ her coach and a few other girls in July. She wants to stay in the dorms but I am not ready for that yet- I have the option to stay w/ her but I would rather we stay in a hotel!