compete a level again or wait for next level

[sportyfam5]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether it is better to repeat a level for another year if not ready for the next level? My daughter made a quick jump going from level 4 to 7 in one year. She has competed 2 1/2 years at level 7 but isn't quite ready for 8. (She is having trouble with giants even though bars have always been her strong event.) Should she wait until she is ready or compete 7 again?

Her sister will be moving to level 8 as well as another level 7 team mate. Other than that the other level 7's have quit or left.

 

[NotAMom]

There have been several threads on feelings regarding repeating a level. But, your situation is a little different.

IMHO, that is one of the drawbacks of accelerated mobility through the levels. Of course, it could work out great for the gymnast if the progression pace stays the same. Otherwise, other gymnasts can eventually catch up. It's not all that uncommon. In fact, our L7 borderline L8 is at the exact same situation, with her being the catcher-upper who got left behind.

I'll repeat what I and others have said before. Every gymnast progress at her own pace. Some skills can come very easily but other skills can take many years to achieve. Success at one level doesn't also correlate to future success. Other than a little ego hit (hopefully sans discouragement nor boredom), there's nothing wrong with repeating a level.

 

[gymnut1]

I sort of agree with the poster above. I dont see the benefit of progressing from 4 to 7 in one year if you then have to spend 2 and a half years at level 7 and still not be totally ready for level 8. That must be a very tough mindplace for your dd to be. Acceleration is fine for those kids that can maintain it. Clubs should be pretty sure to do it. Otherwise working through the levels is better for their phsycological development. Although I dont know the age of your dd - if she is already a teen who started late ignore all the above - that would make sense!

But anyway in your dd case I would say move up. To do a third year of level 7 would be boring and make her feel she isnt progressing. Especially if she is the only level 7 and the others have moved up. To keep her challenged go for it. If she is having problems with bars can she compete 3 pieces this season or part of it. Then if she repeats level 8 she can aim for 4 pieces next season and maintain some feeling of progress.

Good luck to her. Let us know what she decides.

 

[cathiann]

Does she not have giants at all or is just struggling with consistency? If she's missing them totally, then I don't think she's really ready to move up. If she has them sometimes, move up--she'll get bored with the same level too long. But you know your daughter best--does she do better when she has to rise to equal the level of competition or does she shine when she's one of the best?

 

[gym mom]

If it was my dd I would not have her compete this season so she could work on strictly what she needs for L8.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

I sort of agree with the poster above. I dont see the benefit of progressing from 4 to 7 in one year if you then have to spend 2 and a half years at level 7 and still not be totally ready for level 8.

Every kid is different, every situation is different.

I'm going to make a wild guess that your daughter is between 10 and 14; if I'm right, then a large part of the reason for her slow progress is likely that she's been growing.

I would bring up your questions with your daughter's coach; this is an unusual situation, but not unheard of. There is no one answer to such a question that will work for every kid, and your daughter's coach knows her a lot better than we do.

 

[taximom]

I think you know your DD best and probably have a good inclination as to how to proceed. If this was my DD, I would have her repeat Level 7. She could get new routines for beam and floor which would stave off boredom. My DD would not want to compete 3 events and not place AA. It is quite common here for girls to stay in the same level more than 1 year although our system is much different than yours. Since she has mastered those level 7 skills she should have lots of opportunities to work on those giants.

 

[socko]

I guess it would depend on the region you are in...for example, if you are in a really strong area (i.e.TX, Ohio) with gyms that have 8 yo level 8s winning everything, I would say hold her back at & while she works her 8 skills and when she gets them, move up. If you are in a weaker region where the Level 8s aren't as plentiful, then she might be ok to move up with missing skills. My biggest fear in moving up prematurely is the safety of the gymnast. Just because she's done two years at seven doesn't mean she's automatically ready for 8. As my daughter has put it, "that's why they have all those age groups" and there's no shame in not having a skill. And as long as she is still having fun, then you'll be ok.

If she can't get her Level 8 skills have you thought about the Prep Op route which basically focuses on what they CAN do? That might be an option for her.

 

[canadiangymmom]

I think you know your DD best and probably have a good inclination as to how to proceed. If this was my DD, I would have her repeat Level 7. She could get new routines for beam and floor which would stave off boredom. My DD would not want to compete 3 events and not place AA. It is quite common here for girls to stay in the same level more than 1 year although our system is much different than yours. Since she has mastered those level 7 skills she should have lots of opportunities to work on those giants.

I agree with Taximom, Getting new routines could make it fresh and exciting again, while having her stay level 7 until she's ready for level 8. Obviously if her past progress is any indication, your coach will allow her to move up mid season. So if she was given new routines, started as a 7 and worked towards her giants, it wouldn't be a huge transition to tweak her routines and have her move up to 8.

Good luck making your decision!

 

[I<3bars]

It's fun to be held back and then do really well at meets and win lots of medals if she goes to level 8 and never places and everyone else on her team is better thatn her than she could get discouraged and possibly want to quit -yikes- but thats what happened to me...

 

[gym law mom]

Is the problem with giants a recent thing or has she always had a problem with them? Since you said she's always been strong on bars, sounds like its something thats come up recently. I believe someone else asked if she has grown much or hit that puberty stage where the shape of her body changes? Doesn't take much to throw off the giants. I've seen 2 girls at our gym go through months of struggling to get giants back when they hit growth spurts/changes in their body. My gymmie struggled a little with hers last year---lost the tap and got a little archy which cost her 9s on bars as a L8. She seems to have figured it all out again and is "used" to being a little taller.

Talk with her coach to see if you can get any insight into what is causing the problem with the giants. If she's stressed over those and feels they are holding her back from L8, then it can be a viscious cycle until she can relax and work through it. Is it possible to start out the seaon as a L7 and move up to L8 once the giants improve?

 

[kristilyn73]

I also think it depends on what kind of problems she is having with Giants. Is she just not doing them? Is she doing them but they are not pretty? Or is she scared? Each kid is different. For My DD moving her up is a better option. She gets bored easily. Doesnt care if she is getting 8.8's or 9.2's..

 

[NotAMom]

Not progressing and not learning should definitely call for concerns. But, getting bored alone, OTOH, shouldn't be a season for advancement(except when the child is really young or have some sort of irregular condition where stimulation is a necessity). Maybe, that is not what you meant.

Besides, as a child matures, he/she should learn how to keep focus (as much as possible) even when things aren't interesting or exciting. The world ahead of them is full of boredom at times -- school and workplace alike. I wish I had paid attention to that when I was growing up.

 

[cher062]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether it is better to repeat a level for another year if not ready for the next level? My daughter made a quick jump going from level 4 to 7 in one year. She has competed 2 1/2 years at level 7 but isn't quite ready for 8. (She is having trouble with giants even though bars have always been her strong event.) Should she wait until she is ready or compete 7 again?

Her sister will be moving to level 8 as well as another level 7 team mate. Other than that the other level 7's have quit or left.

Every gymnast is different but I would rather see my DD repeat the Level as a strong 7 than wait to compete. My DD would be heart broken if she couldn't go to a meet this year. This is something you want to see what your DD thinks too. Would she rather compete as a strong L7 or wait a year to compete as a L8?

Just because her sister is moving up doesn't mean she has to move up. Everyone is different and I'm sure there will be something along the way that will slow down her sister too.

Does the L7 and L8 practice together if they do then they will still have that social network going.

 

[dmytv]

Does she have the skills to do level 8? I would have repeat level 8 more than lv 7 because she must have at least a 34 to go to lv9. Lv 8 skills- Vault- Tsuk or yurchenko or full. Beam -acro ser. bhs, bhs or wlk bhs. floor front se. w/ 2 saltos; bars cast handstand bar change or release skill. if one of the elements missing I would still have her compete lv 8. repeating lv 8 is better than perfecting lv 7.

 

[sportyfam5]

Does she have the skills to do level 8? I would have repeat level 8 more than lv 7 because she must have at least a 34 to go to lv9. Lv 8 skills- Vault- Tsuk or yurchenko or full. Beam -acro ser. bhs, bhs or wlk bhs. floor front se. w/ 2 saltos; bars cast handstand bar change or release skill. if one of the elements missing I would still have her compete lv 8. repeating lv 8 is better than perfecting lv 7.

Thanks, she actually just needed vault and giants and straddle back on bars. She was very successful at last weeks practice and plans to compete L8 next Saturday at a small in house meet.
My younger daughter did her 1st sanctioned L8 meet last weekend. I agree on getting out of 7 and moving to 8. My daughter and her team mate did better at their first level 8 meet than they usually did at 7. Th amount of competitiors at 7 is just outragious in our area.

 

[gymnastics star]

I would sugggest staying a 7 a little longer so when you compete you can place higher in events and become one of the strongest level 7 the gym has or you cam compete a weak new 8 thats just my advice