Parents Gymnast of the Year award

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

N

NGL780309

I'm curious what everyone else thinks about this and I'm bored so it's something to discuss.

DD's gym gave a gymnast of the year award. It was explained as an award to the gymnast with the best performance for the year. It was given to a compulsory gymnast (L4) who won state and she's a great gymnast, I'm not arguing with that. Meanwhile there is a Level 10 gymnast who won an event at State, placed 3rd AA, made regionals where she again won the same event and was the alternate to JO nationals and competed in the NIT. We are also from a tough region where she scored a mid 37AA at regionals to place 8th and miss making JO's.

Personally I would have felt a little irritated if I were the Level 10 girl. Level 10 is a whole other ball game than L4. I mean, L4 is not even a real level in my opinion and my DD will compete L4 this year so I can say that! I just don't see how their accomplishments can be compared. And the Level 4 girl was competing her 2nd year of level 4! I just thought it was a little crazy. Maybe they need 2 awards, one for L4-6 and one for L7-10.

Just my opinion and I was curious what others think. Neither one is my DD or even a friend's DD.
 
Just wondering how the award winner was chosen? Was it by vote? And if so, who voted? Or was it by coaches pick? Our gym has never done anything like that. In fact, just the opposite is true at our gym. The coaches try hard NOT to put more spot light on the big winners, as opposed the hard workers who may not shine so brightly. If anything, our gym would have honored a gymnast who overcame a big obstacle or helped the team in a special way(aside from winning at meets). It will be interesting to follow this thread to see what others say. Interesting thread!
 
The coaches picked these awards. There were also awards for best team spirit, hardest worker, most improved, etc. Those awards had several girls recognized. This was an award for a single person who had the greatest performance this year. I just didn't agree with it. I'm not trying to take anything away from the girl who won, but comparing L4 and L10 is just crazy in my opinion. The effort and committment it takes to achieve at L10 is just so much greater than that at L4.
 
How long have you been at this gym? Perhaps the Level 10 girl was recognized last year or the year before and they try to pick someone different every year?
 
That's a possibility CadyBearsMom. And pershps the L10 gymnast couldn't care less about getting such an award at this point in her career. Just the way the award was presented it didn't seem like it was based on who had received it before or trying to be fair to others. They went on and on about how she had the best performance of any gymnast on the team this year.
 
The coaches picked these awards. There were also awards for best team spirit, hardest worker, most improved, etc. Those awards had several girls recognized. This was an award for a single person who had the greatest performance this year. I just didn't agree with it. I'm not trying to take anything away from the girl who won, but comparing L4 and L10 is just crazy in my opinion. The effort and committment it takes to achieve at L10 is just so much greater than that at L4.
I agree with you in that regard. If they did want to open that can of worms then 1 award to an optional gymnast & 1 to a compulsory gymnast would have been more appropriate, IMHO. I personally don't agree with thought behind that award though. Those girls both already won at the meets they competed at. To put them over their teammates yet again with this award is a bit distasteful to me. I would say not just the L10 was "snubbed" but many others. Doesn't sound like a good team bonding effort to me, unless the gymnasts themselves got to vote for a teammate THEY felt deserving of such an award. Maybe someone who fell during a performance but picked themselves up & moved on to a good routine...something like THAT I'd give an award to!
 
I think staying away from this kind of award is best. NGL, as you said the L10 may not really care, but picking out 1 girl to get the "best of something" award usually creates some hurt feelings. A better idea is to recognize state champions, girls that get to regionals, nationals etc. Then the awards are fact based and not a coach choice.
 
I didn't have a problem with the award itself because they did recognize everyone in some way. They gave awards to all those that qualified to state, regionals etc. They gave awards to girls who were injured, they recognized girls for the amount of years they spent in gymnastics etc. I just disagreed that a L4 could have the performance of the year. The other thing I thought odd was that the L10 was the first L10 from this gym to qualify to Nationals. She was only the alternate like I said and competed at the NIT, but still no other gymnast from this gym has made it that far.

I don't think there is anything wrong with recognizing the best gymnast on the team or whatever. Our state does it and so does our region. It's life and not everyone is always going to be the best. It's certainly something to strive for. I just didn't understand how you could compare a handstand flatback with a yurchenko full. You know what I mean?
 
Our gym does a gymnast of the year award but it is not soley based on performance. They also look how much of a team leader and teamate they are and their dedication. Last year it was given to a level 10 but not because she was the best performer but because she was a positive force at the gym and someone every gymnast looked up to!
 
Our gym gives similar awards, but they award separate Gymnast of the Year trophies for Compulsory and Optional gymnasts (original comment is right -- there's no comparison in achievement and dedication).

However, I have to defend the award a little because my DD won the Compulsory Gymnast award last year and it meant the world to her. She's not what I would call a natural gymnast -- she's a really hard worker though and somehow was able to get the highest all around score on her team at state and earned four medals (including state champion on one event). She was the first to get all her level 5 skills.

She was the last one moved up from pre-team a couple years ago and I can tell you that still hurts her feelings. This was a fitting recognition of her achievements. (Sorry to go on like that -- but it meant a lot to her!!!).
 
That award receipiant is quite interesting. At my DS's wrestling banquet it seemed like all of the awards were given to the last year/eighth graders. That seemed reasonable because it is their last year on the team. Now at DD's old gym the banquet served as a means to recognize the seniors. Everyone was invited, but the seniors got all of the glory. I have to admit that recognizing the little level 4 was in fact pretty cool. Did she in fact have a great season, etc. ? If so, it probably was quite appropriate. :)
 
At our gym, they split the awards ceremony to boys, girls compulsory, and girls optional. At each level, all girls are given an award. Special awards are also given at each level, VIP, 110%, and Most Improved. Finally, an award is given as gymnast of the year, but again, there is one for boys, girls compulsory, and girls optional. The optional awards also has a Rudy Award for an injured gymnast. I'm hoping my DD will get that award this year since she has had three broken bones, injured her wrist, injured her hip flexor, and never got to compete this season :(
 
I realise I'm slightly cynical, but I observe that the L10 gymnast is likely approaching retirement, whereas as the L4 gymnast's family has years of fees ahead of them ... which I suspect they're going to begrudge less to this gym after that award ...
 
I realise I'm slightly cynical, but I observe that the L10 gymnast is likely approaching retirement, whereas as the L4 gymnast's family has years of fees ahead of them ... which I suspect they're going to begrudge less to this gym after that award ...

The L10 is only 13 so I hope she's not nearing retirement. She's an awesome gymnast.
 
That award receipiant is quite interesting. At my DS's wrestling banquet it seemed like all of the awards were given to the last year/eighth graders. That seemed reasonable because it is their last year on the team. Now at DD's old gym the banquet served as a means to recognize the seniors. Everyone was invited, but the seniors got all of the glory. I have to admit that recognizing the little level 4 was in fact pretty cool. Did she in fact have a great season, etc. ? If so, it probably was quite appropriate. :)

She did have an awesome season and won state, but really in L4 they have north and south state, not the entire state. Meanwhile the L10 was an event champion at regionals from 7 states. To me there is just no comparison. Maybe I'll suggest they start giving 2 awards, one to compulsory and one for optional.
 
We give a gymnast of the year award to compulsary and optional. There are a host of other awards too, and Seniors have their own segment of recognition. Our gymnast of the year is not so much for the best and cleanest performance/routines. It's more a combination of gymnastics, sportsmanship, dedication etc. It's not always the "best" gymnast that gets the award. This year the award went to a little level 5-7 year old girl who had a bad injury last year, and no one thought she would come back. She required surgury, and was advised to stay out of the sport. She not only came back, but she came back fighting. She was a great cheerleader at meets when she still couldn't perform and when she did finally get the go to compete she fought for every tenth! I optional level award went to a senior level 9.
She did have an awesome season and won state, but really in L4 they have north and south state, not the entire state. Meanwhile the L10 was an event champion at regionals from 7 states. To me there is just no comparison. Maybe I'll suggest they start giving 2 awards, one to compulsory and one for optional.
 
Maybe I'll suggest they start giving 2 awards, one to compulsory and one for optional.

While I can see you are upset- I'd stay out of it. It's a gym matter. If the Level 10's parents have a problem with it it's up to them to say something. I'd just let it go and move on- after all it's a plaque or a trophy or maybe even just a piece of paper that has no bearing on this child's (or any child's) rank or placement outside of the gym. Just try to remember gym gave it to who the gym felt was best deserving and leave it at that. Sometimes things don't make sense but it's not worth taking it up with the gym- DD's gym has been around a long time and gives out a lot of awards internally I think it's best to just let the gym have their moment and recognize who they want to for their own reasons.
 
Last edited:
While I can see you are upset- I'd stay out of it. It's a gym matter. If the Level 10's parents have a problem with it it's up to them to say something. I'd just let it go and move on- after all it's a plaque or a trophy or maybe even just a piece of paper that has no bearing on this child's (or any child's) rank or placement outside of the gym. Just try to remember gym gave it to who the gym felt was best deserving and leave it at that. Sometimes things don't make sense but it's not worth taking it up with the gym- DD's gym has been around a long time and gives out a lot of awards internally I think it's best to just let the gym have their moment and recognize who they want to for their own reasons.

I'm not upset by it, I just didn't understand it and wanted to know what other people thought. We have a comment box and I think it's a valid comment to put in there. They won't know it's from me and if they aren't interested they can simply throw it away. The gym owners are 2 wonderful people who geniunely seem like they are interested in what we have to say as parents. Every meeting we've ever had has been very open and very democratic.
 
Do you know anything about this little Level 4 gymnast that won the award? You mentioned that she is a repeating level 4, so how did she do last year? Maybe this little girl is one that works very hard and never complains and is often overshadowed by more naturally talented gymnasts that don't have to "try as hard". Maybe it takes her longer to get skills and maybe she has fear issues that she is dealing with that may not be so readily seen. Maybe this kid is a team motivator and always cheers for EVERYONE regardless of how she finishes in a meet. Maybe this little girl is the first one to console or give a hug to another gymnast who is having a hard day. Maybe they took these things into account when selecting this recipient. Because if she was any or all of these things I mentioned and ended up winning States, that is a HUGE accomplishement REGARDLESS of what level she is. Maybe there is more to the story that you may not know. Just something to think about.
 
Do you know anything about this little Level 4 gymnast that won the award? You mentioned that she is a repeating level 4, so how did she do last year? Maybe this little girl is one that works very hard and never complains and is often overshadowed by more naturally talented gymnasts that don't have to "try as hard". Maybe it takes her longer to get skills and maybe she has fear issues that she is dealing with that may not be so readily seen. Maybe this kid is a team motivator and always cheers for EVERYONE regardless of how she finishes in a meet. Maybe this little girl is the first one to console or give a hug to another gymnast who is having a hard day. Maybe they took these things into account when selecting this recipient. Because if she was any or all of these things I mentioned and ended up winning States, that is a HUGE accomplishement REGARDLESS of what level she is. Maybe there is more to the story that you may not know. Just something to think about.

She did pretty good her first year of level 4 scoring in the mid 35 range. Certainly not too shabby. As is pretty normal at our gym she repeated L4 while training L5.

There were other awards that were given for all of the above that you mentioned. This was strictly a performance based award as I have stated many times. This was not an award for overcoming the most or coming the farthest or best team spirit or attitude.

We have been at the gym roughly 6 months so I really can't speak of personally knowledge about this child. Our DD's aren't in the same group, work out on different days except Fridays etc. But I have been told (and take with a grain of salt) that she is a diva, throws tantrums, cries at meets if she doesn't get 1st AA, invited every girl in her group to her birthday party except the one girl who is her biggest rival. The only personal experience I know of is that she told my friends DD last week that her kip looked horrible. It hurt this girls feelings. It doesn't seem like the nicest thing to say. I don't believe everything other people tell me because jealousy can often be the root of many accusations.
 

New Posts

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

New Posts

Back