Parents I don't want to be 'that' mom

[aleblanc]

So my daughter is almost 4. She does well at gymnastics and really enjoys herself. I was told by her gym today that her coach won't be advancing her because "she's too short"...... Really!?!

I feel I need to have a chat with her coach but I don't want to be a crazy mom type. I would accept she needs to work on a skill or some other reason she could actually remedied but being short is not her fault and I can't believe is a legitimate reason for holding her back. Thoughts?

 

[Natasha]

What is she considering advancing her to? Is it an age group advancement or true level advancement? If it is an age advancement, it may be that the skills aren't any more advanced, but that the equipment settings are different or that they are transitioning from preschool equipment to regular equipment. I teach preschool classes and often have kids working on different skills in the same group as it is easy to individualize tasks at each station. However, I do find it difficult when I have large differences in size as I constantly have to move the bar up or down or move mats to adjust and it takes time away from instructing the kids.

 

[gymgal]

Does sound a little silly. I would just ask for more clarification. that would not put you in the CGM group. They may just want to hold her back another session (semester, year, whatever).

 

[gracyomalley]

Ask for clarification. I will say, however, that height was one factor in when DD was moved up - she continues to be about the shortest in the state for her level now, even at 11 and just finished L7. She really struggled with getting over the vault at 8 at old L5 and bars were a big challenge as well - needed tons of mats to even reach the beam. I expect her adult height to max out at about 4-9 or so....

I'm not sure, but I think that one reason she stayed in the preschool rec until almost 6 was her height - at the time I had no idea, I just knew that her HC said she would have "a space in our pre-team" when she is ready - and when she was she did....

 

[Ex member]

I cannot see how being short will stop you moving up/advancing , I was under the impression that shorter children were more suited to gymnastics. My oldest dd is 10 (11 at the end of the year) and is the height of the average 5 year old, yes my dd does struggle to reach things but that didn't stop her advancing in gym, they just made allowances and gave her a higher block to stand on.

My youngest dd (7 and around 110cm tall) is also short compared to her team mates, she barely comes up to the shoulder of her team mate who is the next shortest but she is the youngest in her group by 2-4 years, dd does sometimes find it hard to reach the bars and since they have started vaulting 2 weeks ago dd did find it hard to do straight jumps onto blocks that are half her height and also struggled to do handspring flatbacks onto mats stacked 90cm tall (set that way for the older/bigger girls in her group) but dd is improving and she now has a powerful run up to the vault has made big improvements.

 

[onebusymama]

I cannot see how being short will stop you moving up/advancing , I was under the impression that shorter children were more suited to gymnastics.

Just bc you are short doesn't mean you are suited for gymnastics. My DD attends an "elite" gym & the L10 & Elites are all of different shapes & sizes. We also have girls that are 8 & 9 years old that are the size of kindergartener, however some (actually most) are the same level as the kindergarteners. We also have 6, 7, 8 y.o. who are tall & average training optionals on the fast track to elites. So IDK why a coach would say a child is too short just as IDK why a coach would say a child is too tall. Further questioning needs to be asked IMO

 

[aleblanc]

Thank you for your advice. I am going to have a meeting with her coach next week.