Need advice please:(

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Gymbee06

Proud Parent
Hi everyone I'm looking for different points of view from coaches and parents. My dd is 8 but competes as a 9 year old she has been in gym since she was 5 and joined team when she was 6 doing 12 hours a week she currently does 15 hours a week and I'm pretty sure her club aren't going to put her in for grades in March maybe a floor and vault and a voluntary comp that's it.
Am I being too crazy to think that my kid who isn't a superstar but is a hard worker came in the middle for comps the last 2 years and improved all her scores on all events should be able to compete grades? We don't do the compulsory route because they last time the gym did that the hpc nearby took all the girls so they don't put them in for those comps anymore.
I feel like because she is not one of the favourite 4 she gets below par coaching I know we are tight on coaches but it literally some weeks is the same thing over and over without corrections being taught by a teenager that has no qualifications (she was an ex gymnast) but she much rather be the girls friend than a coach.
I guess I'm just feeling gutted that although I been on here a while I decided to stay at this gym and trust them, is she totally off the elite pathway now? Should I move her now or wait? I just want her to have the chance to show what she can do I know there's probably a million things a new gym will tell me they have to fix.There are other gym choices nearby but they have always been slated by current gym so they kinda scared me off them he's cause I don't want to end being a gym hopper if we move and we don't like it.
I guess I'm just asking if there's any pointivibg now because it's too late

Thanks
 
Sucks in breath...............

In my 10 years around the sport I have learned that each gym has a philosophy and you need one that fits yours.

In the UK you will not go down the elite path except in a few gyms. These are incredibly demanding and selective and many many girls are churned to get the few who can survive the elite path, and I choose my words advisedly.

There are many good gyms, with good coaches that will take girls to the higher levels, but not elite, in age. They will enter them in 4 piece competitions, they will progress them in skills, they will take them through National grades, or compulsory grades in and out of age.

It seems that with the big power houses, its elite or sidelined.

Gym hopping is a moot term, we are on gym 3, as as Pink progressed gyms 1 then 2 were no longer a good fit for us. I had no problem swapping for my child's happiness. But I would not call us gym hoppers.
 
Unfortunately, if she's 10 next year she needs to pass level 3 in April, so yes, she is off the elite path.

You have two choices really. One is to try and get her assessed at one of the hpc centres and see if any of them thinks she might cope with compulsories.

The second is to accept that she won't make elite and find a gym that fits with her.

I was in the same place you are a couple of years ago. High hours, no compulsory track, one or two comes a year. Dd1 ended up leaving gym in favour of another hobby. Dd2 we switched as didn't see the point of doing all those hours. She is now in gym doing half the hours dd1 did, but 3 times the competitions, and is getting to compete all over.
 
Are the hours that my dd is doing too high to just be doing one voluntary and a floor and vault comp per year? I m not bothered about her doing compulsory it would seem that the girls I read about in here from the uk seem to be doing that amount of hours are competing in compulsories I wouldn't mind if she would still get to do grades the hours just seem high for the level of competition it looks like she is in the forgotten group also I don't mean that in a horrible way just that I feel like she's wasting her time
 
On that amount of hours in this area, yes she'd orobably be looking at compulsories at the clubs that offer it. At the others, definitely grades route.

There is no reason in my mind why they aren't doing grades, unless the coaches aren't confident in at least a pass (some won't unless they are capable of distinction). Though at that many hours, there isn't any reason they can't be ready for it.

Elite isn't the be all and end all of gymnastics though. You need the gym that's right for your DD and offers the best route for her skill levels. Definitely don't be worried about gym hopping, we've done it and never regret it as it's always been DD that has benefitted :)
 
15 hours round here is grades. More if you actually want to podium.

Compulsories are at least 18-20, from age 7. 20-25 by the time you get to level 3 and above.

Floor and vault tends to be 6-9.

Personally I wouldn't be too worried about grades. But if she wants to compete one competition isn't much.
 
Your club sound like the one my DD was at, unless they are going to be top 10 (coaches words) then they won't enter them for grades, to the extent that kids doing 18+ hours did Grade 6 out of age as that way they would be top 10 :-/ my DD was injured so didn't compete this year but others in her group were entered into novice so they didn't embarrass HC (again coaches words!!).
Floor and vault at the club trained under 4 hours.
If you have other options to look at then it is probably worth investigating them to see if they have a different philosophy towards competing, in our region there are definitely clubs where everyone is encouraged to have a go if they are capable of passing rather than winning.
Good luck
 
15 hours round here is grades. More if you actually want to podium.

DD wishes she was doing 15hrs, her grades team only trains 4hrs! Considering that, they still get their fair share of medals and higher passes, so it's not all bad :)
 
here we have a very active county scene, at least 3 comps a year within county, plus grades (national or regional), plus some of the many SW invitationals, plus the county squad do Sapphire, so all in all a child doing 9-16 hours a week can in theory be doing 8+ comps a year, some of which you have no chance at a medal, some guaranteed.

I understand fully that my child will only be middle rank out of county, in fact that is her goal - top half and its a good comp, but she was only doing 9 hours a week and still medalled every county comp. She loves to compete and would not be happy with 1 or 2 F&V comps a year. Our club entered everyone who could fulfil the comp minimum requirements if they wanted to compete, even if they had no chance of being anything other than last, its for the fun of it when push comes to shove, no-one is making a career out of it so just enjoy it.
 
On 15 hours she should be scoring over 60 in regional grades and probably sit in the top 10.

Some clubs are not keen on grades though. Each club has different priorities. However if she is doing that many hours to do floor and vault what is the point. I think you need to ask them what their plan is for her next year. It does seem a lot of hours for not much competition.
 
My daughter does less hours than that and she did grades this year, plus at least five other competitions.

Does your club usually do grades? Did your daughter do them before?
Seams strange not to with that many hours.
 
Yes she did grade 14 in 2014 and grade 5 this year came in the middle both times her scores improved this year over last year it's not that I even want her to do compulsories just angry at myself for not educating myself sooner and getting her to a gym where that "could" happen possibly. I tried to speak to her coach earlier but didn't get chance I'm hoping to catch her later in the week I don't want to come off like a cgm I know my kid is not the star and I don't expect her to medal she just loves competing
 
My daughter does 3 days a week (under 9 hours a week) and is not on club grade pathway, she is doing the grading below that. Our club does around 12 hours for club grades. I really hate the UK pathway, prefer the USA pathway, it seems easier to understand
 
Talking to her coach about the plan for your daughter is the best thing, especially if you've been hearing anything else second hand. Good luck with that. :)

My daughter is working towards club grade 5 next year (I'm already crossing my fingers that she passes, lol! ;)). I have no idea what path they will want her to take after that. I'll probably be asking those questions this time next year!
 
You do know grades and compulsories are totally separate streams?

Grades don't cross over to compulsories. Grade 5 is an awful long way behind Compulsory 4, which is what she is "in age" for this year. I think bars has strap giants, she needs flic on beam...

Personally I don't see the point of grades for more talented, younger children that can't do national grades and qualify to finals. I'd rather focus on invitationals and voluntaries- play to kids strengths, let them try new moves, and less time spent getting simple routines finger perfect.

My child will likely do Grade 6 next year because a) It's likely to be the only regional WAG competition in her capability, and b) she's could do with getting her head round attention to detail and repetition.
 
Hi, Faith :)

No, I didn't know you can't go from regional/national grades over to compulsories, although, I do see on the chart that you can go the other way.
I realise my daughter started gymnastics too late and hasn't been training enough hours to do compulsories.

I don't know if her club plans for her to do regional or national grades after grade 5.
I am assuming you do one or the other. Is that right?

I'm new to this, but I quite like the idea of grades. I think progression through each grade will give my daughter a sense of achievement. She loved getting her badge and certificate for grade 6. :)
She's also done invitationals and voluntaries, so it looks like she gets a good variety at her club.
 
Thanks for everyone's advise we have left old gym and started a new one she is so happy at her 1st session she got 3 new moves which took the coach less than 2 minutes of teaching her one of which when I told old gym we were thinking of leaving the hoc said well she can't progress because she can't do x skill which I watched her do at new gym!! It appears her love for the sport is back only downside is she will be dropping 6 hours a week but I have been assured she will Be doing grades next year where's as old gym still wouldn't enter her
 
I'm glad it sounds like you have found a club that is a good fit. We all want different things and there are many clubs out there offering different opportunities, its great when you find a match
 
My daughter currently trains 3 days a week, she has been in her group 6 months and there has just been another shuffle around, she is still in the same group with the same coach on the same pathway so no real changes for her except losing a few team mates, 3 to a group who are their age range (10-14) 2 to a group that seem to do only floor and vault and they train 2 days a week, my daughter is with girls age 7-10 and they are on the County grades pathway, my daughter will be doing her first grades next year, she will be classed as a 10 year old as she has end of year birthday, she has just turned 9. When she competes grades she will be 9 years 4 months old.

Is is a shame that she isn't doing club grades as she could pass grade 6 but it is not to be, the cosching is getting is very good, great corrections and lots of up training and plenty of strength work. For county grades the coach has put her in for a grade but she could do the next grade up but he coach wants them to pass highly, I think that stems back from a competition we went to in the summer and we were up against girls who were competing lower than they are capable off and did more hours then we do.
 

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