Parents She's only eight..... She's already eight.

[Fliptwisttumble]

Our family has come to a gymnastics crossroads - to leave our gym or to stay.

DD has been at this gym since the beginning (except for one rec year when she was 4). It is a big gym, well known, great coaching, and a real together type atmosphere. We both love it there. But..... it doesn't train elite athletes, or want high performance kids. National, sure. College scholarship, sure. That isn't a focus, but if it happens great. But if you want more, it really doesn't work with their overall goals, and I can appreciate that.

But DD thinks she might want more. She's willing to work as hard as she needs to, and has some significant goals. She thinks in the two year or so horizon, and I have to say, when I was eight, I couldn't think much beyond that either. She's a good little gymnast (competed level 7 this year and training L8 and starting some L9 beam). But her coaches don't really push her.... I keep hearing "don't worry, she's only 8. There's plenty of time. ".

We went to open tryouts at another gym, where they have a history of training elite athletes, and not just a couple. They have a great HC. I'm not too familiar with the other coaches, but she'd be training with HC and someone else. They offered her a spot on the spot. We chatted about what she can do, and I mentioned the "don't worry, she's only 8". They said, "hey, she's already eight. If she wants to go far, we have work to do and should start now."

She would likely be fine for the next year or two in her current gym. But DH and I are thinking perhaps we should switch her now, and potentially she could be that much further along, given a jointly agreed on focus, and surely not behind even if she chose a less strict/intense path in the future. But she's only eight, loves her friends and her next year's coach. She acknowledges she'll eventually have to switch, and thinks the new gym would be the place....eventually. She's torn too.

Sorry for dragging on. As I write, the answer seems straight forward, and yet I'm still torn. After all, she's only 8....

 

[Seeker]

Switch now...you can always pull back to a JO track if you want. But it will be harder to step in this one later.

Good luck!

 

[txgymfan]

I wrote a long post and it disappeared. Short version, since you and your DD know you will switch eventually do it now and enjoy the new gym. Its so hard to enjoy the" now" when you know the "next gym" is coming. Personally we ( my family and I) are in a situation where we do not have control over the "when" but know that something will be disruptive, scary and in the long term very positive is coming. We know that we will have two or three weeks of "maybe" and then we will stop the world for a few weeks. If we could make the change now we would in the mean time I refuse to use the word "wait" we are simply "in process" or "on target to". We have to move on. Since you have that control I suggest eliminating the "waiting to change" and just change.

 

[rd7]

If you want to give elite a shot switch now, it's a good age. Two years down the line it may be too late.

And it sounds like your current gym would welcome you back if it turns out to be too much for her so all is good.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Make the change, if she knows she wants it, then now is the time to start going after it.

 

[gymmomof1]

Imho now is the time to switch since she is wanted to go farther than present gym can provide and that's ok. As Seeker wrote -you can always go back. So if you can and she sounds like she is ready, go for it

 

[bogwoppit]

Based on the way the Canadian system works I would move her now. This is the best time of year and she needs to be in a gym that trains for our national levels. Fortunately in Ontario you have choices.

 

[my4buffaloes]

Switch now. We had thought of switching one year and decided to stay at our old gym another year. We regretted it non-stop. Plus, they might not want her in another year when she is "already 9".

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

I say go for it, but try to leave the old gym on as good terms as possible if you decide to go back later. It sounds like you have two good options, but if she wants more than her current gym can offer, then I'd switch as soon as possible.

 

[Muddlethru]

I'd switch now too. Your daughter will even be more torn two years down the road. There are no preparations for the actual switch than actually switching. Whatever "trauma" your daughter will encounter in switching gyms, she will encounter them whether you do it right now or later. In fact, later may even be more traumatic. In addition, would you not want your daughter to start getting on track now? Why delay unless you have other concerns, financial, commute, other responsibilities?

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Thanks everyone. You all confirmed my gut feel. I confirmed her spot at the new gym today, and just have to work out the details.

 

[txgymfan]

Congratulations on your decision. Let us know how it goes!

 

[kitkat]

I am sure that you didn't make this decision lightly. Lots of things to consider. Best of luck in your new gym. Maybe one day we will meet up

 

[gymmomtoo]

switch her now, since elite is her goal and her current gym has no interest in getting her there. Why waste two more years?