A
Anonymous (56ec)
The title says it all. I have a kid who is slow and steady when it comes to gymnastics and frankly a lot of other parts of life, too. It’s really tough this time of year. Coaches are focused on transfers from other gyms, girls whose performance was so meteoric last season that they’re skipping or moving to junior elite or fast track, and especially fresh faces who are willing to do daytime/homeschool.
My daughter was an AA and multiple event state champion this year, but she’s at a nationally known gym where this puts her at the middle to bottom of the DP pack. I can tell she’s feeling lost in the shuffle as her workout group is shifting and girls are moving all over the place.
Homeschooling/daytime is not something I am willing to do as a parent. I am willing to support her in any other way, and I remind her that this is her journey, not anyone else’s, and at times it might look really different than her teammates’. I have also shown her examples of teammates’ progress from mymeetscores so she understands that plenty of the girls who move fast early take more time at certain levels later on.
She doesn’t understand how objectively good she is outside of her own gym nor that she could carry on at her current pace and be an excellent upper optionals gymnast. Her gym’s reputation means that it attracts a few of the best gymnasts in the region at every level every year, so this will always be a thing. I feel disappointed for her, but at the same time frustrated that her coaches are always giving so much attention to the shiny new kids without even a peep about the past season once it’s done.
Experienced parents: tell me what else I can say to my daughter who loves gymnastics but is way too aware of where she stands in her gym’s pecking order?
My daughter was an AA and multiple event state champion this year, but she’s at a nationally known gym where this puts her at the middle to bottom of the DP pack. I can tell she’s feeling lost in the shuffle as her workout group is shifting and girls are moving all over the place.
Homeschooling/daytime is not something I am willing to do as a parent. I am willing to support her in any other way, and I remind her that this is her journey, not anyone else’s, and at times it might look really different than her teammates’. I have also shown her examples of teammates’ progress from mymeetscores so she understands that plenty of the girls who move fast early take more time at certain levels later on.
She doesn’t understand how objectively good she is outside of her own gym nor that she could carry on at her current pace and be an excellent upper optionals gymnast. Her gym’s reputation means that it attracts a few of the best gymnasts in the region at every level every year, so this will always be a thing. I feel disappointed for her, but at the same time frustrated that her coaches are always giving so much attention to the shiny new kids without even a peep about the past season once it’s done.
Experienced parents: tell me what else I can say to my daughter who loves gymnastics but is way too aware of where she stands in her gym’s pecking order?