WAG Is it over?

[gymnastflip]

After having moved to a new gym I thought everything was good... And although I had that nagging feeling that sometimes I didn't want to go in I thought that was just normal to a new environment.
We just recently started competition prep and I started to realise I don't really want to be there anymore. On a good day I will enjoy it but getting home at 9:45 every day in addition to having homework and having to work up the lessons I missed at school to get to gym(1 or 2 lessons) is really tiring.
Since moving to this new gym I have learnt a lot in a couple of months(a double layout off bars and a new release and vault) but I don't know if it's all worth it. I wanted to get onto national team but that may not happen as I eventually will have to quit before my big exams, and If I really want to get into a top university should I waste my education in the gym. I have a chance of getting onto the national team of another country as I am a citizen but don't live there, but they don't have good that good gymnastics and by that time I will be senior
So does anyone have any opinions... Is it better to quit and start another sport(I ski and hurdle- both ranked nationally) and have time to go on vacation and do my school work.
I really don't know what to do because gym used to be so important to me but now I just don't have time :'(
Also if I quit the coach from my old club will find out and spread rumours...
Sorry for the rant

 

[gymnastflip]

After having moved to a new gym I thought everything was good... And although I had that nagging feeling that sometimes I didn't want to go in I thought that was just normal to a new environment.
We just recently started competition prep and I started to realise I don't really want to be there anymore. On a good day I will enjoy it but getting home at 9:45 every day in addition to having homework and having to work up the lessons I missed at school to get to gym(1 or 2 lessons) is really tiring.
Since moving to this new gym I have learnt a lot in a couple of months(a double layout off bars and a new release and vault) but I don't know if it's all worth it. I wanted to get onto national team but that may not happen as I eventually will have to quit before my big exams, and If I really want to get into a top university should I waste my education in the gym. I have a chance of getting onto the national team of another country as I am a citizen but don't live there, but they don't have good that good gymnastics and by that time I will be senior
So does anyone have any opinions... Is it better to quit and start another sport(I ski and hurdle- both ranked nationally) and have time to go on vacation and do my school work.
I really don't know what to do because gym used to be so important to me but now I just don't have time :'(
Also if I quit the coach from my old club will find out and spread rumours...
Sorry for the rant

 

[Faith]

Imagine yourself 5 years from now- where do you want to be?

It's probably time for a few decisions. Do you want to do sport to reach the upper levels and compete for your country if you can? Does it matter which sport that is? Do you want to stick with the sport you love, and if you don't get to the national team then so be it?

In 5 years do you still want to be doing gym at this level and intensity?
Is it worth the sacrifice of school and your other sports to get as high as you possibly can?
Or are you happy fitting it in round everything else and doing it for the love of it, success not being as important.
Can you see yourself not regretting giving up gym if it means you are very successful in another sport?
Do you see yourself at a good uni doing gym as a hobby?

If it were me, or you were my daughter, and your realistic chances of making nationals/top elite were minimal (especially if you had a better or equal chance at other sports with greater longevity), my advice would be to scale it down a bit and take it to a fun level. Enjoy it, don't compete for a while, catch up on school, and get used to a different life pace. Pick up your hurdling and/or ski, and see where those take you. Gym is so all consuming at such a young age, this might be a chance to see what other oportunities are out there.

 

[Gymdad2]

Of course this is your decisoin to make, but my 2 cents worth is "Gymnastics (and all sports) will end in a few years, but education is for life.

Good luck

 

[gymnastflip]

Well in five years I definitely won't be doing it. It would end before this time next year almost for sure.
I would get onto this other countries national team because at the moment I would be ranked #2 with my recent scores. However this would be next school year, when my exams are, and I would get a chance to go to a few internationals and possibly a Europeans but I would be one of those lingering at the bottom. Anyways it would end after that

 

[reillysmom2]

Is college gymnastics an option for you?

 

[gymnastflip]

No it's not something I really want to do... And the unis I want don't offer it. It's too cheesy for me- ur either elite or not once you reach that age

 

[kecks]

perhaps track is right for you? if you are already good at hurdling perhaps try to find a good track coach, and go for it. elite track athletes in speed events (sprinting) usually train 15 to 20 hours a week, not more. that is doable besides school and college without that much problems. and you typically are competitive there between age 15 and 40, so no worries about being too old or anything.

 

[iwannacoach]

What emotions were you feeling as you wrote your original post? There's a lot to be said about following your heart, so If your on the verge of tears as you realise there's nearly no point in finishing out the year........ well maybe that is the point. Maybe you don't want to quit until you've had "one last go" at it, but are also concerned about your education.

I'm all for education because a good one can make quite a difference in your future, but I also know that there's always more than one way to get from point 'a' to point 'b'. If you feel your esteem can be enriched by knowing for the rest of your life that you distinguished yourself by being named to your national team, as that alone is a remarkable achievement, you may want to concentrate on that alone, and resolve to concentrate on your education once the national team is behind you.

I'll tell you this much as long as you accept it as my experience and not a judgement of your decision. I have come close to something special four different times in my life, but never took the last step and let myself enjoy the rewards of the work, sacrifice, and heart that went into getting "close," and to be quite honest with you, I left a little of my heart behind each time...... and, well, it hurts. So please give yourself all the time it takes to figure this out, and allow your heart an equal audience in your court of life.