Parents meet agegroups

[Deleted member 18037]

Age doesn't necessarily correlate with experience.

I tell my girl it doesn't matter. Whatever level you are competing at you are all being judged the same, you should all be capable of competing at the level. Everything else is essentially a "roll of the dice".

 

[Ali'sMom]

My daughter is typically in the highest age group (unless there are 10 age groups, then she will squeak down to the next to highest), and besides one or two gyms, it's a benefit to her (those gyms have repeaters who scored well their first time around). Many times she has scored slightly lower than her teammates, (but they are 9-12, and typically in very competitive age group) and placed higher.
It shouldn't matter, but sometimes the younger girls are not consoled by the fact that they scored better, but disappointed that they didn't place. A couple are getting older and more mature, and accept that it's about personal goals, etc (mine learned that last year), but it's hard for the younger ones.

 

[Amber]

My DD is a 5th grade level 8, so is always in the Child/ Jr. A group. That group is so competitive we call it the Piranha age group! The winning AA for that group is usually 1-2 whole points above the next older group. So DD has to watch teammates with lower AA placing higher. But, I have learned from experience to take the medal pressure off her. Before every meet, I tell her that I'm proud that she's made it this far and I don't care how she places. Just go out there, have fun, and give the people a show.
What I do is either bring a small $5.00 total goody bag for her after each meet or let her pick out a pin from the vendors. So she has something to look forward to, no matter what. This has worked really well. She is a strong level 8, and does well, and if she places top 3 or in the middle, she's always happy.
I tell my DD this- "it's not the winningest kid who makes it to level 10, it's the kid who loves it so much they stay in the sport for the long haul". I hope your DD gets more comfortable with the placements....it just gets worse. Level 9 around here is just split into 2 groups, and they can be 3 years apart in age! Good luck!

 

[skschlag]

I will say this. My son has had many times where he did not place because of his age group. Boys age groups are even worse than girls. But it is ok to let them be disappointed, confused, or even upset. What they learn from that is better than any gymnastics skills. Learning to handle that emotion appropriately is something everyone should learn!

 

[gymbeam]

same situation here for my dd, amber. there are 4 girls on our team (sometimes 5) that always end up in the youngest, highest scoring age group. so, in their case, coming in 4th or 5th AA is still really good. they can't all be 1st place and their scores are always so close to each other.

like others have mentioned, older girls on our team sometimes take 1stAA with lower scores than 5thAA in my daughter's group. it is what it is and luckily my daughter understands it, accepts it and isn't really phased by it.

 

[gymratmom]

Same here with the youngest group. My 10 year old just realized this year (level 7) that her 8th place aa would have been 1st in the oldest group at a recent meet, her first response was "I can't wait till I get to be in that group" quickly followed by the realization that would require repeating a couple of seasons at 7 and changed her mind quick! We just went to the first meet where she wasn't in the youngest group and, wow, that group's scores were high. Think she would have been in the very bottom of the pack had she been with them but next age group she was 4th aa, just crazy how it works out meet to meet. We focus on personal goals, not placements and she has handled it really well this season. Last season was shockingfor her as she was usually top 3 at every meet in 4 and in 6 had zero medals in the first meet (and a few more through the season I am pretty sure). I did get in the habit of giving her a heads up if she had no placements, just hated thinking of her sitting waiting to hear her name called, but she was a great sport and it was a really good season for life and gymnastics lessons!

 

[gymratmom]

What makes you think this didn't happen either? I did tell her that I thought it was unfair and that sometimes life is unfair. The kid has learned lots of life lessons and dealt with them very gracefully. I'm constantly telling her to compete against herself and her last performance. She was fine by the time we hit the car and we went home. I vented because I had never heard of such a thing in so many years competing and I did not want to vent to her. She's over it. I think your representation of what happened is not accurate and not fair.[/QUOTE]



I didn't get the impression at all that she handled it poorly, to expect them not be disappointed at times is unrealistic. how they handle the disappointment is what matters and it sounds like your daughter handled it with grace

 

[Gym proud]

Always tough! And as I heard so many times- it will always be "unfair" for someone. It's doesn't seem to phase DD what group she is in. She has always been in the youngest age. As she progresses through the levels the age gap widens! Where maybe it's 6months-1 year in level 3 it's 3 years in level 7-8. I (shouldn't have but I did) asked one time- how do you feel competing against middle schoolers? Her response, "my coach says age doesn't matter." She sure did shut me up!!!!! Needless to say it hasn't been brought up again!

 

[Cartwheelmom]

This has happened to my DD'S best friend. They are usally always in the same age group but some meets because of her birthday she will be put in the next group down. She usually always ties in vault with my daughter well at one meet, the one that she wasn't in the same age group she did not place on vault with a 9.3. If she would have been in my DD'S group she would have tied for 2nd with her. My DD felt awful about that.