WAG Question about new levels

[Peasmama]

So with this change in levels, my DD, who completed her first competition season as a level 4, is newly grouped for training in a level (new) 3/4 group. None of the girls in the gym have been placed at a level 5. The ones who competed level 5 last season are in the L.4 group. The ones who competed L.4 were greatly varied in age and experience; they have been placed in 2 groups: new 3/4 and L.3. I'd like some feedback on the following:
1) why are there no level 5 girls now?
2) What does the level 3/4 group mean? Are these girls going to train for the new L.4 and compete 4 if they're ready and 3 if they are not ready for the new L.4 by Fall season? Thought? Ideas?

 

[Rwhitt]

My gym did something similar and my understanding was that L3/4 was the level for the girls until they have all of there new L4 skills. And I guess if some of the girls don't get all there new L4 skills within a couple months they would stay and compete L3 the same level they just competed. Your gym kinda sounds like my gym?

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[lhmom]

So with this change in levels, my DD, who completed her first competition season as a level 4, is newly grouped for training in a level (new) 3/4 group. None of the girls in the gym have been placed at a level 5. The ones who competed level 5 last season are in the L.4 group. The ones who competed L.4 were greatly varied in age and experience; they have been placed in 2 groups: new 3/4 and L.3. I'd like some feedback on the following:
1) why are there no level 5 girls now?
2) What does the level 3/4 group mean? Are these girls going to train for the new L.4 and compete 4 if they're ready and 3 if they are not ready for the new L.4 by Fall season? Thought? Ideas?

Was there any level 6's at your DD's gym last season? Or does her gym test out of 6 and go to optionals? It may be that the coaches don't feel that the girls who competed 5 last season aren't ready to do the new 5 (former level 6) or test out of the old 6. As for the level 3/4 group, I agree with Rwhitt. They probably want to see what skills the girls pick up before determining what level they compete.

 

[Natasha]

It is not uncommon to see gyms that have the girls do 2 years of (current) L5, score out of L6 and go to L7 instead of one year of L5 and L6. They still get to L7 at the same time. (So this year it would be 2 years of L4, score out L5 and go to L6.) Your gym may be doing that. Or, it may be that they don't feel that any of the current L5 girls are ready yet to do the new L5. It is fairly common also to do a 2nd year of current L5. As far as the 3/4 group, it sound like they think those girls will be able to get all their skills for L4, but if they don't have them yet, they don't want to just say L4 group as then if a girl isn't able to get her skills she would either be "moved back" or would not get to compete.

 

[Peasmama]

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses, they were very helpful. I'm fairly new, though, and I don't know what you mean by" score out" of a given level. What (new) levels can you "score out " of . Also, suppose a girl were to score out of a level at her first competition of the season. Does she then compete the next level for the remainder of the season, assuming she has the skills for it?

 

[lhmom]

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses, they were very helpful. I'm fairly new, though, and I don't know what you mean by" score out" of a given level. What (new) levels can you "score out " of . Also, suppose a girl were to score out of a level at her first competition of the season. Does she then compete the next level for the remainder of the season, assuming she has the skills for it?

The current level 5 and above require a mobility score (I think it's a 31?) to move to the next level. For example, quite a few gyms do not have girls compete level 6 for an entire season. So, they may have that child compete at one meet to get that mobility score then move on to the next level for the rest of the season. Some gyms will even have judges come to their gym to do a in-house meet.

 

[emorymom]

No, the mobility score is a minimum to compete the next level and that starts at new L4. Lower levels are not required to be competed so they do not have mobility scores. Many girls will score the minimum on their first meet of the season and continue to compete that level, even for more than one season. But for some girls their coaches decide on a different path so they might, for example, compete AAU L4 but then go to one USAG L4 meet to "score out" so they can jump into the USAG JO meets whenever that's desired ... or they might be competing XCEL and go to one meet a season of JO to score out ... or they might be fast tracking to elite and attending multiple level meets a year to score out ...

 

[JBS]

We are probably not going to run the new L5 at our club. We are looking at training all gymnasts from L4 to L7...L6 would catch the gymnasts that could not go L7. Basically this means that they would stay at L4 until we are sure that they will at least make L6. Many gymnasts will probably end up doing L4 for two years...before they jump to L6/7.

 

[AmandaLynn]

We are probably not going to run the new L5 at our club. We are looking at training all gymnasts from L4 to L7...L6 would catch the gymnasts that could not go L7. Basically this means that they would stay at L4 until we are sure that they will at least make L6. Many gymnasts will probably end up doing L4 for two years...before they jump to L6/7.

For curiosity's sake: does your gym run current L6?

 

[gymmomtoo]

For curiosity's sake: does your gym run current L6?

And even more curious--why did you make that decision?

 

[Peasmama]

This is very interesting! I'm so curious: why not have girls compete the new level 5? It seems my gym is doing the same as you describe. But why? Is there an advantage to that?

 

[Natasha]

I think with the New L6 being a little easier than the L7, gyms are thinking that they can do a year of new L6 "in place of" the new L5. (after scoring out of course). I don't think there is necessarily an advantage, just that girls are usually anxious to get to do their own routines, and by doing this they get to do that a year earlier. Our gym has always competed L6 and I think is planning on competing the new L5 next year. We had about a dozen L6 gymnasts this year and for the most part they actually scored decent.

 

[LizzieLac]

I can see kids starting the season in new level 6 but if they do really well the first few meets they might move up to level 7. The basic routines would already be set - they would just need to adjust need to add another B skill.