WAG Repeating Level 7

[Mom2twingymnasts]

We learned a few weeks ago that my daughter would be repeating level 7. She started at a new gym right after state meet. A few weeks ago when my husband was dropping DD off one of the coaches approached him and said DD is doing really well and has huge potential. Coach said that she wanted to make sure DD was a level 9 next year so she is only working level 9 skills. Coach said she wasn't concerned with what she competed this year so she might do level 7.

I think DD has most of the level 8 skills and would just need to start working them a bit instead of the 9 skills. I think the only event in which she doesn't have 8 skills already is the beam. She only works BHS Back Layout Stepout, back tucks, and ariels on beam. She would need to have a beam pass that she can compete at level 8. Does this make sense to have her only work 9 skills and then compete level 7? Won't she need the 8 skills at some point as she will need to do one meet of 8 to qualify to compete 9?

My daughter is not at all upset about repeating 7 so she doesn't want me saying anything to her coaches. She does think it is odd that some of the older girls who are struggling to get the level 8 skills are still targeted to compete level 8. There are some strong parents at this gym and it feels like the decision to keep my daughter (the new little 10 year old) at level 7 might be a bit political.

 

[gym law mom]

Doesn't make alot of sense. There is a huge difference between L7 and 9--a flipping vault, 2 bar changes in her UB routine, mandatory acro series on beam and very upgraded tumbling passes. Yes at some point she will need to score out of the next level and next season the level requirments will be different. I would want a little more of an explanation.

 

[gardenia01]

I agree with gymlawmom, it seems odd to me. In particular because if she is going to do Level 9 next year, she is really going to need to have experience vaulting a flipping vault. That experience comes only in Level 8. In addition, you can compete a lot of Level 9 type skills in Level 8, such as round off full dismount off beam, front layout/front pike on floor, and so forth. It just would make more sense to compete Level 8 - if only for the vault experience. Why waste time competing and training a front handspring vault when you are going to have to do something like a laid out yurchenko at Level 9?

My dd is competing Level 8 this year (also a little 10 yo), but she repeated Level 7 last year due to our gym's requirement that gymnasts compete a tsuk or a yurchenko. It was fine and she was fine with it, but again it wound up not giving her the vault practice time she needed on the flipping vaults. I think that would be my main concern unless your daughter is a vault star who will pick it up easily.

 

[iwannacoach]

Training level nine while competing level 7 may seem a little out outside the box, but it would allow for some serious up training by easing up on the current competitive cycles requirements.......kinda like 40%comp training and 60% geared towards level 9 skills.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

My gym tried this with several girls. Since you can no longer do saltos on beam at L8 or double back dismounts on bars, the coaches decided it would have a couple girls repeat 7 and then score out of 8 and go straight to 9. It never worked in practice, though. The jump from 7 to 9 was too big.

 

[vagymmomma]

It seems a little strange. I wonder how they're accounting for the level 9 goal with the upcoming routine changes. I believe the final requirements aren't set for the optional levels yet, but the plan is to have 2 levels in between current 7 and 9. Are they referring to the new 9?

Any word on when the 2013 changes will be finalized?

 

[gymluvr33]

Are they referring to the new 9?

I don't know about when things will be finalized, but there won't (as far as I know) be any "new" level 9...level 9 and level 10 will remain the same. There is going to be a new level 8 and then all the levels below that will be affected but levels 9 and 10 will not.

 

[gymgal]

It seems a little strange. I wonder how they're accounting for the level 9 goal with the upcoming routine changes. I believe the final requirements aren't set for the optional levels yet, but the plan is to have 2 levels in between current 7 and 9. Are they referring to the new 9?

Given the proposed plan, It appears that the requirements for new L8 are similar to old L8 but allow for higher level skills (bonus maybe?). So in essence, it provides an extra year for uptraining to prepare for 9. It will be interesting to see how this pans out - will the gymnasts increase their difficulty levels in competition beyond the requirements to prepare for 9 (upping the bar for everyone else) or will they do only the minimums to score higher, uptraining only in practice?

 

[vagymmomma]

there won't (as far as I know) be any "new" level 9... .

I completely agree with this point, but I thought the requirements were changing for 9 (even if it's not being re-numbered), and I believe there are questions on how the progression will work between current 7 to new 9.

 

[shelovestoflip]

I completely agree with this point, but I thought the requirements were changing for 9 (even if it's not being re-numbered), and I believe there are questions on how the progression will work between current 7 to new 9.

I've been wondering about these changes as well. My daughter competed Level 7 last year though a very short (3 meets including states) season due to injury. All things considered, she did well and scored in the 33s at States...a reasonable comeback, I thing

The current plan is to have her compete Level 7 again this season. She has all the Level 8 skills except bars. She's a great vaulter and has the 8 vault already....great tumbling....beam OK when she is in a good frame of mind....and we know it's mind over matter...she's got the skills there!!

I have wondered about next year. (2013-2014). From what I vaguely understand, what is currently called 8 will be called 7 (skills) so then what is 8 called? Still 8? And then will she be 7 again (understanding the skills are really 8?!)

And assuming she gets the current Level 8 bars skills sometime in the next few months, can she compete one meet next season at what wll then be the 'new' 7 and then score out and move up to whatever the 'new' 8 is?!! The coaches have also said that they will possibly compete her Level 8 mid season though frankly, I'm not sure that is the best idea, considering all the other girls will have experience at 8 already.

I'm confused even reading my post! Anyone who can clarify, I'd greatly appreciate it!

 

[gymgal]

Sheloves: dd is in L7 this year too and I would hope they have have a plan in place to deal with the current 7s who will be ready to go to the new L8 next year, rather than having to waste a meet testing out of the new L7.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Optional levels won't change much. Here is a short sum up (from the top of my head) of what I understand will happen:

new level 3 = old level 4
new level 4 = old level 5
new level 5 = old level 6
new level 6 = brand new level, will now be the first optional level, likely slightly easier requirements than current level 7
new level 7 = slighly harder than old level 7, may add "C" dance skills on beam and floor
new level 8 = slightly harder than old level 8, may add one "C" acro on beam and floor
new level 9 = about the same, may allow more than one D on bars
new level 10 = same

 

[wandrewsjr]

Just to add, from my understanding the progression through the optional levels will not change. Gymnasts who have passed the old 7 may move up to the new 8, gymnasts who passed the old 8 may move up to the new 9, etc. Gymnasts who passed the old 6 will have the option of doing the new 6 or the new 7 (at coaches discretion, of course).

Of course the progression through the compulsory levels will change somewhat. Gymnasts who passed the old 4 may "move up" to the new 4, gymnasts who passed the old 5 may "move up" up to the new 5. But, of course, staying the same number means moving up in skill level. Which also means compulsories who must compete another year at the same skill level will have to "move down" a number.

 

[gymdog]

Assuming the coaches are capable of coaching level 9, I don't really see a problem. There may be some basics she needs to clean up and take time to learn things like pirouetting on bars, for example, but if the right time is taken she could then quickly transition to other kinds of pirouettes (blind change for instance). It's a little unorthodox but really the only thing that you need to know is whether they are capable of coaching that level properly. If all signs point to yes, I wouldn't overthink it too much.

I don't think it's likely a political decision. In most gyms, regardless of how "strong" any parents are, they have no influence on the level decisions for competition. Something would have to be seriously dysfunctional at that gym for that to be the case.

It's a big jump competition wise, but plenty of girls have made jumps like that or bigger with the right coaching and plan. I have seen girls (and boys) go from level 4 to level 8 in one year.

 

[fliptwisttwirl]

By having her compete level 7 again, her coaches will be able to spend more time training for level 9 instead of working routines and routines during season since she's already got everything in level 7 pretty easy.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

We learned a few weeks ago that my daughter would be repeating level 7. She started at a new gym right after state meet. A few weeks ago when my husband was dropping DD off one of the coaches approached him and said DD is doing really well and has huge potential. Coach said that she wanted to make sure DD was a level 9 next year so she is only working level 9 skills. Coach said she wasn't concerned with what she competed this year so she might do level 7.

I think DD has most of the level 8 skills and would just need to start working them a bit instead of the 9 skills. I think the only event in which she doesn't have 8 skills already is the beam. She only works BHS Back Layout Stepout, back tucks, and ariels on beam. She would need to have a beam pass that she can compete at level 8. Does this make sense to have her only work 9 skills and then compete level 7? Won't she need the 8 skills at some point as she will need to do one meet of 8 to qualify to compete 9?

My daughter is not at all upset about repeating 7 so she doesn't want me saying anything to her coaches. She does think it is odd that some of the older girls who are struggling to get the level 8 skills are still targeted to compete level 8. There are some strong parents at this gym and it feels like the decision to keep my daughter (the new little 10 year old) at level 7 might be a bit political.

he is doing the right thing for your daughter who is 10 and will benefit from this good decision in the long run. he can sense your support and you don't come off strong and you probably don't complain and debate him. what he does with the others may be due to "strong" parents and they will eventually leave.

 

[gardenia01]

So I have a question about the "new 8". My dd will compete Level 8 this year. Does she need to score out of the "new 8" to move to 9? Or is she okay moving to 9 since she will have already scored out of Level 8?

 

[MaryA]

So I have a question about the "new 8". My dd will compete Level 8 this year. Does she need to score out of the "new 8" to move to 9? Or is she okay moving to 9 since she will have already scored out of Level 8?

No, my understanding is that she won't have to score out of "new 8."

 

[gardenia01]

No, my understanding is that she won't have to score out of "new 8."

Thanks Mary! That is good news.

 

[shelovestoflip]

Optional levels won't change much. Here is a short sum up (from the top of my head) of what I understand will happen:

new level 3 = old level 4
new level 4 = old level 5
new level 5 = old level 6
new level 6 = brand new level, will now be the first optional level, likely slightly easier requirements than current level 7
new level 7 = slighly harder than old level 7, may add "C" dance skills on beam and floor
new level 8 = slightly harder than old level 8, may add one "C" acro on beam and floor
new level 9 = about the same, may allow more than one D on bars
new level 10 = same

OK, thanks...I think I understand. Based on what you say, as it stands now, she would be around the new Level 7 (now, not next season) though not quite at the new level 8. For her, it's all about the bars struggle! I know she has the current 8 skills essentially on every other event. So the coaches need to decide what makes sense, competition wise.

I guess we'll see what this season brings