Parents Taking the plunge and enrolling DD in the pre-team track

[dani4]

I found this forum about 6 months ago when I was trying to find more information on competitive gymnastics so I could decide whether to move DD into the pre-team classes at our gym. At the time I decided to keep her in rec, based on what I was reading- she was just 4 years old, had been in gymnastics for a few months, it was going to be a logistical challenge and it wasn't necessary.

Well ever since she has understood that there are different classes for kids who want to be on team she has been bugging me about it. I had registered her for rec again this fall at the same time in the same class with the same coach (who she likes), but when I told her, she was so angry that she wasn't moving into the pre-team class! So now, armed with my knowledge from CB (and a year of watching her do the preschool rec classes), I called the gym to find out more specific information about how the pre-team works and whether I could just enroll my daughter. From what I've read on CB, it sounds like our gym is unusual in that just about anyone can enter the beginning pre-team track.. as far as I can tell. It's kind of self-selected, and if the kids do well they continue to move up (there are 4-5 levels of pre-team classes depending on how old they are when they start), and if not they can always move back over to the rec classes (which I have to say seem really well organized and are based on skill level once the kids are at least 6 years old).

 

[dani4]

For some reason the second part of my post isn't coming up, and editing isn't working, so here's the continuation-

This is more of a pre-pre-team compared to what most gyms seem to call pre-team, but it's how most of the team kids get started at our gym. My daughter is so excited, and I'm happy because I think she's ready. She has come a long way in the last year- a year ago I was wondering if I should enroll her in gymnastics at all because she was uncoordinated and a bit careful (unlike her daredevil little sister). But her coaches & preschool teachers have all marveled at how she is always willing to try anything, and when she has trouble with something that comes easier to other kids she just works at it until she gets it.

I'm also excited for my younger DD's gymnastics this fall- at 2 1/2 she's graduating from the parent & tot class and will be on her own with a coach. I get to sit down! Yay! (But I don't get to jump in the foam pit with her- boo!)

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Sounds exciting! I have a special affinity for kids who aren't necessarily "gifted" gymnasts but work hard & excel regardless.

 

[IreneKa]

How exciting! Good luck!
I like it when the gym takes this approach. Our new gym is like that. Everyone who wants to, can get on the pre-team. Then ones you get the skills, you move up to level 1, then level 2, etc. Get the skills, move up, plain and simple. Unlike our old gym, where you have to be selected for the pre-team, based on abilities\age\body type, and who knows what else...

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Best of luck to both your girls..... Hope they both love their new classes!

 

[dani4]

Thanks everyone! I'm also excited because DH is completely on-board, and he really wasn't last time I broached the topic. He doesn't love the idea of our kids in competitive gymnastics, but he recognizes that it's a great foundation for other sports in the future. He also sees that DD is ready for a bigger challenge- earlier this week they went hiking and she walked all the way up and down a mountain that some adults have trouble with (my 83 year old mother in law did the hike too- I don't know which was more impressive).

 

[billise]

Welcome to the wonderful world of competitive gymnastics. I still consider myself pretty green too but as you know, this site is a great tool!

The idea of anyone being able to join pre-team is pretty cool! I have seen/heard of a lot of parents being frustrated when their DD, for some unknown reason isn't being selected to move up and they can't get a clear answer from the coaches as to why. Guess your gym's structure helps eliminate some of that frustration. Anyway, enjoy the ride

 

[raenndrops]

I, too, like how your gym handles pre-team track. At our gym, the rec program IS the pre-team track... the only other way onto team is to come to summer gymnastics camp (1 week) and do well at learning a beam and floor routine over the course of only 3 days (6 hours). If you were in the advanced group and you can do that, you can get invited to team. The advanced group is always made up of girls who would be in rec level 3 (or almost there).
Every spring, the team head coach holds a parent meeting with rec level 3 parents and explains the team program. Depending on the # of girls on team already, invitations to team are issued in April (after our district championships when some team members are off to other sports), in May (when those who aren't going to Nationals tend to take a little time off), in July (from Summer Camp), and in August (when they get back from summer vacations). With the size of our team, in some years we do a "pre-team" program instead of calling them directly up to team... that way, they can learn the routines before being fully on team. It didn't matter this year since EVERYONE has new routines - we did a TEAM CAMP instead. It worked so well that I could see the head coach keeping it as the general plan for team - but she may need to add more days when we have over 60 gymnasts, lol.