Parents What to expect preteam tryout?

[Niamom]

My daughter was invited to tryout for the preteam. I know they can vary, but generally what should she expect? She can do her splits, front handspring, front tuck and flip on the tramp. She almost has her back handspring. She can so a shoot through on the bars, and a handstand flat back on the vault. She is worried that she won't be able to do whatever the preteam is doing.

I was not a gymnast, so have no experience in this area. Thoughts?

 

[munchkin3]

She will be totally fine.....the only thing to expect are aches and pains related to more conditioning. And perhaps a bit more regimented training.

Other that that, if she was invited, she is ready.....

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

I wouldn't worry too much about the specific skills your daughter has right now. They are probably looking for girls who show some strength and flexibility, have decent form, are good listeners and willing to make corrections, and want to work hard to learn gymnastics.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

What eastcoastmom said. For pre-team evaluations, I look at the potential of the kid, not necessarily what skills they have NOW. Some requirements need to be there, but honestly it's more about coachability (focus, effort, attention, ability to make corrections etc) and physical readiness (certain strength and flexibility needed).

 

[Firefly]

Our preteam tryouts are pretty boring. They look at the splits, bridges and shapes of each kid and make notes. They have the kids hang on the bars, do leg lifts and possibly pullovers and casts. They have them run (well, move as fast as they can) across the beam (I think that's a fear thing), and do something upside down on beam (a handstand, seesaw or whatever the kid is able to do). Very minimal skills testing. Maybe cartwheels and handstands. It seems they're looking for physical potential, coachability, willingness to try, attention span etc.

 

[Flyaway]

Our gym looks more at the potential and "coachability" of a kid. Do they listen well, take correction, etc. current skills, while great, aren't super important because there are very specific pre-team progressions. Don't be surprised if your dd doesn't get to practice her front tucks in practice.

 

[Sasha]

Widely varies, as others stated, but ours also was less about skills, and more about strength, focus, and potential. My DD's tryout 2 years ago included pushups, pullups, rope climb, pullover on bars, handstand, handstand-fall flat on mat, handstand-forward roll, splits, bridge, a sprint down the vault runway, and walking backwards and forwards on releve (toes) on the beam.

Also as others said, don't be surprised if pre-team means no more trampoline flipping for a while. Conditioning, body shapes, and fundamentals is usually the focus. Hope she does great and loves it!

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Just recently our gym has pulled two girls from rec who have only been doing gymnastics a short while, girl one 3 weeks and girl two weeks, girl 1 - from th day she started rec seemed way above thither who usually start rec, she was flexible, jumpy, high energy and loved to show off, that is what got her noticed, she used to bounce around doing cartwheels and one handed cartwheels, she was put into my youngest daughters group and even from the first lesson didn't seem to like taking orders, couldn't understand what the coach wanted her to do (she was asked to do a handstand off the block with support - front handspring prep and she kept doing round off's off the block and even hurt the coach), this girl seems to be a natural gymnast (nice form doing jumps etc) if only she could pay attention and focus, this girl (according to my daughter) cried at the door and refused to join in and hasn't been seen since, who knows if she will be back). Girl 2 is short for her age, taught herself stuff at home as she loved gym so much, got noticed at rec and got put into my daughters group, she is a lovely girl and became my daughters best gym friend from the first time she started the group, this girl acts a bit silly for her age (nearly 9) and mucks about in the gym, she has been known to swing in the bars when a elite girl is starting her routine (same bars according to my daughter), run across the floor while a team mate is in the Middle of her floor routine, things are hard for her as she is not doing the doing the competition as she is still on trial for the group, one of the coaches has spoken to her mum and told her about the focus issues (her mum asked), I think our gym is pulling new girls too quickly from rec at the moment as they haven't been in the sport long enough to know how things work.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

Adding on from my post, I think focus and thr ability to listen, learn and take corrections is important at any age, my daughter has the same things said to her before near enough every practice - Listen, try your best and don't muck about (too much), skills don't come into it, unless you have learned the skills in the gym under a qualified coach then the skills you learn at home on the trampoline or in the garden don't mean much.

 

[Niamom]

Thanks all. She made it! Now I just have to figure out the time management of it all with school starting in a couple of weeks.