WAG When should a gymnast be learning skills?

[Canadiangym]

Hi, this is my first post, have been lurking and reading here for a while. I'm in the process of looking for a new gym for my daughter. Should a gymnast try to learn as many skills as possible before she hits puberty or should she compete? Thanks

 

[BlairBob]

This really depends. Is she a pre-elite right now? I'm not familiar enough with the Canadian system to really answer so hopefully somebody else will.

In the US, a gymnast has to be around 12 and up and coming for them to likely be on the lookout to make the Olympic Team, maybe 14. That way they can be between 16 and 18 by the next quad.

 

[bogwoppit]

The answer can only be vague as a lot depends on the gym your child attends.

In Canada, though Ontario is slightly different, the earliest girls can compete is the year they turn eight. They can compete level P3 at that time, in Ontario I believe they can compete L8 in the eight birthday year. (Could be wrong slightly)

Another alternative is that a child trains and than competes in the PNN, pre novice national, programe at age 8. This is a program some gyms use for girls with elite potential. But not being in this system does not mean a child cannot get to the Canadian pre elite levels of novice national and national etc. It just means they will take a different path.

It is very rare to find a gym, in Canada or the US, that would choose to only train skills until a child hits puberty and not compete. In fact I have never heard of a gym doing this. Many gymnasts with elite aspirations seem to hit puberty later and competition experience is a vital part of the training. It just wouldn't make any sense to delay competition until 13 or 14 years of age in order to cram in more skills. The gymnast might then find she hates comps, then it would be a total waste.

Without more info it is very difficult to help.

So I would so no, it is not beneficial to only train skills until puberty, and then to compete at that point. Not that I think you would find a gym that uses that model.

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Competition is a skill in and of itself! You have to learn how to perform under pressure, on new equipment in a new space, with a limited amount of warm-up time. It would be unwise not to have a potential elite compete from a young age.

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

The best time to learn any skill is when all the basics and precursor-skills have been perfected. Doesn't matter how old she is.

 

[Canadiangym]

Thanks for all the reply's. More info is that we are looking to change gyms. My daughter is 10 and has competed provincially. One gym I went to only wants to train elite athletes so does not compete at the provincial level. He is willing to train her but she may not have the skills yet for pre national competitions. He did say that he does not like the provincial stream because the girls are always working on routines rather than learning new skills. Just trying to figure out the right fit for her.

 

[bogwoppit]

What level did she compete last year?

I just cannot get my head around a ten year old not competing and only working skills. A seven year old sure, but ten, not so much. Competition is a huge part of training at her age, she needs to be able to compete to progress.

If at ten she does not have the pre national skills, she is better in the Provincial stream, that is the whole point of the separate systems in Canada. Something for everyone.

Maybe the USA based folk do not realize that in Ontario girls do a maximum of five meets a year. It is nothing like the USAG system. So most of the year is not spent on routines.

Why are you switching gyms?

 

[MaryA]

5 meets max sounds like heaven to me (and my bank account)! Love our HC to death but don't understand the importance of going to LOTS of meets. 8 meets, not including States, on our schedule this year.

 

[Canadiangym]

She competed level 6. We're switching gyms for various reasons, the biggest being coaching issues. She will compete at the other gym at invitational meets if she doesn't have the skills, I think the coach wants to focus on skills for a while not just routines. When he said it to me it made sense. I'm not sure I'm explaining it well. If we stay with the provincial stream she will compete level 7 this year. She does want to be an elite gymnast, just trying to find the right fit for her. She is just turning 10.

 

[bogwoppit]

Only you can know what is a good fit for her. I do not think anyone here can really help much without knowing the child and her abilities.

I know other girls have made it to elite in Canada working through the provincial system, the skills build nicely and girls can skip levels. In they have the skills. Every gym is different, in fact I know some in Ontario who avoid the pre novice route.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

It seems to be a pretty big divide between gyms who compete the Pre-Novice and those that are strictly Provincial. Coaches seem to have strong feelings about one of the programs.

The other thing to consider is that next year, 2013-2014, the Provincial program will be making major changes to be more in line with the US system. Our coach says there is a possibility that the PNN program may not even still be offered at meets in Ontario.

 

[GymBee97]

Well I always go with the saying "It should be about the kids having FUN first" At 10yo your DD must have an opinion on this? Have you asked her what she wants to do? She might love the competition and want to continue in the program she has been in. What does she think of not competing for an undetermined amount of time and only working on skills? I know my DD would hate always practicing and never able to do something every year to show off what she has learned.

If it were me ask yourself and try to be honest with yourself - does your DD have the skills necessary to do elite and if she does - does she really want to do it?

For me and my DD - I would rather her compete and have fun with teammates instead of always practicing to Maybe someday compete.

In the end you know your child's skills and desires best so you have to choose what is right for her and your family and keep it FUN!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

It seems to be a pretty big divide between gyms who compete the Pre-Novice and those that are strictly Provincial. Coaches seem to have strong feelings about one of the programs.

The other thing to consider is that next year, 2013-2014, the Provincial program will be making major changes to be more in line with the US system. Our coach says there is a possibility that the PNN program may not even still be offered at meets in Ontario.

I have hear the same rumours about Ontario. I guess until the changes come we will not know a lot. But the new system is relatively the same as the old one just adding in the compulsories in the lower levels, which you gymmie is well past and she would be an optional gymnast no matter what.

THe joy of Ontario sharing the US system is that gymnasts, and their coaches, will be able to go to the US to compete. They have some kick butt meets in the US that most kids would find fabulous after the relative dullness of Canadian meets.

More than the program you choose for you child long term. Because Elite is still a long way off no matter what, you need to choose a gym that is good for her.

DO the girls look happy?

Do you see lots of braces in the gym?

Wdo the parents think of the program?

Find out what the communication is like from the coach (this is one of the biggest parent peeves here).

When the girls do compete, how well do they do?

What are the costs?

DO they have enough equipment to learn higher level skill safely?

Do they spot?

Gym has to be fun at this, or they will get bored and quit.

 

[Canadiangym]

Thanks again for all the reply's. I do understand that at 10 it is still fun and gymnastics for my daughter is fun, including conditioning. Right now she is at a gym where they are not working on new skills which she is finding frustrating. She has been at the same gym for 8 years and we we're hoping that eventually they would have a national program for her to step into but at this point don't see that happening. So we're left trying to decide between staying provincial at another gym or going elite/pre national. Not sure what skills pre national need to have in order to compete so if some one has that info that would be helpful. Thanks again for everyone's input

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Thanks again for all the reply's. I do understand that at 10 it is still fun and gymnastics for my daughter is fun, including conditioning. Right now she is at a gym where they are not working on new skills which she is finding frustrating. She has been at the same gym for 8 years and we we're hoping that eventually they would have a national program for her to step into but at this point don't see that happening. So we're left trying to decide between staying provincial at another gym or going elite/pre national. Not sure what skills pre national need to have in order to compete so if some one has that info that would be helpful. Thanks again for everyone's input

Someone here linked that for me a while ago. Let me search.

It was from 2010 but it seems like it is still pretty much the same.

www.abgym.ab.ca/downloads/CPN2010-2011_PROGRAM_JULY10.doc

 

[DND]

The skills in the link are still the same, but if she is 10yo she would have to move up to national novice next year as there is the age requirement.

The skills for that level seem quite a bit more, but I am not positive.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

So you don't have a link for that one? I didn't know once you hit Novice that there were still required elements. I know watching them it's a huge jump it seems.

Do you also have an "inside link" you could find us?

 

[hawaii_gymnast]

I found this: http://www.gymcan.org/site/files/documents/supp_code09_nov_2010_v2_final_en.pdf
If you start at article 8 it talks about vault then so on from there, alot of reading and scrolling to find the requirements but I think they are pretty much there.

 

[Canadiangym]

Thanks again for all the reply's and information. We have made our decision to move from the gym our daughter is at now to a smaller gym more focused on skills with some competition. Thanks again for everyone's input

 

[DND]

So you don't have a link for that one? I didn't know once you hit Novice that there were still required elements. I know watching them it's a huge jump it seems.

Do you also have an "inside link" you could find us?

I think you are correct that once in Novice it is not such a set list of requirements that they have in Pre - Novice levels. You are required a certain number of "C,D,E" skills etc, but they can be catered to your strengths as the variety to choose fro is large.

I think that double back dismounts on bars and in floor seem to be a must from the girls even just being 1st year that I have seen.

If you read the FIG COP it seems to list everything by group number, but I was not sure what those groups related to other than a progression of more difficult skills.