WAG A full year at Level 6?

[LindyHopper]

Hi all!

Short Stack just finished her Level 5 season. One of the coaches has strongly hinted that she will be moving up, although nothing is official.

I highly doubt that Short Stack will be moving up to L7. She is exactly the gymnast that L6 was designed for--good with the L5 skills but not quite ready for L7.

Since the end of last summer, I've sort of thought of L6 as a waiting room. You hang out there until you're ready for L7. When you're ready, you get "called back for your appointment" and you move up.

My question is: for gyms that utilize levels 5, 6, and 7, do the L6 gymnasts typically compete a whole season at L6, or do they move up as soon as they are L7 ready? I totally understand why at compulsory levels most gymnasts are doing one level a season. But it seems to me that it would be much easier to adjust optional routines to move up a level as new skills are gained and made competition ready.

I am in NO rush. Short Stack is only 11, and usually a middle of the pack gymnast. I'm just curious as to what is common in other gyms.

 

[amiandjim]

Our gym does not seem to do mid season move-ups. Our 6s do a full year.

 

[LindyHopper]

Our gym does not seem to do mid season move-ups. Our 6s do a full year.

But do they also do a full season of 5? Or do they test out?

 

[gymnastmom05]

My DD just finished L6. I loved the level because she wasn't stuck competing the bare minimum. When she was ready and able she added her series on beam and giants on bars. I think it's what's great about 6 - the pressure to have the skills was taken off but she was also able to add them without waiting an entire season to compete them like compulsories. So, our gym does the entire year of 6. Some girls that are ready for 7 right after 5 aren't made to compete 6 though the ones that moved from 5 to 6 seemed to have a much for "fun" year than the few that went 5 to 7.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Since the same level skills can be competed at level 6 and level 7, there really aren't many reasons to do a mid season move up at those levels. If a kid is developing so quickly they will be ready for level 8 the next season, or maybe you have a whole team of gymnast at level 7 but only one at level 6.

 

[LindyHopper]

Since the same level skills can be competed at level 6 and level 7

Okay, now I'm confused. I've heard FOREVER how similar the skills are in levels 5 and 6--to a point where they are practically the same.

Now you're saying the skills in 6 and 7 are the same? They why is the jump from 5 to 7 touted as such a big jump? I'm not being argumentative, just trying to figure it all out.

Is it the maximum skills in 5 and minimum in 6 are the same, and the maximum in 6 and minimum in 7 are the same?

 

[GymDad9.9]

Since the same level skills can be competed at level 6 and level 7, there really aren't many reasons to do a mid season move up at those levels. If a kid is developing so quickly they will be ready for level 8 the next season, or maybe you have a whole team of gymnast at level 7 but only one at level 6.

We had this happen this season with a girl who was expected to compete Level 7 but was having trouble getting her giants. She began the season competing Level 6, and did well. Got her giants to where she could compete them (not great though) and went on to finish the season competing Level 7. Results were not good. She would have been better off staying at 6 and develop to Level 8 which is pretty much what her trajectory is.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Okay, now I'm confused. I've heard FOREVER how similar the skills are in levels 5 and 6--to a point where they are practically the same.

Now you're saying the skills in 6 and 7 are the same? They why is the jump from 5 to 7 touted as such a big jump? I'm not being argumentative, just trying to figure it all out.

Is it the maximum skills in 5 and minimum in 6 are the same, and the maximum in 6 and minimum in 7 are the same?

The minimum requirements for level 5 and 6 are similar. The minimum requirements for full level 10 start value at 7 are a significant jump from level 6. But virtually all skill that are allowed to be competed at level 7 can be competed at level 6(except for the one C dance skill on floor and beam) so their maximums are virtually the same. So that is what I am talking about, many upgrades can be added to level 6 routines as skills are mastered.

 

[tpMom]

Our gym typically keeps girls at 1 level the whole year. Girls rarely skip and if they do they do it at a mobility meet as,early as possible, usually August. Level 6 is no exception to this, although a mobility meet isn't required to skip it for level 7.

 

[amiandjim]

But do they also do a full season of 5? Or do they test out?

Sorry I misunderstood the question! Last year was our first year having a level 6, and the team was primarily girls who moved from a less competitive gym and were not quite ready for 7 (a few repeated 6 and a few had just moved to 6 at the old gym...but yes, they had all done a year of 5 as well), HC has decided after this year, we will no longer compete level 5 so it will be 4-6 or 4-7.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

Around here girls who do Level 6 usually stay level 6 for the entire year. DD just finished her L6 season and we were up against teams that had full L7 skills on ALL events (series on beam, giants on bars, etc) and still finished out the year at L6 (needless to say with very high scores lol.) Then of course there are a lot who have L7 skills on one or two apparatus and compete upgrades on those but still have one event holding them back (usually bars.) My dd's team this last year competed the bare minimum at 6 and I mean the BARE minimum. Underswing bar dismounts for most of them and a couple also did ROBHSBHS on the floor intend of a tuck or layout and one even did a CW on beam. DD has since moved to a new gym but since she competed the bare minimum last year with pretty much no up training during the season I fully expect her to repeat L6 (although hopefully with upgraded skills) next year. Her kip/cast and clear hips are barely hitting horizontal right now and she has never even done a spotted giant or even a giant on the strap bar. I don't think there is any way in the world she will be ready for L7 on bars. So she will probably actually do two seasons of L6.

With that being said, most gyms around here don't do both 5 and 6, most do either 4-6 or 5-7. Since your dd has done a full season of 5 and is not quite ready for 7, I would be prepared for her to have to compete the whole season at 6. Unless of course your gym is one that regularly moves girls up mid-season, and then in that case it might not be a big deal to move her to 7 mid season if she is ready. It's just not something we generally see in our area, but then again in our area I don't see many gyms that move girls up mid season at all, unless the first meet of the year was just to score them out of a level.

 

[gymdoc]

At our gym, it depends on the gymnast. Generally, they compete a whole season of L5 in the fall, then a few meets of L6 in the spring. The next spring, they either do a full season of L6 or move up to L7. In the past some have done a full season of L5 then full season of L6 back to back, but it was expensive and draining for the gymnast and families to do so many meets in a year

We rarely do mid season move ups for any level. Our current L6s just add new polished skills to their routines as they get them. Common upgrades were BHS on beam or CW-dismount, switch leap on floor, FHS-front pike instead of front tuck. Even if they had their giants, HC waited until L7 to compete them since they don't really help the bar scores at L6

 

[e'smum]

we skip lvl 5 and spend an entire season in lvl 7. the goal is to put in any new skills learned successfully into the routines. no one has moved up out of lvl 6 into 7 mid-season in the past two years. i liked lvl 6. it was a good one for my dd. especially on bars.

if we had done lvl 5, i still wouldn't have minded a full season in lvl 6.

 

[fuzi]

For the last several years, after being in level 4 for at least a fall season, our gymnasts will start training for level 5. They will compete level 5 in the fall (August, September, October, states in November), then train level 6 for the rest of November, December, January, and then do 2-3 invitations in February and March and level 6 states.

Most will go to level 7 the next winter, only staying in level 6 if they can't get a "gym required" skills like giants or BHS on beam. Some of our girls could go from level 5 to level 7, but we've found over the last few years that competing level 6 provides an easy, quick transition where most do quite well. Level 7 is so competitive around here. Then they get to 7s and are strong 7s, and the upgrades to 8 are also easier.

 

[vbdb]

Ours does a season at 6 if you're not ready for 7 but we need to register at a level with Gymnastics Ontario and stick with that for qualifiers to provincial championships. You can however do some L7 skills in 6. Some of our girls do BHS BLO on floor instead of BHS BT.

 

[meganliz77]

We had this happen this season with a girl who was expected to compete Level 7 but was having trouble getting her giants. She began the season competing Level 6, and did well. Got her giants to where she could compete them (not great though) and went on to finish the season competing Level 7. Results were not good. She would have been better off staying at 6 and develop to Level 8 which is pretty much what her trajectory is.

At our gym it completely depends on the gymnast whether mid-season move ups happen. And Level 5 is usually a score out for our girls - 1 -2 meets and then move up to 6.

Last year DD started the season a Level 4. Went to compulsory state, then scored out of 5, moved to 6. It was a lot to cram in one season (very stressful for her). So she got about 3- 4 meets in at level 6.

Beginning of this year, she was dealing with backward beam skill fears (BWO and BHS). She began the season as a Level 6. Right after her first meet this year (scored I think around a 37) she got those skills and coach was confident enough to move her to 7 (despite still working on giants) where she remained the rest of the season. Wanted her challenged and she wanted the challenge. She scored over 36 at the state meet, so not so shabby- but certainly room for improvement.

There are lots of paths and every gymnast is different. Could my DD have stayed level 6? Sure. But she would have likely been bored. She has continued to be able to develop her skills for level 8 (we uptrain some during season) all the while not being bored to death. We have also found that at most levels LESS is MORE. Too much can allow for too many deductions - so coaches tend to have them compete the minimum standards.

That being said, I will be advocating my DD stay a Level 7 this next year. I would like to see her regain her confidence and really put some of her fears to rest. For some, I am guessing that could be frowned upon given her pretty solid performance at State, but for her I think it makes the most sense at this point. Mid-season move ups have been challenging - and it certainly depends on the kid to determine whether or not its a good idea.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I think many things go into it and it varies by gym. Our girls did either a season at 5 or 6. After our early states, moved to 6 or 7, one up from where they started.

Where they all move next? Won't be decided until after summer training.

Some will stay 6s, some move to 7, some 7s will stay 7, some to 8. And because our spring season was so short it wouldn't even surprise me if none moved.

 

[raenndrops]

At our gym, full season of L5 or midseason move up to L6 is dependent on whether or not the girl competed on the junior high team. Jr. High team competes before our season starts and basically follows Xcel Platinum rules, so we design routines that would meet Platinum/L6 requirements for those going into L5. We require them to score out 2x. However, they also have to be able to compete in at least 2 meets at L6 before Championships, so they need to score out by the December meet or it is a full year of L5. Also, if they don't or can't compete for the Jr high team, they do a full year at L5.
When they go to L6, they do a full year there too. We had a couple girls that competed L6 for 2 years, then did a year at L7, and a year at L8, and are training to compete L9 this coming season.
The girls who did mid-season move up to L6 last year repeated L6 this season and are training for L7 for next season.
None of our girls is college / elite bound. The main goal is to get to Optionals... Maybe compete high school (Level 8 rules with bonuses allowed). My OG's school doesn't have a high school team. Her goal is L8 by the time she graduates. YG wants L6. She isn't thinking past that for now.

 

[GymLife]

DD did level 6 last season. Wish we would have done a season of 5 as she is a middle of the pack gymnast as well. She will start the season as a 6 again. She just turned 10. If something clicks more on bars, I could see doing 7, but honestly I'd rather a strong 6 than a struggling 7.