a lot of little questions -- transitioning to a developmental team

[Twosmiles]

Hi all,

I am relatively new to the sport and started my twins in gymnastics around the age of 3. Its been a great program and a ton of fun. Every day my girls ask, if it is a gym day and I have seen tremendous development in the last year.

They will turn 4 in a few weeks, and the coach invited them to join their development team (hotshots). For some reason, I am having a tough time wrapping my head around this as I feel like we are moving to a different path now.

I have a couple of questions that I am hoping you can help me out with -- thanks in advance for all the insight:

1. How important is the gym selection at this point?
Our gym is great and has a good reputation, but it is a long drive (30 minutes normal, 45-60 minutes in rush hour). Going twice a week in rush hour (that's when the hotshots practice is) could be brutal and we are dealing with twin 4 year olds in a car (yikes!).


2. How did you handle the transition?
In hotshots, they move the kids to the "real gym" versus the preschool gym which is so fun with murals and circuit courses. For those who have done this, did you keep preschool gym for awhile or did this cause too much confusion?

My girls are not happy about graduating. When I told them that they were going to graduate because they having been doing so well, they both insisted that they wanted to stay in preschool because "its more fun mommy". However, they have maxed out on skills so its time to move up. Other than talking it up, are there other ways I can ease the transition to the big girl class? My current plan is to give them a few more weeks in preschool to build up their confidence and then move them to the developmental team in early May.

3. Is there anything else I should be considering?

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!

 

[ejgymmom]

That's great that they've gotten the invite to move up! Is it possible that they could continue in the preschool class and also do the hotshots class once a week, maybe even just for a couple of weeks as a transition period? That might make the move a little easier for them. Past that I don't really have any advice as my daughter is just moving from preschool classes to pre-team as well. Good luck!

 

[starmaker]

Congrats! Sounds like you have a pair of pretty talented gymmies in your hands. You are right about moving into a different path now. My daughter had just turned 4 years old too when she was asked to join development team. She is now almost 7 years old (next month) and it has been one big rollercoaster since.

At the time of the invite to join team at 4 years old I thought it was a great idea. DD was obviosly not being challenged in her regular preschool class. Her abilities far exceeded her peers. Her dev. team consisted of girls much older but dd didn't mind she "thought" she was a "big" girl herself. She managed the hours and the class just fine.

In hindsight now though, I wished I would of held off a bit longer. She started competing level 2 when she was all of 4.5 years old. She loved it every minute of it! But I believe some of her coaches took it too serious, too soon. As long as your girls are still having "fun" than it's fine but I caution sometime coaches forget how old these little girls are. We've left two gyms where they put too much pressure on her and I was not ok with that. When my then 5 year old is telling me: "gymnastics used to be fun when I was little but now it's a lot of yelling" I know it's time for something different!!

Good luck with your little gymmies. I am sure you will make the best decisions for them. I can't wait to hear more about their progress.

 

[emorymom]

(1) In my experience it is not particularly important where your kids do developmental. It is much much more bang for your buck almost anywhere. My daughter has been in the developmental classes of 3 gyms (we started at one 25-30 minutes away, then were checking out two closer programs) and they were all good. I suppose ideally you would have them at the gym where you want them to do team.

I would be concerned about the drive unless you don't have better options.

(2) My daughter started developmental shortly before turning 5. She *wanted* preteam, bad. So I have no suggestions other than not to go looking for trouble.

(3) So overall, what I'd do is:

a. Ask the girls if they want to be on a gymnastics team. If they say no, look for a 1-hour a week starter developmental class for them at one of the gyms, ask them the same question this time next year, and also sign them up for swimming, tennis, etc.

If they say yes, then you shop preteam. Here's what you want to know from your potential future entanglements: Obviously how long will it take you to get there in rush hour. How many hours a week do they practice in preteam. What level do they start competing. Ask how many hours the first three competitive levels practice. So if they start competing level 2, ask about level 2, 3 and 4 practice requirements. That will give you a good idea of the near enough future. You also want the tuition schedule for the preteam levels and the first three competitive levels. You will also want to ask what they require of the team girls in the summer, how much booster club or meet fees are, how many hours you will be volunteering when they are on team, and how much this year's leo and warmup cost.

Take all that info, stir it around in your head a little bit, and pick a preteam to go watch. Then you want to get an idea of whether the preteam kids are having fun; if anyone is being verbally abused by any of the coaches, and furthermore, have a look at the team practices and note if any of the coaches seem unduly harsh. Look at what possible errands are near the gym. Is your favorite supermarket across the street? A branch of your workout club? Does the gym have free wifi and comfortable seating? Are parents allowed to watch practice?

 

[Shelovesthebars]

My dd was so young at 3 when she moved to preteam that we had a transition period. We did one class of the 4/5 preschool and one of the preteam for several weeks. When she got used to the things she was doing in the preteam, she loved it. She was maxed out on skills in the 4/5 and just loved the skill set in the preteam classes. I will tell you that it was a rough couple of weeks at the beginning so just be prepared. My dd was much happier moving than she would have been staying in the preschool classes.
That being said, I would be very careful. Are you able to watch the hotshots class? There should be a trial period where you get to observe how your daughters are interacting with the coaches and other kids. At 4, gymnastics should be something that they are excited about doing and there is no hurry. It all depends on the kid and what they are getting out of it, too.
My 4 year old will be competing level 3 this year. She is so happy and having a lot of fun. It was a good thing to move her up in levels to keep her interested. She likes a challenge. But honestly, many great gymnasts don't even start gymnastics untill they are 5,6,7 and 8 years old and excell. Do what you think is best for your daughter's. But I would at least give it a trial period and see what happens with the option of going back to their fun class. Whatever you choose will be ok!

 

[Bobby]

I think maybe it's harder with twins because what's right for one might not be right for the oher. Hopefully you won't have the complexity of one thriving and one miserable if you make the switch.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

I responded earlier but I wanted to add a few things. Gym selection is very important at this age for a few reasons. The first is teaching the basics correctly. The second is consistancy with how all the coaches teach the skills. The most important is probably how well the coaches communicate and what is expected of each group of gymnasts as they progress. A program that teaches progression of skills into the next is going to be better for your girls. There are many times that kids will be attenting classes just to find out several years down the line that they have to relearn most of the things they have been taught.
That being said, is there a gym closer to your house that is good too? The gym my daughter goes to is about 20-25 minutes away from our house with no traffic. We have a preteam program that is run during the day for preschoolers and kindergarten age kids. We will be starting next month with one night class however just to learn routines so I will be in that rush hour drive too. Honestly, we have tried the 2 gyms that are closer to our house and found them to be severely lacking. If I am going to pay for a program, I want my daughter to number one be happy, and number 2 learn gymnastics correctly. I think a lot of programs for 4 year olds really don't know what they are doing. If you find one that does, stick with it.
Don't be afraid to try all the gyms in your area before you make a decision. I guess it depends too on what you want for your girls out of the sport. If it is purely for fun and your are not planning for this to be something that they will pursue as a sport, then by all means take them to your nearest gym or leave them in the class they are in. Honestly at 4 years old you and your girls have plenty of time to decide but my thoughts are if you are paying good money and spending your time and theirs at a gym, your daughters should be at a gym that teaches them well. Sorry this is so long. Keep me posted. I have a four year old daughter as well who I never thought would be doing as well as she is doing and it is all because of the wonderful gym we chose.

 

[Twosmiles]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome and great info! Its really helped me to solidify my thoughts on things and where we want to go.

I've talked to a couple of moms out there with kids in gymnastics and talking to them reminds me of how much I love the gym where we are at.

Their preschool program is so well designed and run that it generates a lot of business. As a result, they have a pretty big group to draw from for their developmental program which is grouped by age. My daughters will initially be joining a group for near 4's to 5's. There is another group for 5-7s.

This is really great because DD's will be with kids under 5 so they can keep it age appropriate. I met with the director and she is the one that will be coaching them all the way to team level. I see the team practice every weekend (its when our preschool class is) and I have only seen one kid with a cast or brace. I've seen the director coach and she is great with the kids and has a great relationship with them. The team has won a lot of state championships at the lower levels too and they do fun things like pajama meets to reflect the fact that they are kids. From a balance perspective, they seem to have the right mix of pushing while being supportive and fun.

Its just the drive, and I think I have to just get over it and find ways to accommodate it for now.

Its going to be a fun summer

 

[Swiftli]

My initial thought is if you are having concerns over the drive time now with only two days...please consider what will happen as they progress in the sport. Check out the higher teams/levels and see how much they are practicing and consider if you are willing to drive even more days a week.

Many people have extreme dread when their kids switch gyms because of the friendships and bonds being made at a gym so also consider if they progress with this gym and then the drive wears on you and your family..do you have a closer option that could work as well.

I know some families drive long distances 3-4 times a week, eat their family dinners at the gym and moms/dads do work while waiting for their gymmies and this works for them.

 

[emorymom]

My initial thought is if you are having concerns over the drive time now with only two days...please consider what will happen as they progress in the sport. Check out the higher teams/levels and see how much they are practicing and consider if you are willing to drive even more days a week.

I will second this ... just think about it but of course you should choose to stay. Lots of people drive for gym programs.

I really liked where DD did preteam 2x90 minutes a week. But next level of preteam was 3x90. And that's where I started to get nervous. And so we looked for pastures that were closer, though not necessarily greener.

But if I hadn't had to think about DS, I might have not left. And yours are going to stay together, potentially. Oh, they may be split later but hope springs eternal!

 

[Twosmiles]

How it went

Hi all,

After two months in the development team, I wanted to share what actually happened.

Day 1 -- the girls loved it! They were so excited to be a member of the team and never asked to go back to preschool. That's the good part along with huge progress in skills and strength.

The bad part was the fact that after the first week the girls were exhausted from the routine of school immediately followed by gymnastics. We had previously went on Saturdays so this was never an issue. They fell asleep 80% of the time in the car before gym and waking up two cranky preschoolers to get them motivated to do floor (always first) and stretching was tough. After the third week, they stopped asking to go gym even though they would report it was fun if asked. They also stopped playing 'gym' at home.

As a result, we decided to pull out of the development program. Its just too much to ask them to go hard from 8-3 at preschool, drive 40 minutes, and then go hard between 4-5 for gym. In a few more weeks, it would have been 8-6 as the next level up trains in two hour blocks. I can't see them doing this.

Another local gym that was in their area just decided to relocate by our house (3 miles away). We've enrolled the twins in preschool twice a week at this gym (one Saturday and one weekday after dinner so they have a chance to recharge). The great news is that the girls found their passion again. I haven't seen this many handstands, cartwheels, and headstands in weeks. It was a joy to see.

It was a really stressful decision. If my girls were older or if the times had been different, I think we would have stayed where we were at, but right now I think its more important that gym is fun and not forced. We'll see where it goes from here.

Thanks again for all of your advice. Hopefully, we'll be around for awhile -- I can obviously use all the help I can get

 

[bogwoppit]

It sounds as though you made some great parenting choices for your two little ones. They are the best barometer of how things are going.

I am so glad you found a new gym that they are enjoying.

Sometimes too much is simply that!

 

[starmaker]

Good job making those choices!! I too have found that my dd lets me know if she is happy with her sport by her temperment.

When she spends more time on her hands than feet we are HAPPY! I love to see her happy and motivated in her sport. Letting your little ones lead the way is key to a having a happy gymmie.

I am glad things are working out for them. They seem very talented!

 

[gymcoach34]

very smart choice-they have plenty of time!

 

[gym law mom]

Very smart move on your part. Children should have fun doing any sport and not feel their being forced to do it or be so tired they get no enjoyment from it.

You may find in a few months they're ready for more and since you're at a gym much closer to home, they won't be tired from all that time in the car.

 

[wendy1972]

I think that there isnt enough of an easement into "real" gymnastics. One day they are doing obsticle courses and having fun, then boom!! No more fun. Unless they are going to train for the olympics, they should enjoy gymnastics. It is important to find a gym that has a philosophy that is conducive to your own.