DD Competing at Emerald Team Challenge in Springfield Oregon as a Level 8

[jsfofec]

We just got back from our trip up to Oregon for the Emerald Team Challenge. We were up there from Thursday to Sunday. DD had to compete at 8am on Sunday and with the time change, it felt like 7am.

For our gym, this was considered a "team meet", which means the girls don't stay with their parents, they all sleep and eat together as a team. The parents can go, but the girls are with each other 100% of the time. Before the meet, the girls have to do each others hair and anything else that needs to be done. They depend on each other for everything.

They were so busy...on Thursday they went to the mall and a movie. On Friday they went on dune buggys! After that, they went to the mall....again! They competed on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning

As far as the meet goes, DD did fine on Beam, her floor was really good until she squatted on one of her passes. Bars were the usual mystery, but it's getting better and on Vault, she's still doing her level 7 vault.

Here's a link to her meet: Heathr Finger - 2012 Emerald Team Challenge - Level 8 Gymnastics - YouTube

 

[MaryA]

Wow! I've never heard of a "team meet!" That sounds like it would be so much fun for the girls! Did the coaches chapperone this entire long-weekend? If so, I hope that the budget included a nice bottle of wine for each of the coaches to enjoy once they finally got home!

 

[jsfofec]

Yes, the coaches are the chapperones. They had joining rooms, so the girls can walk back and forth between the rooms. It turns into a 3 day slumber party. The girls are assigned which room they will sleep in, and they are also assigned a "buddy". The "buddy" is usually an older girl with a younger one. The rule is, nobody wonders off alone, you AWLAYS take your buddy with you. For example, if you are eating at a restaurant and you have to use the restroom, your buddy must go with you. The girls also have their own meal money and spending money. So when eating out, each girl has to figure out how much to tip and they also have to budget their money so that it lasts the entire trip.

It's really good learning experience for the girls, and also really helps the team to bond together and learn to depend on each other.

 

[Esoteric]

Emerald is such a great meet! My little dd just competed her last level 4 meet there and we had a blast. She wanted to stay another night to watch her optional teammates on Sunday- but we had to get home to older dd. Out of all invitationals for all levels, our gym like Emerald the best, Great facility and the host hotels are so accommodating. I think the team meet experience sounds wonderful! I doubt many of our gym moms would agree with me- but I would revel at my little one having the experience.

 

[jsfofec]

Yeah, the Emerald meet was really great. The girls and coach really liked it also. Everything from the facility, to the hotels, to the awards was handled so well. They really know how to run a meet there.

I noticed some of the little ones coming over to watch the optionals after they finished their meet. You can see their faces lighting up watching the bigger girls flying all over the place.

 

[profmom]

Great gym, nice folks. Glad it was a good trip for your girl!