WAG Important tweet!

[AlexsGymmyMom]

While I think it is pretty awesome that your DD can do a kip at age 5 does she really need to? Not really. She can't even compete that kip for 2 more years. I hope that you will keep a level head about your DD's gymnastics if your hope is for her to go all the way. Too much of anything even if it is a good thing is too much.....especially for a little one like your DD. Let her enjoy the sport. At 5 she is also trying very hard to please her parents so keep that in mind as well.

 

[Jroberson]

Gonna keep telling people my kids are great they are all I've got. Don't care who knows it I also have a pianist and a baseball player, if Nolan Ryan tells my son he is a good player everyone will know!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I'm kind of confused by this whole thread but my daughter did a kip at 5 years old (she's now 17)...

okay Bookworm...since we're braggin...i did back flips on a trampoline in 1959...guess how old i was...(depressing really).

 

[profmom]

Let me try to explain, from the perspective of a parent with some time on the clock, so to speak.

Many parents on these boards came into gymnastics, as I did, with very little prior knowledge about the sport, so there's nothing wrong with having a lot to learn. And it's wonderful when parents are supportive of and involved in their children's pursuits and dreams. But gymnastics is different in a lot of ways from most of the sports kids do. My partner and I had a great time playing catch and pitching balls to my son in the backyard when he was 2 and 3, and when he started Little League, he knew the game pretty well. Likewise with soccer -- it doesn't take all that much beyond just time playing the sport and a few pointers here and there to learn the basics. It's only when they get older and more serious about the sport that they begin to need real professional coaching from someone who understands the physical dynamics and motor skills associated with the sport.

In gymnastics, it can take months of expert coaching to teach the most basic skills. I could probably teach a kid how to execute a roundoff, having now seen approximately 2 billion of them, but I would not be able to give that kid the capacity to do a roundoff that would ground the acquisition of all the skills that build from the roundoff. I simply do not know enough. And if I were to attempt to teach a kid to do a roundoff, it would probably take an expert coach a good month to reteach the skill properly to enable moving on.

The other and more important issue is safety. The worst thing that will happen if Mommy is pitching to little Jimmy in the backyard is that little Jimmy might get hit by a pitch and end up with a bruise on his arm. The worst thing that will happen if Mommy is encouraging Jimmy to do front tucks on a backyard trampoline when Jimmy has not learned the skill properly in the gym under the supervision of a coach is that Jimmy will end up dead or paralyzed. And there are some tumbling skills that simply are not appropriate for very young children, no matter how talented and eager they are, because their bodies simply do not yet have the physical maturity to manage them safely. Kids will always try to push the envelope. That's why your preferred Deity gave 'em parents with the wisdom to say no now and then and keep them safe.

Finally, a lot of the folks on these boards have seen parents who become too invested in their kids' sports and gradually, subtly, the sport becomes more the parent's than the child's. This is especially true in a sport that takes years of hard work and sacrifice to reach the lowest competitive levels. Only your daughter's drive, interest, and determination can make her a great gymnast, not your enthusiasm and encouragement (though these help at the margin). If it becomes about you rather than her, the most likely outcome is that she will end up dropping out long before she reaches her natural potential. I've seen this in several sports, not just gymnastics.

Your daughter obviously loves gymnastics and has natural talent. Let her lead you, and let her coaches coach her.

 

[bookworm]

okay Bookworm...since we're braggin...i did back flips on a trampoline in 1959...guess how old i was...(depressing really).

No I wasn't bragging I was just confused as to why it's a big deal when kids try a bunch of stuff in the gym and some do it (and it's often not pretty to start) and some take a little longer and as someone pointed out, you won't even need the kip until you are 7 because you can't compete until then... I guess I don't know what the big deal is with this 5 yo and her videos being forwarded to National Team members. If her dad wants to do that, fine but it's not going to "further her gymnastics career" and knowing Alicia, she was probably chuckling to herself when she tweeted her response but I guess the dad's point (I think) is that she even bothered to respond at all. I think people on CB are concerned that by sending videos (or whatever) to Alicia, Marta etc, there will be undo pressure on this 5 yo and I do agree with that. While I think the dad is proud and enthusiatic about his 5 yo, he really should try to take a step back and enjoy his daughter's gymnastics.

 

[bookworm]

[QUOTE=profmom;183276]

Your daughter obviously loves gymnastics and has natural talent. Let her lead you, and let her coaches coach her.[/QUOTE]

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This is a great statement! I have always said "as long as it's my daughter dragging me out the door and not me pushing her, we will continue" . And that's what you pay the coaches for!

 

[Jroberson]

Shawn Johnson coach sent a video to Marta .......

 

[bookworm]

Shawn Johnson coach sent a video to Marta .......

You are correct....and that's what coaches do when they feel it's appropriate or it's been requested. Sometimes the kid has been down to the Ranch for TOPS or a camp and Marta will suggest sending a video. It's not something that you would do as a parent (or I should say I wouldn't do as a parent)...

 

[Jroberson]

[QUOTE=profmom;183276]

Your daughter obviously loves gymnastics and has natural talent. Let her lead you, and let her coaches coach her.[/QUOTE]


****************************************


This is a great statement! I have always said "as long as it's my daughter dragging me out the door and not me pushing her, we will continue" . And that's what you pay the coaches for!

My daughter gets upset with us if we make her miss gym for any reason whatsoever.

 

[gymcoach26]

Nobody here is jealous of you DD. From your other videos such as this one ...

Joscelyn Three Back Hand Springs - YouTube

We are simply concerned for her well being and safety. What you are doing is physically and emotionally unhealthy. This video shows your daughter repeatedly landing on her head. Did you ever stop to consider this could cause serious problems to her neck (including paralysis). Not to mention she would have been under 5 years old at the time, so it is also not recommended that children that young should do any unsupported back bend work, including back handsprings. My point here is to educate you so that your daughter does have the opportunity to last in this sport. At the rate you are going, she probably will not.

Her coaches will hopefully know what training plan is best. When it comes time to get her name out there, her coaches will know who to contact and forward her videos too. As you just posted "Sean Johnson's coach sent a video to Marta", not her parents. It will be ill received coming from a parent and could actually ruin your daughters chances.

And to answer one of you questions "What is the CB for?" ... It is a place that you should be able to come to and brag, but ALSO a place where you can ask questions and CONTRIBUTE. It appears you ONLY come to brag to further your child's opportunities and nothing further, so this would not be what the CB is for.

 

[bookworm]

my thoughts exactly Gymcoach..well said.

 

[Jroberson]

I do enjoy all her gym stuff I don't get to go to see much of it in person so when I get to its a big deal! I don't put any pressure on her to please me if anything she is always trying to impress her coach. She knows I'm the easy one to get praise from.

 

[Jroberson]

At least I can say I know how to kick an ant pile now! Lol

 

[gymcoach26]

I do enjoy all her gym stuff I don't get to go to see much of it in person so when I get to its a big deal! I don't put any pressure on her to please me if anything she is always trying to impress her coach. She knows I'm the easy one to get praise from.

None of that is in questions and I am not doubting that. Do you understand the safety concerns? Do you realize where sending twitter messages crosses the line? Do you understand the coaches responsibilities vs the parents job in your DD gymnastics career? You have not addressed any of that. Those are the things you can be learning from CB

 

[Jroberson]

Yes I know the safety concerns, she has been instructed not to do any tumbling on her tramp at home by her coach or tumbling anywhere for that matter other than the gym. I am probably not going to make the evening news with my tweets to famous gym people, it was a knee jerk reaction to a gym coach telling me he has never seen that before. In my defense it is experienced gym people that have blown my vicarious ego up, I wouldn't know any better if they didn't tell me I had something special. And that I should keep her in gym. I can assure you I am not the parent screaming from the balcony at their kid to straighten their legs etc. I only preach to my daughter about her manners and education, all the bragging is for my benefit she is oblivious to it.

 

[Jroberson]

I promise I'll try to stick to my family and close friends now for bragging.

 

[mtbmom]

okay Bookworm...since we're braggin...i did back flips on a trampoline in 1959...guess how old i was...(depressing really).

Uhhhh.... 40???

 

[mtbmom]

Wow! The night shifter gets a couple daylight hours of shuteye and the thread explodes!!!

OP, this is my last post on this thread. By you asking her to perform in videos is pressure. Yes it really is. My DD is working to overcome a mental block on balance beam. If I ask her how practice was, it is a question. If I ask her how her BWO on beam was, that is pressure!!!! A simple question, but that question says, "I really want you to get your BWO on the high beam so we can move on. So with gymnasts even a simple question is pressure. Asking your child to perform like a trained monkey is pressure.

If the coaches told you "no tumbling at home" they obviously recognize a problem. We have a tramp, that I was reluctant to buy until my DD turned 9. She has a great time playing on it. She only does tumbling that she can perform independently on the floor in the gym. Mostly she plays on it and makes up knew Kayla moves which are mostly silly things she would never perform in gymnastics. I don't grab the camera and have her go through her repertoire of skills.

The elite coaches at our gym regularly send videos of the Hopes/Elites to Marta. Marta already knows the kids from Tops camps in prior years, but (as far as I know - no one consults me regarding videos to Marta) I would think this helps Marta know what camp is appropriate.

No one is sending videos of Tops kids. We have one kid at our camp who could not attend Tops camp even though she was selected because it was "too easy" for her. Marta put her in a more advanced camp (perhaps a video changed hands to make that determination).

You will do what you wish with your daughter. We have shared a LOT of information to show you that what you are doing is pressure and damaging, but you will not receive it. So now, your DD just has to let this thing play out. I hope she is physically, emotionally, spiritually well when this all plays out. We wish only the best for your DD and are not jealous. No reason to be. Farewell.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Uhhhh.... 40???

lolololololo....luv

 

[Deleted member D3987]

At least I can say I know how to kick an ant pile now! Lol

be thankful that they're not the 'fire ants' they have in texas...