WAG level 4 to 7 gym policy

[dmytv]

At my dds gym this will be the new policy. They will have the kids compete 4 twice then test out of 5, if they have giants they compete 7 if not then 6. I think it is weird to go from essentaily 4 to 7 in one year but that is what some kids at her gym wil do.Thank goodness she is a level 9.

 

[Natasha]

I know several gym that essentially did this under the old level system. They would compete 5 twice, score out of 6 and then compete Platinum or L7 depending on their skills. It goes back to gyms not liking the last level of compulsories.

 

[wallinbl]

Doing 4 twice and then skipping ahead is what several gyms around here did with the old level 5. Most other gyms in the area assume the reason is to win state at level 5, because they're basically competing it with level 7s (we're a fall compulsory state, so their "2nd year level 5s" compete at level 7 a month after winning state).

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

Most girls will compete one year at each compulsory level 3/4/5, then will go on to Level 6 or Level 7 optionals depending on their skills. Rare for a girl to skip or repeat any compulsory levels at our gym, but our optional program is very successful.

 

[JBS]

At my dds gym this will be the new policy. They will have the kids compete 4 twice then test out of 5, if they have giants they compete 7 if not then 6. I think it is weird to go from essentaily 4 to 7 in one year but that is what some kids at her gym wil do.Thank goodness she is a level 9.

We have some doing this.

 

[cbifoja]

While several members of our L5 team tested out of L6 at the end of last season, it was a rare thing and doesn't really mean a lot. Some of those girls who tested out will be doing L5, some will move up to L6, and at least one will skip up to L7. However, this is unusual and just for this year. I don't see our general policy of changing: one level per year with rare exceptions.

 

[gymgal]

If you mean they will do 2 years of 4 then score out of 5, yes, that fairly common and really they wouldn't be doing 3 levels in 1yr. They will be scoring out of L5, but that extra yr of 4 is really their training year for 5+skills. Their skills will be in place, They just won't have the competition experience from that level. And the new 6 is a transitional level. I am guessing there will be a lot of girls skipping it, or scoring out of 5 to do 6. Either way, most gyms will spend only 1 yr doing 5/6, not 2yrs. And in regions that have a fall compuls and winter optional season, many higher end gyms will likely have girls compete 5 in fall then 7 in the spring, skipping over 6.

Now, if you mean they are only competing 2 *meets* of L4, then scoring out of 5 and moving to 6/7 all in one season, then that would be highly unusual, especially for an entire team. Maybe 1 really talented gymnast but not am entire team.

 

[gymdog]

I think this is annoying. We could win everything if we made everyone compete 4 twice. Do prep op or something maybe. Level 5/old 6 is not THAT bad.

 

[cbifoja]

I agree. If I were queen of the day (dare to dream), I would split each level into two different categories....first years and repeaters. The team who wins by making everyone repeat never impresses me nearly as much as teams who get it done with first year kids!

 

[wallflower]

I agree. If I were queen of the day (dare to dream), I would split each level into two different categories....first years and repeaters. The team who wins by making everyone repeat never impresses me nearly as much as teams who get it done with first year kids!

The problem with that is some gyms first year gymnasts have been training those skills for longer than gyms competing that level a 2nd year. DD has never been at a gym that does much up training. She always is just learning the skills for the level she is competing. Only now that she is an optional do I see her training things she won't use for awhile. Meanwhile friends at other gyms will have all their skills for at least the level above even if they are a first year in the level they compete.

 

[cbifoja]

You make a good point, Wallflower. Guess this is one reason I'll never be queen.

 

[JBS]

Welcome to the world of compulsory gymnastics...

Play the game...or lose!

 

[cbifoja]

Welcome to the world of compulsory gymnastics...

Play the game...or lose!

No thanks! We're just getting out of compulsories and I don't wanna go back! LOL

 

[wallflower]

I just try to subscribe to the happy, healthy, and progressing well. Then nothing else matters. Don't care what the number is or what level they compete. The levels mean vastly different things to different gyms. We had a gym (some of the girls, not all) who competed level 5 state and then 2 weeks later competed level 7 with max difficulty. Fulls on floor, fhs flo, nice bars with free hip to handstand, etc. It leaves you scratching your head. Why the heck were they competing their first year of level 5 in the fall? If you wanted them to compete in the fall and spring why not do level 6 in the fall? I've given up trying to understand why some gyms do things the way they do.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Doing 4 twice and then skipping ahead is what several gyms around here did with the old level 5. Most other gyms in the area assume the reason is to win state at level 5, because they're basically competing it with level 7s (we're a fall compulsory state, so their "2nd year level 5s" compete at level 7 a month after winning state).

==
Edit, it didn't post how it looked, I had the training side by side, but that didn't work , so will put them below each other. here is the post below,

That is how most people think of it, but here is what usually happens. Taking a child who already has and knows all the routines enables a gym to repeat that level and spend zero time on that level. This frees up almost 100 percent of the time to work optionals. In other words, (using last years levels) lets say gym A does one year 5 then trains 6 because they don't believe in repeating 5's, Those kids are going to spend a tremendous amount of time learning and perfecting the routines and skills for level 6 (old),
GYM B, decides to take the SAME group of girls and repeat 5 and train 7.
Remember both groups went through level 4 and first year of 5 together, but here is what this year of training will look like for each group.
GYM A, VAULT
handspring
Gym B VAULT
handspring

GYM A BARS
baby giants to strong underswing, freehips, tap swings, fly away from swing, doing routine after routine of these same skills.
GYM B BARS
Baby giants to real giants, straddle cast and straight cast, Fly away from cast, freehips and toe shoots and anything else we have time for because we are not doing a bunch of routines, and finally a couple 5 routines or not.

GYM A BEAM,
Handstand quarter handstand dismount
back walkovers, leaps and jumps, the routine over and over again.
GYM B BEAM,
optionals dismounts, back handsprings, front handsprings, front walkovers, switch leaps etc.... couple 5 routines or not.

GYM A FLOOR
learning a whole new routine, front flip,
front handspring front handspring, Doing routines over and over again.
GYM B FLOOR
Front handspring front tucks, back layouts, different leaps jumps, couple of level 5 routines or not.

So when you look at the training, its makes a bit more sense why some gyms do this. Are they competing 5 with 7's, or is the reason why they have 7's so quick actually a result of competing 5 again? Just look at what the girls are working on.

 

[wallinbl]

So when you look at the training, its makes a bit more sense why some gyms do this. Are they competing 5 with 7's, or is the reason why they have 7's so quick actually a result of competing 5 again? Just look at what the girls are working on.

I guess the question would be why go to the level 5 meets and to state? Doing so wipes the floor with all the actual level 5s.

 

[thefellowsmom]

There is definitely level skipping at the compulsory level happening at our gym. Certainly not for everyone, just some. Repeating somewhere along the line is quite common though for all the reasons coachp talked about. It is different for different kids though. It all depends on the kid, everyone is on their own path. In the old system, typically the repeat is four, five or seven. Things are all over the place with the transition to the new system. Who knows what typical will look like in a few years

Our team does quite well and we have girls that win consistently at all levels but nothing at our gym is done by the whole team as a policy so team wins at state and such usually go to teams who are playing the game more than we are.

 

[gymgal]

So when you look at the training, its makes a bit more sense why some gyms do this. Are they competing 5 with 7's, or is the reason why they have 7's so quick actually a result of competing 5 again? Just look at what the girls are working on.

That's a simple answer for anyone watching them in their first level 5 seasons. They are repeating 5 as competent level 7s. If the true reason was to have the extra time to uptrain, then the gyms would not compete 5 again in the fall. They would score out of 6, skip fall season, and compete 7 in the winter/spring. Besides, the routines for 5/6 are very similar. you would not have to spend a huge amount of time on 6 routines, if they had already perfected 5. these gyms uptrain 2+ years year-round and the girls would be ready for 7 in the winter season even if they competed 6 in the fall.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I guess the question would be why go to the level 5 meets and to state? Doing so wipes the floor with all the actual level 5s.

==
Success breeds a harder work ethic,. But the bottom line is, how soon do they make it to optionals, at what age etc.. that being said, we have a rule in our state that if a child scores a 37 they cannot contribute towards team the following year if they repeat. This was supposed to help solve the problem of repeating kids that scored high, however as with all things,,,, Gyms found a way around the rule, how? simple, just don't compete your pre team for an extra year. or some just took the hit that year and repeated 4 again, so they could have a super strong 5 team the next year..... So really there is no way around the cut throat compulsories and never will.
All that being said, we do repeat kids in 5, but we also don't, We have had kids who killed it the first year and moved them up to 6 or tried for 7 that same season. I have had kids skip 4 all together, skip 6 all together, spend 1 year in 5 then one in 6, skip level 7 etc... But for the record I have not been lucky enough to have a child skip 8 or 9. I would agree with many here, that a gym who spends 5 years in compulsories is probably just in it for the win, but at the same time, some kids just never make the optional jump. But I hope at the very least to shed some light on why some gyms repeat for the benefit of the child, not the team.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

That's a simple answer for anyone watching them in their first level 5 seasons. They are repeating 5 as competent level 7s. If the true reason was to have the extra time to uptrain, then the gyms would not compete 5 again in the fall. They would score out of 6, skip fall season, and compete 7 in the winter/spring. Besides, the routines for 5/6 are very similar. you would not have to spend a huge amount of time on 6 routines, if they had already perfected 5. these gyms uptrain 2+ years year-round and the girls would be ready for 7 in the winter season even if they competed 6 in the fall.

=

Yes, very true and it really just depends on the program. But you and I are also making assumptions about what works best, and it really just comes down to what works best for you and your program. I will say that I try never to let a child sit idle for more than 8 months, unless injured. So competing in the fall and then waiting over a year isn't what I like to do with the kids. Reason, well they like to compete, it's what they live for. It would be like going to baseball but not playing a game for over a year. But I know gyms do wait and it works for them. Those are just my thoughts and i was just trying to shed some light on why, not trying to talk anyone into anything.