Parents Middle of the Road Gymnast--Proud Mama though!

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balancedmom

Proud Parent
HI-- New to this site and forum--has been really interesting to read some of the threads! There are lots of folks posting whose gymnasts are amazing-- lots of 35 and 36AA scores. Posting to see if others like me have had to adjust expectations (and their kids have had to as well) because perhaps those high scores don't look like they are coming anytime soon. My 8 yo DD who is moving from a rec league to USAG and just had her first L5 meet scored a bit above a 31 AA. And while she may increase her scores over time, it is hard for her to see how she will be able to attain really high scores at this point. She is a super-hard worker in the gym and out, so even with the hard work, her scores were lower than what she expected. She loves gymnastics and I don't want her to get discouraged. Any tips for getting her to focus internal instead of on scores? Anyone in similar situation?

We are so proud of her for doing what she does-- and love watching her-at L5 her skills are pretty fun to watch--the front tuck, RO BHS back tuck, etc (you can tell I am not a former gymnast and don't really know the terminology). Just want to get some tips for those whose gymnasts have not been at the top score wise. thanks
 
Oh I'm sure she'll increase her scores if she's working hard! When you first move from a rec league to USAG, her scores will tend to be a bit lower as she probably didn't focus on form as much as she will now. As she improves her form, her scores will increase. And setting non-score related goals each week is a great idea--helps her focus on what she can control not what she can't.
 
New L5 is a tough level, I hear, like old L6. Most gyms don't want to compete a full year there. My DD has competed new L4 this year and we had to make adjustments to lower scores too. But she did improve, so give your DD time this season.
 
L5 for an 8 year old is pretty impressive! If she listens to her coaches and has fun out there I wouldn't worry about scores :)

Eta: it's also relatively common for "average" scorers at compulsories to rock optionals when the get there, so she shouldn't be disheartened.
 
Don't be discouraged! Lots of girls start off that way and then by the end of the year with lots of hard work do get those 35s.
 
Do not be discouraged! Read some of my old posts... My dd did not start getting high scores(36+ until level 6, scored out of 7 with a 37.9) until last year.... They could be average again as the meet season for 8 is about to start... It's a long road- enjoy it!
 
My gymmie does pretty well at meets. I'll say she's a podium competitor, but at the beginning of the season, we saw really low scores! She got her very first 7! She was devastated! It was on vault. She's very small and has a very hard time! Her coach told her not to worry, she would get better as the season went on. Compulsory routines are judged solely on a routines level of perfection! Before the next meet, have her set some personal goals that are NOT related to the podium or a certain score. Sticking landings, not falling on a certain event, staying with music on FX, etc! Meeting these personal goals will give her a sense of accomplisent even if she doesn't score high enough to medal or as high as she would like to! This accomplishment will build her confidence and I'm willing to bet you will see her scores go up after she gains some more confidence!
 
Thanks all. And guess I should not have used "Middle of the Road". She is a good gymnast by her scores have been low. Thanks
 
JFB you could be describing my daughter with your post. She was always one of the youngest at her level but was consistently that 5th place kid through compulsories. In fact through the old level 6 my daughter had never even scored a 36AA.

Last year though she skipped level 7 and had a great year at level 8, scoring her first 37 and winning her first AA. This year she will compete 9 and probably go back to being a middle of the packer, but she continues to advance and enjoys the sport so we happily go along for the ride.

Throughout her years tough, I have seen wonderful superstar gymnasts either fall back or quit entirely. State champions at all compulsory levels who got to optionals and decided they were just done. Sometimes being that middle of the pack kid helps them develop the drive and determination needed for when the sport gets harder and scarier.
 
This year my former "middle of the pack" DD hit a confidence wall - like your DD she was a fast (not elite track but fast) mover, and hit L7 at 10, after skipping old L4, and squeaking through old 6 with a high of 33 + (I think - she only did 3 meets at this level...and went from 29 to 33+ during those...its a tough level, very strict scoring and most coaches in our state try to get it done and move on....from the little I've seen of new L5 it is similarly tough/picky)....this year, despite getting a very high 35+ at state last year as a L7, she felt less confident than ever, hemmed and hawed and cried for months about the decision of a repeat or moving up to L8....(skills wise could have continued to move and score low initially with the likelihood of 34s by end of season)...and she's staying L7...

Long story short, she's heading into meet season with all her skills rock solid (except an occ. half-out on her second giant - but that's improving daily) and MAY score much higher this year....and no longer feel "middle of the road"....she and her coach have determined this her "confidence year"...all her issues with the skills are mental, not physical....believe me, this has been harder to watch than all those meets of "middle of the road" but happy little girl!!!!

I also have a truely "middle of the road" older son who due to both a late start/other interests and probably his natural talent/shall we say lack of....is a repeat L5 again....but each year he improves, gets new skills, and stronger, makes stronger friendships, etc....I actually don't know which kid is benefiting more from gym this year - the one who will be on the podium but tells me she wishes she could just train this year, or the one who may finally be on the podium, partially as his age group shrinks and he finally gets some muscles?

Each kid can get so much out of this, and the coaches see possibility in each one, if they are good - for some that possibility is elite/college, for some its a big smile and finally getting a skill....we parents have no idea at age 8 where each kid will be in 2-3 years...just delight in each personal goal met, and buy ice cream and give hugs for falls!!!
 
thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the support. I know there must be lots of non-podium kids/moms in this forum and was just wondering whether there were ways to keep the kids who score middle/bottom of the pack at a certain level, interested, engaged and happy.
 
My DD is a 10 year old new level 6 and she's not usually that high up on the podium overall. She has been bars champion more than once, but her beam has always been very unpredictable and her floor is full of little form breaks. Her family and friends think she's fantastic because they aren't used to what a "top of the podium" gymnast looks like at her level (they only know Olympic level from TV). She luckily doesn't get too hung up on scores, and is used to not placing that high AA as a general rule. Her highest AA score was 36 point something as a an old level 5 (thanks to high bars and vault scores, no thanks to beam!) - she's never gotten a 37 in her life. She probably won't ever get a 37 unless she really improves her form. She finds it hard to keep her legs as straight as they should be (she has to really force them), and hollow body position does not come naturally to her.
 
thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the support. I know there must be lots of non-podium kids/moms in this forum and was just wondering whether there were ways to keep the kids who score middle/bottom of the pack at a certain level, interested, engaged and happy.

Ask her would she rather be doing level 5, scoring OK and moving on to level 6, or would she rather have spent two years at level 4 so she could podium second year, and only be moving on to level 5 next year. I suppose it depends on your child to some extent, some prefer to be the big fish in a small pool, others would rather be looking at the big pool and wanting to swim in there…:)

My DD likely has to step up next year. She'll be with kids nearly two years older, who've been in the sport twice as long as she has. However, ask her if she wants to stay in novice, where she managed to podium in nearly every comp, or move up and maybe come middle-ish, it's a no-brainer, she wants to be competing against the big girls. Plus in fact there'll be less pressure on her to win, so she can enjoy the meets and look on it as experience.
 
Thanks Faith--her coach wants her to do level 5. Every kid cant be on the podium and some kids have to be on the bottom, right? Hopefully all those kids will not quit because they don't win. Looking through the forum, looks like many of the postings are from moms of those on the p
 
To understand when her scores will go up (& how high), you have to know the mindset of her gym. There are some gyms that would move a gymnast to Level 6 with a single score of 31, other gyms that would have never competed her as a Level 5 if she wasn't expected to at least score 34-35 in her first meet and end the season in the 36-38 range.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I guess I am surprised though that there aren't more gymnasts who are not in the higher score range (or more responses from moms of those gymnasts)-- I mean, do the girls who can't get the 36's just stop competing? Is there a place for a gymnast who can't get those scores? For context, she does much better in the gym than at meets, which is why she was moved up.
 
Non podium kid Momma right here! Daughter loves gymnastics but does not eat, breath, sleep it. Never practices at home. She's not concerned about scores so much. I kind of wish she was but then again....The grass is always greener!

There is a l8 at our gym who is amazing! Her Mom said she never used to place, fell off beam all the time, struggled with bhs, etc. You would never know by watching her today. I like knowing that you CAN hang in there and work hard and get to optional and be pretty dang good without rocking compulsory levels. As many have said here before...forget the scores and watch for forward progress and gymmie loving what she is doing!
 

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