Moving up this year different than other years with the new routines?

[cbone]

My daughter's entire Level 3 team is looking to move up according to her coach. At first I assumed that meant working current Level 4 routines and then they'd stay Level 3 when it basically became Level 4 in 2013. Then, the next season, they'd be working at what we currently call Level 5 skills so that they could "really move up" to Level 4. They are currently working on both in practice so that the girls may actually be Level 4 ready when 2013 comes. Exciting stuff to watch my daughter preparing to use the vault table instead of the old handstand/flatback vault. Also scary, since it is a HUGE jump up in complexity and skill. Watching current Level 3 routines is not at all frightening to me as a parent. I'm pretty nervous about new Level 4; it makes me realize how much risk there is in the sport. I guess it will subside. I remember when I walked in to practice and saw my little one twenty+ feet above the floor climbing the rope for the first time! You optional parents have nerves of steel and I admire you!

That leads me to a question for those of you more experienced folk. Is the shift in skills usually as pronounced between levels as it appears this year (i.e. it seems like new Level 3 is old Level 4, etc)?

 

[MeetDirector]

cbone -

It is not the 2012-13 season that the skills change; it is 2013-14 (after the next competitive season). The compulsory routines won't even be released until sometime in the future. So, bottom-line - what was Level 4 this just completed season will be the same Level 4 come the Fall. There is no change in the skill content for any of the Levels this coming season.

Now, as for the shift in skills being pronounced, that is as it has been. My dd started in Lvl 5; in essence they add one major harder skill for each event at each new level thru level 6. Even at the optional levels, there are some skill requirements its just that they have so many things to choose from. And as a word of caution for your future sanity, its best not to watch practice; your nerves will be shot after a short time. Just smile and write the checks.

 

[maryRS]

I'm confused. I know there are going to be new routines and levels but not this coming year. But it doesn't make sense to have a level 3 go right to level 5, even if it is called level 4, it's still a 2 level jump. I think I'm missing something, probably should wait for someone else to respond

My daughter's entire Level 3 team is looking to move up according to her coach. At first I assumed that meant working current Level 4 routines and then they'd stay Level 3 when it basically became Level 4 in 2013. Then, the next season, they'd be working at what we currently call Level 5 skills so that they could "really move up" to Level 4. They are currently working on both in practice so that the girls may actually be Level 4 ready when 2013 comes. Exciting stuff to watch my daughter preparing to use the vault table instead of the old handstand/flatback vault. Also scary, since it is a HUGE jump up in complexity and skill. Watching current Level 3 routines is not at all frightening to me as a parent. I'm pretty nervous about new Level 4; it makes me realize how much risk there is in the sport. I guess it will subside. I remember when I walked in to practice and saw my little one twenty+ feet above the floor climbing the rope for the first time! You optional parents have nerves of steel and I admire you!

That leads me to a question for those of you more experienced folk. Is the shift in skills usually as pronounced between levels as it appears this year (i.e. it seems like new Level 3 is old Level 4, etc)?

 

[cbone]

cbone -

It is not the 2012-13 season that the skills change; it is 2013-14 (after the next competitive season). The compulsory routines won't even be released until sometime in the future. So, bottom-line - what was Level 4 this just completed season will be the same Level 4 come the Fall. There is no change in the skill content for any of the Levels this coming season.

Now, as for the shift in skills being pronounced, that is as it has been. My dd started in Lvl 5; in essence they add one major harder skill for each event at each new level thru level 6. Even at the optional levels, there are some skill requirements its just that they have so many things to choose from. And as a word of caution for your future sanity, its best not to watch practice; your nerves will be shot after a short time. Just smile and write the checks.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought the new routines started in January 2013 which (at least where we are) is right in between the two meet "seasons" (September to November and February to March/April).

maryRS- The jump seems HUGE to me, too, but her coaches are wonderful and I trust them. It's been interesting watching them working new stuff despite the 13 minor heart attacks I had at one practice.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

. It's been interesting watching them working new stuff despite the 13 minor heart attacks I had at one practice.

Reason #2345235 why parents shouldn't watch, LOL.

As much as I love watching my DD and her teammates practice and compete, many skills/routines are heart stopping. You just have to trust that the coaches know what they are doing!

 

[AmandaLynn]

I've seen plenty of kids skip from L3 to L5. Some gyms don't even compete until L5. It all depends on the kids and the program.

Back to the original question... The routines will change for the fall 2013 season. So, if the plan was for your DD to compete L4 next season, she would probably still compete current L4 next year. the confusion would come in 2013, when they will have to decide whether she competes L4 "again" or not. I'm going to guess that she'll have to compete at least one meet in the new L4 unless she competes a L5 meet next year to score out.

I'm sure that her coaches have a plan. Try not to worry about it.

 

[JessLW]

It sounds like regular uptraining to me! It is pretty typical for kids to uptrain skills in the offseason that are a level or two ahead of where they're currently at, so that by the time the season comes around those skills will be pretty solid. Some of the more advanced skills take quite awhile to master (probably the one most kids struggle with at your daughter's level is the kip, it can take some girls years to master). Even if the changes aren't happening to 2013, it makes sense that they're uptraining those skills now, so that no matter whether the level is called level 4 or level 5, the girls will be competition ready.

 

[Natasha]

It sounds like regular uptraining to me! It is pretty typical for kids to uptrain skills in the offseason that are a level or two ahead of where they're currently at, so that by the time the season comes around those skills will be pretty solid. Some of the more advanced skills take quite awhile to master (probably the one most kids struggle with at your daughter's level is the kip, it can take some girls years to master). Even if the changes aren't happening to 2013, it makes sense that they're uptraining those skills now, so that no matter whether the level is called level 4 or level 5, the girls will be competition ready.

THis is what happens at our gym. For instance, the girls who just finished L4 were working Back walkovers and beginning to train back tucks (Both L6 skills) at practice tonight, even though the plan is to compete L5 next year. My dd just completed L7 and is training L8 and L9 skills, but is expecting to compete L8. The change in the level numbers should not have any affect on training and progression of skills. Really it is just the parents that will get hung up over the numbers. The kids just care about doing new skills and don't really care what number it is called.
As far as scary to watch, I can relate...I was at gym watching tonight only because my little one had a class, and I looked over and saw my dd working on a new release move on the bars...definitely not ready to watch that! It is so much less scary once they really "have" it and are able to make it look easy.

 

[gym law mom]

It sounds like regular uptraining to me! It is pretty typical for kids to uptrain skills in the offseason that are a level or two ahead of where they're currently at, so that by the time the season comes around those skills will be pretty solid. Some of the more advanced skills take quite awhile to master (probably the one most kids struggle with at your daughter's level is the kip, it can take some girls years to master). Even if the changes aren't happening to 2013, it makes sense that they're uptraining those skills now, so that no matter whether the level is called level 4 or level 5, the girls will be competition ready.

I totally agree with this. Many gyms will work some drills/progressions to skills that are 1-2 levels above where the girls are currently because they know they are difficult and take time to learn. For example, my gymmie began yurchenko timers after her L6 season. She wasn't going to do a yurchenko until L8, but starting the process of learning the entry and doing timers over some stacked mats helped when she worked it after L7. Many times you'll see them work on something(like using the vault table) then go back to the L4 vault for awhile and pull out the L5 vault drills to break things up.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

folks, relax. it's no different than the change we made in 1988 after Seoul and went to 10 levels. now there will be more! and you can only start some of these things early. the biology of the body has to be at a certain level of maturation to begin some of the things that they do. will 1 child understand 'how' to press to handstand at 5? yep...1. the other 48566584930394776686 kids will understand it by 7. don't let the smoke and mirrors of our sport confuse you. if you have a level 10 next year and the coach says that she's gotta go to 9, the move is not 'down' but linear. and so on and so forth downward/linearly for the other levels. understan my peter pan(s)?