WAG Need advice - what level, what gym, what path

[Deleted member 17723]

I need advice - from parents, coaches and gymnasts. I appreciate everything you guys say.

This upcoming season (15-16) I will be competing as a 15 year old. Last season I was 14 and competed level 4 at a YMCA. This season my coaches would like me to repeat level 4. We talked to them about doing xcel, but they say that they want to use xcel for girls who probably won't get past compulsory, or girls who have a bad fear. I don't fit into that category right now, and they would rather that I keep working hard, stay healthy and become an optional junior year (if I get the skills). I was out most of last season from Jan-July with shin and ankle problems, so I didn't reallyyy get to show them what I can do. However, I still competed bars/beam most meets and even came in 4rd out of 13 (?) at regionals. No, that isn't great but considering my circumstances I was proud of myself. They want to see what I can do this season and then move me to 5 next season. However, I'm miserable at practice - I'm bored. I have all my skills. It isn't fair to let me uptrain and not the other girls, so I'm stuck doing squat ons on floor bar and cartwheels on low beam. I'm going insane.

My question is - do I stay in level 4, work hard and dominate at 4 this year and 5 next? Or do I go to another gym, and do xcel? I'm at a loss on what to do. My parent's don't really know this sport so I basically make the call. I'm nervous that if I switch gyms and don't like it I won't be able to come back to my current gym.

Please help....

 

[MILgymFAM]

Why are they making you repeat? What's their reasoning? Did you get a 31 last year as a L4? If you didn't, maybe they will let you do L4 this year until you get the score and then move up?

 

[Deleted member 17723]

Why are they making you repeat? What's their reasoning? Did you get a 31 last year as a L4? If you didn't, maybe they will let you do L4 this year until you get the score and then move up?

They "didn't see my full potential because I was out on injury." I got 34-35 consistently, a 35.95 was my high. I got at least a 9 on everything but bars - 8.8. No, they don't do mid season move ups.

 

[MILgymFAM]

In that case I can really see why you are frustrated. I would make sure they understand that you really want to move up- enough to consider switching programs and gyms, and ask them to give you a shot at five. Maybe they could let you do a trial of all the five skills and you can prove you're ready? It seems silly to let older girls repeat a level they have shown proficiency at just to score better if they can safely and competently compete the next level. There is a time limit on the sport for most people, after all. I hope your coaches truly listen to your concerns and you reach a solution soon.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

We did tell them that we were going to look into other gyms if they didn't make a compromise, and they basically just said "that's an option too." They didn't really care. They really just said to get over being an old level 4 and work hard and become a 7 by the time I'm a junior. They will not move me up anymore, move ups are over. They said I'm not ready for 5 but the only skills I don't have are my free hip and punch front (I have both, but not ready for competition), but I have months to get those skills.

 

[MILgymFAM]

That's a tough stance they took, but honestly if you don't have all your L5 skills I would just keep working hard and doing your thing. One thing they said that just completely true is to not worry about your age. Don't let being older bother you- you will only get this time once, so why work yourself over something you can't change. You're not too old.

 

[Muddlethru]

A few questions you may want to consider. Are you happy at your current gym? Do you trust your coaches? What are your goals? Will going to excel meet your goals? It sounds like the want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7. Does his fit in to what you want?

 

[raenndrops]

A few questions you may want to consider. Are you happy at your current gym? Do you trust your coaches? What are your goals? Will going to excel meet your goals? It sounds like the want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7. Does his fit in to what you want?

They want her to do that... but NOT uptrain for L5 right now... just continue working the L4 skills she already has.

@cali_48 ... As much as i would love for you to stay at the Y gym, I think you might need to look at other gyms. See if one will let you compete Xcel Gold. If you can find one, go for it. You KNOW you are miserable at this gym. It would be better to not like it at another gym, but get to compete your own routines than to be forced to be miserable practicing and competing routines you have already shown you can do!

 

[gymdog]

I would commit to this season and then take your time considering the options. If you were just out with an injury for several months then give it a little more time to see how things develop. It is probably better to come back a little slower otherwise you might risk re-injury or injuring something else. You may be doing more basic things now but once you get back into routines if they're good maybe you will move on.

 

[Muddlethru]

They want her to do that... but NOT uptrain for L5 right now... just continue working the L4 skills she already has

My questions were directed at OP for her just to ponder. I am certain only the OP knows the answers. Don't understand how your response even relates.

 

[raenndrops]

My questions were directed at OP for her just to ponder. I am certain only the OP knows the answers. Don't understand how your response even relates.

I am aware that they were directed at OP. I was answering the "It sounds like the want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7" ... they do want her to compete 4 (she said that in the original post)... and not uptrain L5 skills because it is not fair to the other girls (also mentioned earlier)... and compete L5 next year (mentioned in the original post)... and then compete L7, if she works hard, the following year (mentioned in a previous reply in this thread). She also stated that she is bored and miserable at practice (partly because of them not letting her uptrain) and her coaches are not willing to be flexible. She wants to do Xcel because she wants her own routines so she won't be bored. She also wants to be with girls more her own age (I got this from conversations i have had with her).

That is how my response relates to yours. Thank you for your feedback

 

[Muddlethru]

I am aware that they were directed at OP. I was answering the "It sounds like the want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7" ... they do want her to compete 4 (she said that in the original post)... and not uptrain L5 skills because it is not fair to the other girls (also mentioned earlier)... and compete L5 next year (mentioned in the original post)... and then compete L7, if she works hard, the following year (mentioned in a previous reply in this thread). She also stated that she is bored and miserable at practice (partly because of them not letting her uptrain) and her coaches are not willing to be flexible. She wants to do Xcel because she wants her own routines so she won't be bored. She also wants to be with girls more her own age (I got this from conversations i have had with her).

That is how my response relates to yours. Thank you for your feedback

I know what OP's original post states. I merely reiterated the path as a preface to asking her if it fit into what her goals were. Hence my post "It sounds like they want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7. Does this fit in to what you want?" That is why your replying to my post seemed misplaced.

 

[MaryA]

While you definitely shouldn't worry about being "only" a level 4 at your age (you're still doing things that most kids will never do), it seems to me that you are interested in 2 things: 1) progressing and continuing to improve and 2) having a good time while doing it. As a high school kid with LOTS of choices of how to spend your free time, those are totally reasonable goals and your current gym isn't meeting them. If you were 8 and your mom was on here saying "my little darling is bored and I want her to move up to 5. Should I move her to a different gym?" my advice would be different. But I f you were my daughter, I'd want to find you a strong Xcel program with some other high school girls in it. Xcel will allow you to move ahead and do harder skills in the events you're stronger in. Having a weakness in one event won't hold you back. And, as others have mentioned, you can have your own routines and music that will let you show off your stuff. You can even upgrade your skills as the season progresses.

 

[Coach E]

Your coach always has your best interest in mind (I would hope). Do you have an excel team at your gym? Maybe that why they are pushing you away from excel. I think you sound like an excellent candidate to be an excel. You sound like a excel gold maybe platinum (platinum would be more like level 5/6) just because you do excel doesn't mean you can't come back to USA levels in the future (although you would have to score out at levels if you came back to USA levels) personally I would look into excel at your gym or another gym nearby if your gym doesn't have that option. I would stay on the USA levels path if you can see yourself doing a cast handstand on bars, have a good layout on floor flight series on beam BHS,BHS and can see yourself flipping a vault within the next few seasons. If not than I feel you my be wasting your years of the sport away if you stay on this track you will be a level 6/7 in like 3/4years. Hope this helps but talking to your coach about this is the best way to go to see there vision of where they see you in the next few years.

 

[raenndrops]

Your coach always has your best interest in mind (I would hope). Do you have an excel team at your gym? Maybe that why they are pushing you away from excel. I think you sound like an excellent candidate to be an excel. You sound like a excel gold maybe platinum (platinum would be more like level 5/6) just because you do excel doesn't mean you can't come back to USA levels in the future (although you would have to score out at levels if you came back to USA levels) personally I would look into excel at your gym or another gym nearby if your gym doesn't have that option. I would stay on the USA levels path if you can see yourself doing a cast handstand on bars, have a good layout on floor flight series on beam BHS,BHS and can see yourself flipping a vault within the next few seasons. If not than I feel you my be wasting your years of the sport away if you stay on this track you will be a level 6/7 in like 3/4years. Hope this helps but talking to your coach about this is the best way to go to see there vision of where they see you in the next few years.

Her gym does have an Xcel team. They won't let her on it because she isn't a "bad enough" gymnast basically. They see her in optionals her junior year of high school... if she gets the skills. I don't know anyone who wants to wait that long.
She would rather not be stuck in compulsories for the next two years when Xcel is there and she could have her own routines and upgrade as her skills get competition ready.

 

[JMACAZ]

I agree with Mary A. I would find a good Xcel Program and keep training new skills. I don't really see a great reason to repeat L4.

 

[duyetanh]

What I would do is check another gym and see if they would let you switch over to J.O. after you did xcel gold. If not, then I would go for it.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

A few questions you may want to consider. Are you happy at your current gym? Do you trust your coaches? What are your goals? Will going to excel meet your goals? It sounds like the want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7. Does his fit in to what you want?

I'm happy at my gym, in a way. I love my teammates and some coaches, just not with doing level 4 again: that makes me bored. I trust me coaches - to an extent. My goals are really just to be happy and learn new skills. I think xcel would meet my goals. Yes, that is what they want. I would want that, if I was younger. However I will be a 15 year old level 4 and I don't want that. I don't want to wait that long to become an optional, or at least a five.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

They want her to do that... but NOT uptrain for L5 right now... just continue working the L4 skills she already has.

@cali_48 ... As much as i would love for you to stay at the Y gym, I think you might need to look at other gyms. See if one will let you compete Xcel Gold. If you can find one, go for it. You KNOW you are miserable at this gym. It would be better to not like it at another gym, but get to compete your own routines than to be forced to be miserable practicing and competing routines you have already shown you can do!

Thanks gonna ask my parents if we can schedule a few evals this week

 

[Deleted member 17723]

I know what OP's original post states. I merely reiterated the path as a preface to asking her if it fit into what her goals were. Hence my post "It sounds like they want you to repeat L4, compete L5, skip L6 and go on to L7. Does this fit in to what you want?" That is why your replying to my post seemed misplaced.

@raenndrops and I talked a little earlier about this we are both involved in YMCA so we discussed this