Need advise!! Please

[Lisa Dawn]

I need to make a team decision over the next couple of days and need advise from other parents with more experience in the gym world. My DD is 6 (entering first grade) and she has been at a rec gym competing in non-USAG meets this past year at level 3. I think she has real potential to be a H.S. and college gymnast.

Our options: Both gyms are the same distance to our home and cost is about the same. Please share your opinions and knowledge!

1) Stay with Gym A: Non-USAG competitions only. Training level 4. Team has 10 - 12 girls ranging from age 6 (my child) to age 11. There is one 7 yr old and the other girls are all 8 - 11. No level 5 girls at the gym, all other classes are rec classes only. Small gym, personal but limited resources. Training 3 hours a week.

2) Move to Gym B: USAG competitions. Training level 4 team. Team has 8 girls all 6 - 7 yrs old. Teams up to level 8,9 & 10. Has a rec program and a competitive program (would be on the competitive team). Big gym, lots of kids & classes. Training 4 hours a week.

I need to commit to one of the programs by Monday. Thanks a ton for your advise. Both Coaches seem great. Communication is good.

 

[bogwoppit]

Based soley on the things you have told me, and assuming that your gymmie would be able to get a place on the training L4 team. I would move her to gym B.

Because....
They train 4 hours a week, 3 really is low for L4.
They have a team of girls her age, and gym is a social game as well.
They have gymnasts at all levels, a sign that gymnasts stay and that they know how to get girls to and through the optional levels.
They compete USAG

I wouldn't stay with gym A because...
They do not compete USAG at all, if you really want her to have that chance you will eventually have to move.
They have no L5 team, you would have to move after L4.
They clearly are not able to get girls beyong L4, for whatever reason.
Team is large for a 6 year old, depending on the numeber of coaches!
Your gymmie is very young in their gym, this might not be the best fit for learning for her.

Of course the choice is yours, but I think you know the answer already!

 

[MdGymMom01]

Ok...first off, let's just take this one day at a time and don't try to make plans for her HS and college sports career just yet . She is only 6 and she hasn't even competed Level 4 USAG yet. I understand your excitement and enthusiasm, but putting expectations like those on a 6 year old just starting the sport is a recipe for disaster, IMHO.

I would move to gym B, and see how she likes the USAG environment and see how it goes from there. Gym B sounds like a good choice because they have a competitive and a rec league and regular classes depending on how your dd feels about the whole gymnastics journey. Be patient, and take it day by day with her progress. Good luck!!!

 

[IJustWriteChecks]

Gym B sounds like a lot more opportunity for growth, so that would be my choice. I personally like a program where there are upper level gymnasts to give the younger girls something to strive for.

 

[Gymdad2]

We all agree that GymB is the right gym is you are wanting to have the option open for future advancement. I fully agree with Mdgymmom about not planning a HS/College carreer for her at this point. You should relax and let it happen as it will. Anything else will just create stress and unnecessary pressure on your dd, on you, on your family and that is a recipe for disaster. Take it one step (or level) at a time, let your dd be what she can be and wants to be, and enjoy the ride. You asked for some advice from experienced parents, and in my mind this is the most important advice I can give you.

 

[Lisa Dawn]

Good advise everyone! Thanks for the input and words of wisdom. We will make the move to gym B. And, I agree about not planning too far ahead. She is my baby (of four kids) and I can lose perspective with her!

 

[JessMom]

I was going to vote B - looks like I'm a little late

Good Luck!!!

 

[MamaofEnS]

I think you made the right decision, but keep us posted on how it goes. However, there is something else you may want to think about. At Gym A, your child will get a lot of attention, because she will be one of the most advanced gymnasts at the gym. At Gym B, your child will be much lower on the gymnast totem pole, as compared to the level 8-10's. My DDs go to a big gym, with tons of recs, and teams with Tops and Elites. My DD is a level 7, and still has many coaches that she doesn't get to work with, because they do the higher levels, or Tops girls.

MamaofEnS

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

Depends on how serious you are. I would go with Gym B because it offeres you more options later. My only concern is the amount of training hours. 4 hours isn't much for a level 4. DD just completed her level 4 season with USAG and she trained 12 hours a week as a 6 year old

 

[gym law mom]

I would have said Gym B also simply because if she stays with the sport you'll end up going there anyway since the current gym has nothing above L4.

What did jump out at me was the low number of training hours for a USAG team. I'm not a big supporter of lots of hours for young kids, but 4 hours/week is not alot when it comes to working skills/learning routines. Does this gym have many that repeat L4? You may see that due to low training time and no time to uptrain. Are the hours increased over the summer?

Offering 4 hours/week suggests to me this gym doesn't put alot of value in L4 and may just see it more as a developmental team than a real competitive team which is fine as long as they do offer more once the girls get to L5/6.

 

[Lisa Dawn]

Offering 4 hours/week suggests to me this gym doesn't put alot of value in L4 and may just see it more as a developmental team than a real competitive team which is fine as long as they do offer more once the girls get to L5/6.

I looked over the summer schedule. My DD will on (younger girls) training team and does 4 hrs a week. The (older girls) training team is 6 hrs a week, Competing level 4/training level 5 is 9 hrs, level 6 - 12 hrs, level 7 -15 hrs, level 8 to 10 - 16 hrs.

She is going into first grade this fall and I think she will train level 4 all year and compete level 4 Fall '11 and then begin training level 5. I think they only compete in a 5 meets level 4 and then start training level 5.

This is all very new to me. She has competed at level 3 this past season in non-sanctioned meets only.

 

[gym law mom]

The hours you posted for the other levels are more in line with typical USAG programs. If the plan is not to compete until 2011, then she'll have plenty of time to learn all the L4 skills well and work on routines.

4 hours is probably a good way to start off being in a team program especially with the start of 1st grade. She'll have alot of changes in her routine come fall so not too many hours in the gym will be nice. The reason I questioned the number of hours was, the girls have to stretch and do some conditioning, then work skills and at some point start to learn the routines. Since L4 is compulsory it can take some time to learn each routine since its not just putting skills together, but doing them exactly the way the rulebook says. Sounds like a good plan for your dd and hope she enjoys her 1st year.

Once they start competition season, you and dd might want to go watch a USAG meet to see the difference from what she's done at the other gym.

 

[NotAMom]

Based on the age range and # of hours you described, it sounds like this L4 training team is your gym's version of pre-team (different gyms call it by different names). That is a super way for your child to getting started. Also, the number of hours for each level in the progression are in line with the minimal of USAG gyms around the country. But, some gyms (especially those in specific states) train a lot more.

Just one more thing to point out... In terms of mobility, it's probably best not to put any kind of expectation on how long she'll staying at each level. There are a lot of factors involved and the duration can be all over the place. Based on the ability as required by each level and what the gym has in mind for their gymnasts, even a level like L4 can vary between half season to 2 to 3 years or more. And, what makes it more complicated is the mobility speed at the lower levels doesn't always imply what will happen later on in the career.