Parents Nervous.......Please help

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

I haven't been around too much kids have been keeping me busy. I am so stressed about this up coming season. All the girls are starting next month training their new levels. My little one is the only one not moving from Level 4 due to her age. Right now she is relishing the training. She almost has her kip the only level 5 skill that she is lacking. She got the Level 6 beam dismount last week, has her front tuck, her back tuck, is doing 7 continuous backhandsprings clean. She is on cloud nine with all the up training. I keep hearing from everyone how she is just going to do so awesome. I know she has really stepped up her training because she has something to look forward to. She was so bored last year with not competing and training like she was. She could have held her own and if she was old enough probably been moved to level 5 and been very successful. Now starting in July she will be the only second year. They are talking about her being a leader and such and what an asset she is going to be to the team.

I really don't care if she is a leader. I just want her to keep pushing herself, getting better, and happy. I know while all the newbies are learning everything she is going to go into a funk so to speak if she has to train with them. If she uptrains the entire time she then will miss the entire bonding. I swear this is a catch 22 for her. She wants to be with all her friends and I know it is going to be so hard on her to be the one left behind. None of the coaches have talked to her about this and put their expectations. I just want to make sure she isn't going to just hang out (so to speak) while the 18 newbies are getting all the coaching. DD has a lot that needs to be tweeked. Mainly pointed toes etc.

What would you all do. Am I being a crazy gym mom? or should I be concered. Like I said she has stepped up her training and in two months really showed what she is capable of since they have engaged her. I was watching some of the newbies and there is a HUGE difference from them and dd. I know they will come along quickly but I don't want DD to have to wait for them.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

How old is DD?

 

[mariposa]

How old is DD?

I think her DD just turned 6.

gymnasticsgirl521-

They obviously know how talented she is and have been letting her learn skills as she is ready. I imagine they will try to keep her challenged this year, too. They will probably use her as the example a lot and that might really push her to keep those toes pointed, etc. She is still just so young, maybe she will like being at the top of the group. Is she going to be with more girls her age? She might also really enjoy that. My DD was the youngest competing at her old gym and there weren't a lot of girls her age. At her new gym, she is with a whole bunch of 6-8 year olds and it is great for her.

My DD is repeating level 4 at her new gym. She is in a group with 2 repeat level 4s (from that gym) and the other 7 girls are all new level 4s. They sometimes separate out the repeaters (DD included) and have them train with the 5s/6s. While the new level 4s are working on their level 4 bar routine, the repeaters are doing kips/level 5 bar stuff. Whenever they do floor, my DD stays with the newbies because she has to relearn the floor routine the way that they do it (the other 2 girls go with the 5s since they already know the floor routine). She was frustrated at first, but she sees how much she needs to work on.

I think that they know how talented your DD is and they want to keep her challenged. I imagine they plan to fast track her once she turns 7, so this will just be another year to enjoy the extra freetime and let her have a great year!

I think that if you look at it as a positive, talk about the positive parts, etc, she will hopefully get that from you and take on the same attitude. I did that with repeating level 4 as it was hard for my daughter to understand why I would move her to another gym and make her repeat level 4 when she was moving to level 5 at her old gym. Now she sees it as a good thing and is happy about it.

I am sure that they will do their best to keep her challenged. Once she turns 7, she will be able to move more freely through the levels if that is what she needs to do. I wouldn't worry yet. Wait and see how things go and what they do with her. For now, just keep positive!

Also, boredom during meet season seems to be common. I think it is something the girls need to learn how to deal with because many get bored with just doing routines and meets and then repeating for months on end. It is tough, but part of gymnastics sometimes I think.

 

[sportyspice]

Whats the rush? The longer they do the basics the better they become. Your DD seems to be naturally talented and should therefore flourish regardless of what stage the other girls are at. There are many virtues that gymnastics can teach our children, one of those being patience. Have faith and believe that her coach knows what she is doing. You seem to be pre-empting a problem before it has occurred.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I would definatly ask toi schedule a meeting with the coach to discuss the issue. Try not to approach it with an "I want this" approach. As coaches tend to balk at that, its better to say more of a "here are my concerns" approach.

A good coach can keeep her training harder skills while she is working with girls doing lower level skills. As she worked the routines last year she wont need to spend as much time on the routines. Perhaps a routine or two then when its her turn she does something else.

If little things like pointing toes are an issue the coaches may be able to use this as a motivator. Say if she does 5 routines on bars with nice toes and knee's she can then do a level 5 bar routine for example.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

A good coach can keeep her training harder skills while she is working with girls doing lower level skills. As she worked the routines last year she wont need to spend as much time on the routines. Perhaps a routine or two then when its her turn she does something else.

DEFINITELY!!

I understand your frustration, but we have gone through this with my Little Monkey who is only 8 yrs old, 48 inches tall. She just finished her 2nd yr of Level 5. She started training L4 as a 5 yr old, started competing just after turning 6. Everyone else was 9+ she had no one her age then. The following season (spring, she was still 6) everyone else was given the chance to score out of L5 so some went to 5 and others went to 6.

They continued to train her with the preteam and L4's but she DID uptrain. If they were doing floor, while the other girls were doing RO, BHS, cartwheels, they had her doing tucks and layouts. On beam, they practiced their handstands while she was doing cartwheels.

If you're concerned about your DD not training to her potential you should meet w/the coaches/director to see what plans they have to keep your DD motivated. Now Little Monkey is training for her L6 season, while she still is frequently grouped with the lower levels because of her size and age, she is also working on harder skills like her full on floor and giants on bars.

 

[cher062]

I haven't been around too much kids have been keeping me busy. I am so stressed about this up coming season. All the girls are starting next month training their new levels. My little one is the only one not moving from Level 4 due to her age. Right now she is relishing the training. She almost has her kip the only level 5 skill that she is lacking. She got the Level 6 beam dismount last week, has her front tuck, her back tuck, is doing 7 continuous backhandsprings clean. She is on cloud nine with all the up training. I keep hearing from everyone how she is just going to do so awesome. I know she has really stepped up her training because she has something to look forward to. She was so bored last year with not competing and training like she was. She could have held her own and if she was old enough probably been moved to level 5 and been very successful. Now starting in July she will be the only second year. They are talking about her being a leader and such and what an asset she is going to be to the team.

I really don't care if she is a leader. I just want her to keep pushing herself, getting better, and happy. I know while all the newbies are learning everything she is going to go into a funk so to speak if she has to train with them. If she uptrains the entire time she then will miss the entire bonding. I swear this is a catch 22 for her. She wants to be with all her friends and I know it is going to be so hard on her to be the one left behind. None of the coaches have talked to her about this and put their expectations. I just want to make sure she isn't going to just hang out (so to speak) while the 18 newbies are getting all the coaching. DD has a lot that needs to be tweeked. Mainly pointed toes etc.

What would you all do. Am I being a crazy gym mom? or should I be concered. Like I said she has stepped up her training and in two months really showed what she is capable of since they have engaged her. I was watching some of the newbies and there is a HUGE difference from them and dd. I know they will come along quickly but I don't want DD to have to wait for them.

Thanks for any advice.

I would have a parent/coach meeting and just tell them what you told us. voice your concerns and ask them what they will do with your DD while the others learn the L4 basics? Let them know you have concerns about DD being bored. See what they say their actual plan is going to be.

 

[Gymdad2]

Sportyspice said it perfectly in her first 3 words! I think I speak (or write) with the voice of some experience as dd just finished her 9th season of usag competition. Some of the things I have learned along the way are:

1. Trust your coaches (I'm not an advocate of gym-switching, but if you don't have confidence in her coaches then you are at the wrong gym)

2. Slow and steady wins the race. (dd is the only one still in competative gym out the the 10 girls on the original L5 team)

3. Attitude determines altitude. (I was a freshman in high school trying out for the baseball team and the coach walked into the 1st meeting and wrote this on the board. It has been with me ever since and I have seen it be true time and time again.)

In most sports the final results are what matter, and how you achieve them doesn't matter as long as the means of achieving them obey the rules of that sport. When a receiver catches a football all that matters is did he hold the ball and did he stay in bounds. Nobody cares whether his toes were pointed or his arms were straight, etc.

Gymnastics does require exceptional physical coordination and strength, but it is called Artistic for a reason, and that reason is that it also is an art form. To achieve both parts of the forumula to as near perfection as possible is the goal and that takes time and patience.

If you will put all of the above together you will see where my signature tagline comes from.

Good luck to you and your dd.

 

[starmaker]

You know our dd's are the same age and same level and facing some of the same issues. During the summer at dd's gym she is training L4/5. She is cleaning up old L4 skills all the while training L5 skills. She is now also training for Tops too which is challenging and motivating enough for her. She is now obsessed with cast handstands, and handstand holds.

Is there Tops at your dd's gym? Maybe it's something she can focus on while the "others" are working L4 basics. And it will only make her a better, stronger gymnast. Good luck! It's tricky when they are so young and so talented!

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

Thank you all. I really hope I can get the coach and owner to sit down and talk to DD and myself. Last year we had 22 level 4's to 1 coach. DD did not get as much attention due to her age which was frustrating in its own. She was allowed to slack so to speak since she wasn't a competing gymnast. I still paid the same but it was one of those things. Now they are moving everyone except for DD. She just turned 6 in late May. So I am just very concered that she is going to slip into her funk again when she isn't challanged. DD is one of those that likes to have someone better than her to make her strive to get that next skill. This year we had 8 2nd year 4 so it was nice that they were still together. DD is going to be the only one this year which is going to make it harder. Her two best friends who are 6 months older will be moving. There will be other 6-8 year olds moving up but no one that she has had the 3 year bond of training with. That is one of the things that is killing her. She has more of the skills than her BFFs and such. I swear I just wish they would remove the age restrictions from levels because for some they are a bigger pain.

The coach as told me her plan in the past but she has not even talked to dd about it. I feel that DD needs to know what is expected and what the goals are for her this year. I think it will help her stay on track. Yes I know she is only 6 but she gets very determined to do something and will keep that going till it is achieved. In Preteam it was taked about her fast tracking and such but nothing more since. We don't have a TOPS program at our gym which is something I SO wish we had. I think DD would really thrive from that. I just don't want to see her slip back to the girl she was Dec-March. She was just kind of there so to speak.

I hate to have to suggest to them to clue DD in but I think it would help. I am one of those parents that I know what you can not say with the coaches but I have also seen first handed how things can happen. I was frearful last year about her not getting as much attention and it happened. Now I think we are going to be on the opposite end. I hate to say this she can't turn 7 soon enough to give her the freedom to move through the levels. A part of me just wishes we could skip competing Level 4 and train 5 this year and start competing next year. I feel things are so much easier for others who are older or I wish I hadn't started her till she was older.

 

[mariposa]

I agree that maybe talking to the coaches and having them talk to her might put you both at ease. I think that competing level 4 will be a good thing for her. There are lots of little things to learn when competing that have nothing to do with skills. Better to get that out of the way and get comfy with it all when scoring isn't as tough. She should do well since she has been training for so long at level 4, so hopefully she will start to have fun when she is out there performing and up there on the podium.

Let her be 6. Even super talented young gymmies are still just little girls. You can't get that back. Maybe have her do something else this year as well, a little dance class or another sport all together, even if it is just for fun. Maybe it will help her through this year and then after this, the sky is the limit.

 

[gym law mom]

I would have the coach sit down and talk with her. While she practiced with the L4 team, she did not compete due to age which may or may not have been a good thing. Doing skills and routines in your own gym is ALOT different from dealing with the craziness and nerves of meets. So, in that respect she is at the same level as the new L4s.

Certainly express your concerns about letting her continue to uptrain some, but also now those routines need to be meet ready which is where the work on form will pay off. One great thing would be if the coach used your dd to demonstrate a routine or skill to the new girls. I do think she needs to spend the majority of her practices with them as you said to have that team bonding time.

It will be fun to see her getting ready for her 1st "real" year as a L4 and stress all the fun she will have being able to go to meets and compete with a team. Remember, she's only 6 once---sit back a little and just watch her blossom.