WAG Not ready to let go

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amgymnast618

Coach
Gymnast
I'm turning 17 in the fall and I'm going to be a senior next year, and it's really starting to hit me that at this time next year, I won't be doing gymnastics or going to the gym every single day. I've been a gymnast my whole life and it's such a huge part of my identity and I'm not sure if I'm ready to let go of it yet. I realize I still have a full season left, but it goes by so fast and I'm worried I'm not gonna enjoy it because college/schoolwork will consume my life and brain 24/7. I just never thought this time would come and now it's here and I wish I could go back to Level 3 and do it all over again.
 
You don't have to stop just because you graduate. I assume you aren't going to be part of a varsity NCAA team, but there's college club gym, adult gym class, and adults who continue to compete through USAG, AAU, or other organizations. You could start coaching. You could start judging. You could pick up a similar and challenging new activity like circus arts, cheer, or diving - or you could pick up a challenging and totally new sport. I know former gymnasts who started rowing (crew), triathlons, ultimate frisbee, rock climbing, or running.
 
Agree, there is no reason to stop gymnastics after you graduate. Here in Australia it is very common to continue to train and compete for your club after high school and into university.

Why not see if there are any gymnastics clubs in the area around the colleges you intend to attend. You could be in their teams and continue to compete, if you feel it will be too much to fit in with your education why not look at a program like Exel?
 
Graduating definitely doesn't have to mean the end! I was exactly where you are now last year. I was so scared about leaving for college because I knew I'd miss gymnastics, especially my team and coaches. Thankfully the school I go to has a club team and it has been the best experience. It's allowed me to experience gymnastics in a whole new way. There's much less pressure and it is a lot more team oriented. But you still get to have all the fun that comes with competing and setting goals for competitions. It is also very cheap ($300 for the whole year at my school). If the college you choose doesn't already have a club, you could establish one! As mentioned above, you can also get involved with coaching and judging. Judges are in especially high demand in many areas.
 
Your outlook may actually change by this time next year! If you had asked me six months ago (or even two months ago) if I would be quitting gymnastics, the answer would have been a big NO. However, as I'm gearing up to start univeristy in the fall, I honestly feel done with gymnastics and I'm ready to move on. (My initial plan had been to keep training and conpeting with my current club).

If next spring comes around and you still don't feel done, you can look into some of the options stated above. I can personally vouch for rowing and circus, they are activities that I've really enjoyed. Plus having a gymnastics background means that you're already ahead in terms of strength/physical ability!
 
I know it's not the same thing, but if you enjoy the conditioning/strength aspect of gymnastics, you might look into a Crossfit gym or something similar near you. It's a challenging, friendly environment where you can constantly push yourself to learn and perfect skills. In fact, my 8yo gymmie loves to come with me when I work out and show off her "skills." There are many former gymnasts at my local Crossfit gym who are thriving. You could also do this in addition to a college club or adult team.
 
Don't worry about it too much. Although you cannot imagine your life without gymnastics right now, a lot might change within the next year for you.
I felt very similar over 10 years ago and regretted not using my time better and learning this or that skill and couldn't imagine my life without my gym.
I ended up being very ready moving on from doing gymnastics after the end of my senior year and never once wished I could have continued during college. However I moved on to coaching (which I had been doing before, just less often) and after a while I took up judging. I'm sure you will be able to continue with gymnastics in some way or another once you start college. Of course it's not going to be the same as during high school, but it's a good thing that things change from high school to college and I would advise you to embrace the change! People have already suggested a couple of things - you have so many options and you will be able to stay involved with gymnastics if that's what makes you happy!
 
may i suggest looking into olympic weightlifting? we have two former gymnasts on our team and they adjusted incredibly well (small, strong, fast, flexible, hard worker, able to listen to coaching, not easily frustrated and able to deal with fear issues = perfect for olympic weightlifting).

and be carfeul with crossfit. most boxes (not all) produce way too many injuries for a fitness activity mostly due to too high intensity too often (often all the time) and misuse of barbells.
 
Hey there, I'm a uni student (albeit not a competitive gymnast). Here are some thoughts:

You don't have to stop gymnastics! There will most likely be a club at your uni or in your town that you can join.

You might be ready to stop gymnastics. If it's been your life for so long, you could find that you're tired of it. And that's okay :). Check out some other sports that others have suggested. I know many gymnasts enjoy diving, cheerleading, and field athletics. You can even give a completely different sport a go, or get into dance. The bonus of doing gym recreationally is that you can do gymnastics and these other activities concurrently, if you choose to. There's a lot of flexibility.

If you want to stay involved with gymnastics, but not necessarily train, check out coaching and judging. I do both, and they're very rewarding, in different ways. Coaching is more for people who enjoy the gym atmosphere and the community (and kids); judging is for those who are interested in the technical side of things. Alongside the junior accreditations, I have been teaching myself the FIG Code of Points and shorthand in my spare time. It's a completely different aspect to gymnastics, that many don't get to experience.
 

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