Parents Repeat L7 or move up

[nycgymmom]

With our season ends soon approaching a lot of moms are thinking if having their child repeat L7 because their daughters aren't consistent in their skills. What are your opinionsite? What will your factors be for repeating.

 

[raenndrops]

1. Do they have 4 B skills on each event?
2. Can they do something harder than a FHS vault?
3. Do they have a release or pirouette on bars and have all the SR on all events?

If so, move up. If not, train for 8, but wait to move up until the answer to all 3 questions is yes.

 

[kayjaybe]

1. Do they have 4 B skills on each event?
2. Can they do something harder than a FHS vault?
3. Do they have a release or pirouette on bars and have all the SR on all events?

If so, move up. If not, train for 8, but wait to move up until the answer to all 3 questions is yes.

Agree. Moving up is really more about having the skills for the new level rather than how well someone did at the old level. Dd is repeating L8 for the 3rd time even though she placed 5th AA at regionals last year because she just can’t get the L9 floor skills. (And since then, she lost a lot of L8 skills, so it turned out to be a good thing.)

 

[Mish]

Don't the coaches make that decision?

 

[sce]

With our season ends soon approaching a lot of moms are thinking if having their child repeat L7 because their daughters aren't consistent in their skills. What are your opinionsite? What will your factors be for repeating.

Why is it up to the Moms? I would trust the coaches to make the call about what level is best. Start up training, see if they get the skills and go from there.

 

[Mommyo2az]

Why is it up to the Moms? I would trust the coaches to make the call about what level is best. Start up training, see if they get the skills and go from there.

I agree! If were up to me my DD would be repeating level 4 for the 3 rd year so I don’t have to watch scary gymnastics . At our gym that is a coach decision and based on consistent skills for the next level (and/or coaches confidence that skills will be obtained and consistent)

 

[nycgymmom]

Why is it up to the Moms? I would trust the coaches to make the call about what level is best. Start up training, see if they get the skills and go from there.

it isn't really but a lot of the moms are planning to ask for DDs to be held back, and our gym at times accommodates these request.

 

[profmom]

It's silly to be thinking in these terms at this point. Level 7 states is still a month away. Everyone should train hard over the summer and the coaches should make level decisions based on where they are afterward. Trajectories can change significantly over the course of six months. The first L7 or L8 meet of the 2018-19 season probably won't be until at least November, and many gyms don't start competing optionals until December or even January.

 

[Seeker]

I would just let them enjoy the offseason and train skills. Decision can be made after you see what happens with the training. No rush at this point.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

It will be between my girl and the coaches.

I wouldn’t be shocked if she repeats. And since she is finally doing spotted Giants and pirouettes. I wouldn’t be shocked if she moved up.

I got off the crazy stressing the level bus at 5. I’m just happy not have deal with compulsory music

 

[nycgymmom]

It's silly to be thinking in these terms at this point. Level 7 states is still a month away. Everyone should train hard over the summer and the coaches should make level decisions based on where they are afterward. Trajectories can change significantly over the course of six months. The first L7 or L8 meet of the 2018-19 season probably won't be until at least November, and many gyms don't start competing optionals until December or even January.

I am waiting it out til after summer but lots of moms are putting it out there

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

That isn’t something parents are given a choice in at our gym.
The decision on what level a gymnast will compete is not something coaches take lightly, at least not any of the coaches I know. A lot goes into the decision. If a parent is thinking their gymnast is iffy on skills and “behind” then I am sure the coach is either well aware of that and already planning on a second season to solidify things, OR the coach sees indicators in practice that the gymnast will progress fine and be ready for the next level.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Also, in L7-up, it is really common to spend more than one year at each level. I wouldn’t see it as “repeating”, just simply doing a second season as Level X. There are a lot of varieties in skills and “upgrades” that makes a second (or third) season in any upper Optional level a big step up in difficulty even if the level is the same. My DD had a totally different front tumbling pass on floor and flight series on beam her second season of L7.

 

[MeetDirector]

I am waiting it out til after summer but lots of moms are putting it out there

Frankly, those “lots of moms” are fools and need to keep their noses out of what is a decision between coach and athlete. Sorry for being so blunt, but I am tired of parents thinking they have a role in a gymnastics decision between coach and athlete. If they have the skills safely and to the coach’s standards, they move; if they don’t, they don’t move. You have to trust the coach; if you don’t, you are not at a good gym.

Good Luck

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Can we get a “Love” button..? ^^^

 

[duyetanh]

It's silly to be thinking in these terms at this point. Level 7 states is still a month away. Everyone should train hard over the summer and the coaches should make level decisions based on where they are afterward. Trajectories can change significantly over the course of six months. The first L7 or L8 meet of the 2018-19 season probably won't be until at least November, and many gyms don't start competing optionals until December or even January.

Are you a mindreader? I literally wrote almost the same darn thing and then thought, wait a min...go back and READ. Bahaha.
Yes, this....exactly. And if my child thought I was trying to call the shots, honestly she would be quite peeved. It's not my sport. It's hers.

 

[gymnastmom05]

I think a parent is right to have input in certain situations. While a coach should know if a child is safe and predicts they will have all the skills well enough to compete, sometimes there is a little background/home life that might need to be considered. If the next level is an increase in hours, a big change coming at school, a child that is just beaten down due to a "bad" season, etc., I think it's best for a parent and coach to discuss. I'm all about the coach making the decisions but also think there are times that everyone has to work together for the sake of the athlete - and sometimes that's repeating, sometimes it's pushing ahead - the best interest of the athlete needs to be considered and neither the coach nor the parents have all the pieces of the puzzle unless they work together. So, my opinion, parents stay out it UNLESS they have a concern and then I think everyone should meet because we all know each child is different. Communication and open minds are key on all sides.

 

[profmom]

It doesn't sound like that's what is going on here. This sounds like a lot of parents talking among themselves and creating an unhealthy groupthink.

Even if there are individual circumstances in play, very few individual circumstances would militate against getting through this season, which still has a month to go, training in late spring and summer, and then sometime in the fall making decisions about levels based on how the athletes are looking then. That would be the point at which any necessary individual conversations could take place. A kid who had a rough season could have a great summer. A kid who had a great season could develop vestibular problems. There's no telling how injuries might come into play. There are just so many unknowns at this point that even having conversations, much less making decisions, is really dumb.

 

[gymnastmom05]

It doesn't sound like that's what is going on here. This sounds like a lot of parents talking among themselves and creating an unhealthy groupthink.

Even if there are individual circumstances in play, very few individual circumstances would militate against getting through this season, which still has a month to go, training in late spring and summer, and then sometime in the fall making decisions about levels based on how the athletes are looking then. That would be the point at which any necessary individual conversations could take place. A kid who had a rough season could have a great summer. A kid who had a great season could develop vestibular problems. There's no telling how injuries might come into play. There are just so many unknowns at this point that even having conversations, much less making decisions, is really dumb.

I agree, it wouldn't be "a lot" (per the OP), but I just found a number of replies were making the blanket statement that parents should stay out of it and it's between the coach and athlete. For the most part, I agree with this but do feel that any parent that has a concern shouldn't feel that they can't/shouldn't talk to the coach. I like the relationship when it's a coach/child/parent triangle - I personally think it's beneficial for all. Not that a parent should be able to walk into a meeting and demand what level they want their child but open communication and explaining things (on all sides) is good for all involved. I just don't like it if someone is wondering what to do in this situation and they read these comments and think they would be nuts if they spoke to the coach.
I'm going to guess the OP is in NY based on the username so maybe their states is a month away but I know ours is in less than two weeks. I think our HC has ideas for where he expects most athletes to compete but final decisions won't be made until later in the summer (we will be registering for meets by the end of August/very beginning of September) and kids will scratch if necessary but no one moves up after registration.

 

[nycgymmom]

It doesn't sound like that's what is going on here. This sounds like a lot of parents talking among themselves and creating an unhealthy groupthink.

Even if there are individual circumstances in play, very few individual circumstances would militate against getting through this season, which still has a month to go, training in late spring and summer, and then sometime in the fall making decisions about levels based on how the athletes are looking then. That would be the point at which any necessary individual conversations could take place. A kid who had a rough season could have a great summer. A kid who had a great season could develop vestibular problems. There's no telling how injuries might come into play. There are just so many unknowns at this point that even having conversations, much less making decisions, is really dumb.

I honestly leave the moving up to the coach and my daughter. Think since we moved up from l4 to l7 the moms feel as if we were rushed and there kids aren't ready even now.
I am the odd man out in the group so I just keep my mouth shut lol. They feel their daughters are young enough it doesn't matter to repeat