Parents Should this JO Level 2 girl be done with gymnastics?

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

confused

Proud Parent
Coaches appear to think my daughter should be done with competitive gymnastics. I am struggling a bit to accept this as she works super hard, has been making significant progress and got a >36 AA score at Sectionals (9th of 18 in her age group).

She is 9 years old and just finished her first competitive JO season. She has been training 8 hours a week (4 hours x 2 days a week) for the last 10 months and was doing 4 hours a week on pre-team for the year prior. Throughout the season she has struggled with consistency on vault and scratched in one early meet. Her handstand to vertical is still inconsistent and her roundoff isn't great.

These were her meet scores from the season.
upload_2018-4-24_22-44-19.png

The message from her coaches at the end of season meeting was that she is a super hard worker but just isn't progressing fast enough. They aren't confident she'll get the key Level 3 skills she needs by next competitive season (ROBHS and handstand on beam) and say they want to make sure she doesn't get frustrated by continuing to struggle vs teammates who may pick up new skills faster. Their proposal is that she join an in-house competitive team that trains only 2 hours a week. They say that Xcel also requires skills that they think she'll struggle with as well so they don't recommend that either. She wanted the option to advance to Level 3 and isn't interested in the in-house team. Girls moving up to Level 3 will move up to 12 hours a week this summer. I am struggling to understand how the coaches already know that she won't be able to succeed 8 months in advance of next year's season.

Any advice in this situation? Does this advice from her coaches seem reasonable? Should she just call it a day and go play some other sports?
 
I don’t know much about the US and JO levels etc as from GB. So I just have a general gym question is the gym you are at a very competitive gym? Some gym only want girls who are the very best and pick skills up quickly. If that is the case is there a possibility of having her try out at another gym?
 
What is your dd like during training. Is she working hard with her strength and flexibility programs? Is there other girls her age in level 2? What areas is she exceeding in and what areas does she need work in. 9 is on the “older” side for level 2. If there is not many gymnasts her age in that level at the gym the coaches may only be bringing younger children through to level 3. Does ur dd have the strength required to achieve the skills or is she “chucking” skills at the moment. Things like tight shoulders and weak upper body become a big set back when heading into level 3 and 4. Are you aware of any of these and is ur dd willing to work extra hard to go forward. As an older gymnast they don’t have the natural talent of flexibility as a younger gymnast would have and need to work extra hard to improve on their flex. Is excell such a bad option for your dd. It is hard to advise without much more information as obviously the coaches have seen something from ur dd which would make the coaches bring this up to you.

Experienced coaches would be able to see an outcome 8 months in advanced through ur dds work ethics or body type or weaknesses which they may see need more time to progress at a slower pace. They wouldn’t be saying anything if there wasn’t something making them think this. I would look into asking for a more in-depth reasoning behind their comments and even get in the gym to watch ur dd while she trains.
 
It sounds like your gym is very strict. If they are saying she wouldn't even be good enough (skill wise) for Xcel, they are crazy. In Xcel Bronze, they don't need that much, skill wise.
Seems to me that she does well on L2 Bars (several 9s). In Xcel Bronze, she could do pullover, cast, back hip circle, and dismount.
On beam, a lever OR a 3/4 handstand counts as acro.
On floor, she would have time to work the roundoff... but wouldnt have to compete it if it wasnt ready ... and could do handstand-forward roll stepout to cartwheel and a backward roll.
Vault is basically the handstand flatback.
She would have plenty of time to work the level 3 skills and put some of them into Bronze routines. Maybe she could transition BACK into JO Level 3 after a year in Xcel.

Honestly, I don't like the sound of your gym and I would look elsewhere if possible - but NOT have her quit!
 
It is clear that the gym you are at is not the right gym for your daughter. Find another gym for her. As said above, she should have no problem fitting into an Xcel team that has a more inclusive philosophy.

That said, the above is only true if your daughter truly puts in the hard work and effort. Competitive teams (including Xcel) require hard work and effort. No matter how hard she says she 'wants' to be on team, she has to be showing that.
 
Echoing the "time for a new gym".

Short Stack was 9 at the end of her L2 season as well. But they were only practicing 5 hours a week (2.5 × 2). Our L3 girls practice 9 hours, and our L4 girls practice 12 hours.

How strict/competitive are they?

Basically, it sound like they think she is too old (not true), or some other lame reason. There is absolutely no reason she couldn't compete Excel.

The other thing that strikes me as odd, is that they haven't said anything about possibly repeating L2.

Look for someplace more inclusive if you can.
 
I agree time to look elsewhere. Being an observant parent I have noticed that there seems to be a level of weekly practice that seems to accelerate skill acquisition. I personally think when the kids start 12 hours a week or more the skills begin to be acquired at an accelerated pace. That pace is different for each gymnast, I am just saying kids that progress well with 4 to 6 hours a week really seem to progress when they start training 12 hours a week.
 
I am struggling to understand how the coaches already know that she won't be able to succeed 8 months in advance of next year's season.

Any advice in this situation? Does this advice from her coaches seem reasonable? Should she just call it a day and go play some other sports?

I think it's pretty clear that the coaches believe that she won't be successful the THEIR program. I wouldn't give these people another dime of my money. Find another gym.
 
Coaches appear to think my daughter should be done with competitive gymnastics. I am struggling a bit to accept this as she works super hard, has been making significant progress and got a >36 AA score at Sectionals (9th of 18 in her age group).

She is 9 years old and just finished her first competitive JO season. She has been training 8 hours a week (4 hours x 2 days a week) for the last 10 months and was doing 4 hours a week on pre-team for the year prior. Throughout the season she has struggled with consistency on vault and scratched in one early meet. Her handstand to vertical is still inconsistent and her roundoff isn't great.

These were her meet scores from the season.
View attachment 7209
The message from her coaches at the end of season meeting was that she is a super hard worker but just isn't progressing fast enough. They aren't confident she'll get the key Level 3 skills she needs by next competitive season (ROBHS and handstand on beam) and say they want to make sure she doesn't get frustrated by continuing to struggle vs teammates who may pick up new skills faster. Their proposal is that she join an in-house competitive team that trains only 2 hours a week. They say that Xcel also requires skills that they think she'll struggle with as well so they don't recommend that either. She wanted the option to advance to Level 3 and isn't interested in the in-house team. Girls moving up to Level 3 will move up to 12 hours a week this summer. I am struggling to understand how the coaches already know that she won't be able to succeed 8 months in advance of next year's season.

Any advice in this situation? Does this advice from her coaches seem reasonable? Should she just call it a day and go play some other sports?
My daughter cannot even do a BHS, and is plagued with beam fear issues. She has yet to make a vertical Level 2 dismount. But she is moving up. I have never heard of a coach giving up so early on a gymnast. Her scores are decent enough. As long as she loves it and you don't mind paying, she should keep going.
 
I think you answer the question by asking your daughter if she is done with competitive gymnastics. If the answer is no, then it’s ridiculous to write it off at 8 years old. She looks like a super hard worker who will improve over time with coaches who believe in her. It’s possible she won’t be ready for level 3 by next season, but again, hard work counts for a lot and it’s crazy they are saying she wouldn’t even be able to do Xcel. I would look around for another gym. If there aren’t any options close to you then I would push for her to be given the chance to train with the level 3’s until next season with the understanding that she would move back to level 2 if she wasn’t ready or for her to be moved to the Xcel team.
 
Nothing in your post strikes me as a good reason to quit gymnastics. If she still likes it, then I think you should let her keep at it. It sounds like the gym has written her off (which is just ridiculous for someone so young) so it'll probably be better for everyone if you find somewhere else for her to train that will encourage and nurture her instead of setting up barriers. There really are amazing, inclusive gyms out there willing to take any kid who will work hard. My DD's gym had a twelve year old preteamer this year. She's a great kid and a role model for the little ones, and she's going into level four next year. No, she isn't on the elite or college track, but there's so much else to be gained from gymnastics. When the gym environment is healthy, it teaches responsibility, determination, a healthy lifestyle, confidence, and a whole lot else. Don't let this one gym's culture take away something your daughter enjoys.
 
Wow, that was more replies than I was expecting. Thanks for all the input. I'll try to answer some of the questions that were asked.

is the gym you are at a very competitive gym?
While we are in a less competitive region, I'd say our gym is definitely one of the top couple gyms, is usually one of the largest teams and usually wins the team awards.

What is your dd like during training. Is she working hard with her strength and flexibility programs? Is there other girls her age in level 2? What areas is she exceeding in and what areas does she need work in?
She works hard and coaches have previously said her flexibility is not a blocker when I had asked if she needed to work on anything extra at home. I do believe she was one of the last on the team to get her backbend but that seemed like more of a confidence issue than flexibility. As the tallest girl on the team, some of the strength elements are definitely harder for her but she is quite strong and is not the weakest on the team, can climb the rope a ways with legs piked. I liked your point that their must be something specific they are seeing that is making them say this. I can ask them for more details.

The other thing that strikes me as odd, is that they haven't said anything about possibly repeating L2.
I asked about repeating L2 and they said that is something they don't do.

There seems to be a very clear consensus that finding a new gym may be a good next step. I'll look around and see what I can find. I found one gym just a 10 min drive in the other direction that has both an Xcel team and a JO team that competes levels 3-10.

When switching gyms do you share any of the history or do you just say nothing and let the gymnastics speak for itself?
 
My older Level 2s move on to Xcel Silver, then Gold (sometimes they repeat either or both) and then either Platinum or Level 6.

I would think Xcel Silver would be a good fit for her next year.

For vault, where it seems she struggles, she can do a straight jump off the tramp board into a handstand flat back onto a whale mat.

Bars, she could do glide, pullover, cast, back hip circle, underswing dismoung.

Beam, she needs a handstand, half turn, and split jump.

Floor, she can roundoff, backwards roll and then just a round off rebound.


If she did Silver for two years, the second year she could add the bhs, etc.
 
Not to freak you out, but I have a feeling I know the area you are in, and if I'm right you have lots of gym options. Lots of GOOD options. PM me if you have questions. What I see from the scores you posted above is a consistently improving gymnast. There is no reason she should not be working towards L3 next year. Particularly given that she seems to be strongest on bars. I would absolutely look elsewhere. Not every situation warrants a gym switch, but in your dd's case I believe it's clear that the gym's philosophy does not have room for her. It's time to find someplace that will be happy to have her.
 
We switched gyms after being told (by first gym) that my DD was not JO-material, and would never make it past Level 7... She was finishing up pre-team at the time, age 6. (For what it's worth, she is currently 9 years old and all signs point to Level 7 next season, with no obvious indication that is the end of the road; so coach predictions do not always come true.) We stuck around for one year of Xcel Bronze (age 7), and then changed gyms. So glad we did. It is nice to be at a gym where the coaches support the progress of my child, rather than write her off. I would encourage you to explore your options. Quietly.

When switching gyms do you share any of the history or do you just say nothing and let the gymnastics speak for itself?

When I called to inquire about a team tryout at our current gym, I honestly answered questions about my DD's current placement/level (Xcel Bronze) and skills. I definitely did not offer up any information about the first gym's low opinion of her long-term future in JO. In your case, I wouldn't get into the history for a variety of reasons. You don't want to bias the try-out, and you also don't want to be perceived as "talking bad" about any gym. If asked why we were looking elsewhere, I just said something generic about looking for a better fit.

Good luck and keep us posted! Exciting times....
 
Her scores are pretty decent she seems to have progressed a lot throughout her meets. Are ur competitions age based I.e jnr intermediate and advanced in each level when they compete? If So is ur daughter the only intermediate or advanced gymnast in that level and the rest are jnrs? If this is the case the coaches and gyms structure may be to move older gymnasts to excel so they only have jnr teams coming through. Which Is deffinatly wrong but some gyms do do this. I wouldn’t quit at her age as even though for these levels she is on the older side. If she works hard which it looks like she is doing and enjoys the sport then there is no reason for her to quit. Like I said I would deffinatly go into the gym and watch your dd train. But also while ur in there have a look at her team and some of the other level teams in the gym and see if any of them are older or if the gym has pushed them all into excel. In that case if ur dd is not wanting that option yet I’d look at another gym that has gymnasts her age and can cater to more than one teams age in a level.
 

New Posts

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

Back