Parents Tell me it's going to be ok.....

[WingingIt]

DD has been put into the level 3 training group (yay) from level 1 last year. Level 3's at our gym practice 11.5 hours a week. Apparently they are full on the days level 3s practice and are looking to hire a new coach so they can move the new level 3's up. In the meantime, they are practicing 6 hours a week, albeit with level 3 skills. I'm worried this is going to take forever (as everything seems to at this gym) and my DD is either going to be held back to 2 or silver or compete at a disadvantage because of less hours. They have given themselves a timeline of moving by September (hopefully sooner). Season starts in January. I feel like we're just stuck and if they don't come through, we're going to be set back by at least a year.

 

[jillc]

If it helps, it sounds like your DD is 5 months out from competition. At my DDs gym, the new level 3s don’t even move up until 4 months before competition. Prior to that they are in pre-team and only practicing 4-5 hours a week.

It also seems like fewer hours with a right sized group would be better than more hours with a group larger than they gym thinks a coach can effectively handle.

I hope they find a good coach for your DD in a reasonable time frame! If not, I still think it will probably be ok in the long run.

 

[gymdog]

6 hours a week is acceptable for level 3 assuming they are ready for it. Probably doesn't leave time for a whole lot of extra but for the basic level 3 skills needed to compete 3, it's enough. I would make sure to arrive on time and attend as much as possible, of course. And I agree with the above poster about just adding more hours but in a very large group not really making a difference. It would just be more hours of waiting in line. At some group size you can't just infinitely be creating stations or the rotation times won't work out.

 

[triplethreat+1]

My dd was a level 3 last season, practising 8 hours a week. She has average talent and still managed to do pretty decent in competition, making it to provincials. There were 2 other girls in her age/ level that were in the 12 hour group, and she didn't seem to be at a disadvantage to them.
If she is willing, do conditioning and stretching at home with her. And handstands, lots of handstands! That will help make up for the lower hours.

 

[raenndrops]

Our team only practices 7.5 hours a week. We take all of July off and don't start back until August 6. We have girls moving up to Level 3 starting next week. The first meet is usually the beginning of November. Others moved up in May or June... That means no more than 5 months at 7.5 hours... and before that, they were only going 4 hours.
At Y Nationals this year, 2 of our Level 3s placed against girls who practice up to 12 hours a week... (including some from teams that compete a "fall season" and then train for Level 4 starting in January while still running level 3 routines occasionally).

IT IS GOING TO BE OKAY.

 

[WingingIt]

Thank you everyone! I feel better now.

 

[Peachy88]

My daughter does 6 hours a week and is ready to put up 8s at meets (not fab but pretty solid) All level 3s only do 6 hours at her gym, but she does do a lot of home practice of handstands, presshandstands, and stretching. She’s 6 for reference.