Parents We survived L4 States

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Blackie6

Proud Parent
We weren't sure what we were doing up until this weekend. DD went to practice on Weds night and did some stuff on the the tumble trak and some conditioning. On Thursday night a judge was there to score their routines and give them advice on how to better their scores. Poor DD couldn't vault, tried doing bars but her brace kept getting in the way for the shoot thru so she never finished it or even landed it. Did some floor but ran thru where she was to do the ROBHS and again really wasn't able to benefit from the feedback except watch the other girls. Her foot becasme sore and she had to sit with it in the ice bucket which she HATED! Beam was horrible, she wobbled thru all of it and said she was scared she would re-injure herself. I tried to talk her out of the meet Thursday and Friday, since I was afraid she would be more upset with herself & what she was capable of doing with the broken foot. She insisted the foot was only sore after her practice on the floor and she wanted to go. We were supposed to get a lot of snow and were a little worried about the haul up north, but thankfully it wasn't too bad and only took us a little over an hour to get there. The game plan was to go until the coach saw any hint of pain on her face (she wouldn't have complained out loud) and then she was done. We prayed vault wasn't first. So here's how it went.

Coach was late! We had snow and ice the night before and I guess she hadn't planned on digging her car out. Our girls warmed themselves up and when she got there and told them "handstand forward rolls" they argued "but coach we did that already" and she said "well do it again" (LOL). Dd seemed OK and the first rotation was floor. Our highest score this season was 9.1 and we were not expecting anything big after not really practicing too much in 3 weeks. She was AMAZING! I thought she wasn't paying attention to coaches and judge on Thursday, but she kept legs tight and had the best leaps and handstand roll of the whole season. She got a 9.1! I was crying, that was totally unexpected. Up next was.....wait....were they really walking over to vault? Oh, no! All the girls practiced. DD took one practice run and that was it. The plan was to go cold turkey w/no practice as they didn't want her to do anything extra that could re-injure it. Her vault was good from where I was seated but not super good on the score. She really hesitated on the run and it killed her. probably the lowest score in 2 years, 8.8. Bars was next and we took her brace off so it wouldn't cause her to hit the bars like last week on the shoot thru. She warmed up a little with no landings. It was not her best, a little clumsey, but an 8.650 with a painful landing. Ironically we thought vault would hurt more, but it was the landing off bars that caused her some pain. She wasn't showing any pain she off to beam they went. I just have to say that I am still in awe of her beam. It was beautiful and the best routine I have ever seen from my beam challenged daughter. It was a 10 in my eyes! I still can not believe how well she did. She had a couple wobbles and played it safe on the one footed leap and then the 2 jumps, but she help her handstand beautifully (and LONG) and then did a perfect (long handsatnd hold here too) dismount! I was thinking a score of at least 9, but sadly the competetion (will talk about this laster) was killer and scores would out of this universe for other teams who scored 9.8' and even higher in this session. I guess next to all that, DD's beam wasn't really all that and only got a 8.625. When DH gets the video up you can watch and decide, LOL

So, awards....well, in dd session there were 7/8 open. Open means you are a L4 re-peater. In this session there were several girls that were are 7 yr old TOPS team gymnasts listed on USAG site, girls we saw last year who scored 35's at states, and some girsl on their THIRD year of L4! There weer 7 records broken including some broken by the saem girls who broke the record LAST YEAR. My argument on this (for another post) is WHY is your DD is scoring 35, 36's and higher at states do you need to repeat? The scores were so high that the places ened at like a 9.3 meaning all the places were about 9.3 on up to the record breakers of 9.9 and 9.875. So, you can see that coming home w/a medal was probably not happening for us. Our team is not a bad team, we had some 9's but nothing over a 9.3 in our 7's or 8's. Some of these gyms were just so much better... my husband was upset that his DD's team was getting their @ss handed to them. OK, so Mariposa mom (if you are reading) he is like your DH now, LOL! But again, I like that our coach is sweet w/the girls and our gym is not overly competative. My DD loves the gym and thinks it fun and has a good time. We don't worry about scores like this. If she got a 31 she would still be going to L5. We sat by some parents from a gym that were complaining of their DD's scores, poor judging, even parents fighting with each other about their DD's scores..which were like 9.5's and higher. They even made negative comments about our scores because we only posted 8 somethings and a couple nines. I had to walk away, I was embarassed for them that they acted like this and it was only L4! Anyway, awards! They did seperate the 7's for 8's which was good. DD got a medal for floor! 7th place!!!! WOOHOO! She was very lucky as other 7's from her team and even the 8's hardly got anything. We thought all the girls did great and super proud of them all, but up against these other marathon L4 girls our 35's looked pretty pathetic. But, the fact that my DD got thru this and with the fractured foot, she is my hero. i cried the whole day and think anything she does is amazing but her heart and courage make me so proud. More than the score, she was a true champion!

Scores:
Floor 9.1 (7th)
Bars 8.650
Vault 8.8
Beam 8.625

AA 35.175 (12th I think)

Could not even get pictures on the podium since all the other parents were hogging the front area and we couldn't get anywhere near the front.

And now we take a mommy mandatory break for a week to rest that foot!
 
Blackie, that is great! Congrats x100 for your DD, especially with a broken foot! Imagine what she can do with 2 healthy feet:)

Again, congrats little gymmie:D
 
You should be very proud of your DD and I think your coaches are awesome too, they sound very patient and supportive!
 
I think you are in the right gym! Those other parents will never realise what a trooper your dd is. She is a champion for just competing!
 
You should be very proud of your DD and I think your coaches are awesome too, they sound very patient and supportive!

I agree with arcade:)! As for the vault score being her lowest at 8.8, I think that is still a great score! These girls never cease to amaze me, their perserverance and love for this sport!

It is hard for the girls when they get great high scores in the 9's and don't even medal for it, because there are all these 3rd year repeats scoring unbelievable numbers. They just need to know that no matter what anyone else scored, they were awesome:)! At sectionals one year my dd got 9.35 on vault (which was pretty amazing for her), and didn't even place on it! Tenth place was at 9.45:eek:!

Well, now that States are over, you can both rest;)!
 
Blackie, your dd is the champion whether she has a big gold medal around her neck or not. She was there because she wanted to be there to do her gymnastics and not to get 9.8s or break her own record. She also did it with an injury and minimal practice.

My hat is off to her. You have a real winner at home(and parents who have helped her grow that way!)

FYI--Everytime I read about your dd I still picture her giggling her way through her 1st bar routine. It always makes me smile:)
 
FYI--Everytime I read about your dd I still picture her giggling her way through her 1st bar routine. It always makes me smile:)

LOL, I was looking for *that* bar judge yesterday, but there was another meet going on this weekend that she was at. I can still see that "look" she gave my DD at that first meet. Months later I was talking to her coach and her mom is a judge and KNOWS that judge and said she is the NICEST judge!! I'll have to take her word for it because she didn't look so nice that day. I'm sure our paths will cross again, maybe without the giggles.

My DD is still not serious, even this year, and I love that she is still goofy (yet hardworking) but seems to know how to turn it on for the meets and be serious. I think it's a nice balance.
 
I have that 1st meet video on youtube still, bad video by me because my hands were shaking, but still fun to watch. I'll have to go re-watch myself, LOL
 
Arcade,

My DD loves her, and my DH doesn't think she is tough enough with the girls, but I don't care & would rather see my DD have fun in the gym for all those hours than to worry about a stricter/tougher coach and stess over scores.
 
I think you are in the right gym! Those other parents will never realise what a trooper your dd is. She is a champion for just competing!

LOL, well when I went to the snack stand I almost confessed to one of the host gym's parents....I was asking about a glass of wine for my nerves which were SHOT. I ended up w/a diet coke, which wasn't the same.
 
I agree with arcade:)! As for the vault score being her lowest at 8.8, I think that is still a great score! These girls never cease to amaze me, their perserverance and love for this sport!

It is hard for the girls when they get great high scores in the 9's and don't even medal for it, because there are all these 3rd year repeats scoring unbelievable numbers. They just need to know that no matter what anyone else scored, they were awesome:)! At sectionals one year my dd got 9.35 on vault (which was pretty amazing for her), and didn't even place on it! Tenth place was at 9.45:eek:!

Well, now that States are over, you can both rest;)!

Yeah, you know I think any girl who breaks a 9 is special. Our 8's were up against some slam'in high scores. Until this weekend I have never seen an 9.9 or even a 9.875 before. The places went out to about 10 or 12 spots for that group and the last one to medal in some of these individual events was like a 9.4 and higher.

As a momy you can only tell them how proud you are and how far they've come for some of these scores. DD just watched her first meet from last year and LOL thru the whole thing. She's come so far. Sometimes they don't even believe how much they've improved...good thing for youtube!
 
That is an AMAZING performance on a broken foot...I am way impressed with your dd and her coaches on how they dealt with this!
Congrats on surviving states!:)
 
Your post made me cry. Your daughter is amazing. Her love for gymnastics shines bright and it is obvious she is a true gymnast. She fought for what she wanted and went out there, injured and after not practicing much and did the best she could do. That is worth more than anything. Tell her that I think she is amazing!

Your comment to me made me laugh. I really am just praying that Abby's AA score goes up even just 2 points for her first meet. I am nervous for her even though she isn't nervous. She is just happy to be out there. I know she has improved, I just hope she can show it out there and that the judges agree. If only they could see her first meet and then watch her. LOL. Her dad watched her at practice and was upset she wasn't focusing like she should, etc. Yikes.
 
What a little trooper your dd is, competing with her injury! You all should be so proud!

I agree about repeaters. DD#1 had a girl at her meet this weekend (we were at the "other" meet, lol) who last yr scored 37+ at Level 8 States. Really?? She needs to do L8 again????
 
What a great meet. Your DD should be very proud. I agree, what the heck are they repeating for? Anyhow, she did great and should be very proud.
 
Wow ! You certainly deserve to be proud after all she has been through recently! You are right- she does have the heart of a champion! Congrats on the medal and I hope she obeys the mommy moratorium for the week!
 
Blackie, just read your meet report (nice detail might I add ;)).

I am so proud of your dd, she is such a fighter and a very determined little gymmie! Regardless of scores, which were great by the way, she is amazing!

Our little gals were at States too! No one really did fabulous, but that's ok. Level 4 is the first step and the little ones can't wait to do 5 now, some will stay at 4 too. Our gym's focus is learning the basics well, but get them to optional where our gym truly shines.

GL to dd at 5, is she going to compete this Spring?
 
I'm glad she received a medal for her determination and commitment! Sometimes I think all 9's deserve a medal!

I hope she heals well. Good luck!
 
Blackie ~

Congrats to your dd. What a great meet she had. At Level 4 there shouldn't be so much emphasis placed on scores. As long as they're out there, having fun and doing their best, that's all that matters. Sure, all the girls would love to get a medal or a trophy but they will have to come to the realization that it's not that way outside of Level 4. In all honesty, those girls that are repeaters, being pushed to get as high a score as possible, are probably the girls that will drop out of the sport in a few years. Your dd obviously is in it because she loves it and wants to do it, not because someone is making her do it. I think she'll go a long way with that attitude and dedication.

Again, Congrats and I hope her foot heals in time to start up again!
 
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