Parents Can someone clear this up for me

[Confused23]

My daughter competed level 7 last season. Struggled but still medaled here and there and did qualify for states. We were perfectly fine with her repeating level 7. Now we are being told that she will most likely move back to level 6 or go into the xcel program. Can anyone help me make sense of this? She is very confused as she has all of her coaches requirements for level 7 and some level 8 skills.

 

[MomIdidit!]

Wow....that does sound confusing. What reasons did the coach give your dd?

 

[cadybearsmommy]

That is very strange....your dd hasn't recently overcome an injury has she?

 

[Confused23]

No real reason. Just says she's not working hard enough. No recent injuries at all. She is so confused and I have no answers for her

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

Wow, that is strange. Our gym has a pretty strict policy to never move a gymnast down a level but at the same time they are very careful about moving girls up. I wonder why they wouldn't just have her repeat level 7?? I would ask to have a meeting with the coach.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Can she even move down after competing states without them petitioning?

 

[flipster]

DD was told that she is 'not ready for the next level', which had been the plan all along as long as she gets bars, and she did. I don't know all details, but not only people not moving up, they will be practicing 2-3 levels down, not sure about competing.

 

[UnoMas]

If she competed states as a 7, she would not be able to go back and compete as a 6 without a petition and a reason to do so.

 

[bookworm]

If she competed states as a 7, she would not be able to go back and compete as a 6 without a petition and a reason to do so.

And if this is what they had planned for my kid, with no real reason or explanation, I'd be done at that gym because they pretty much are saying they are done with your daughter..

 

[flippin out]

And if this is what they had planned for my kid, with no real reason or explanation, I'd be done at that gym because they pretty much are saying they are done with your daughter..

My thoughts exactly. You need a meeting...now!

 

[duyetanh]

The not working hard enough comment actually bothers me even more than their plan. I would definitely want to know more about that, and I would also like to know why you weren't notified sooner.

 

[flipster]

I recall now that several times when I questioned move ups and asked about long term goals, her coach made references to injuries and the fact that most girls quit after level 8. I understand that. I wondered then, is it all they have for her? possibility of reaching higher levels never came up. Now, she has lvl7 (and some 8) skills, doing awesome on one event and struggles on one other due to training gaps (or not working hard??). She is not exited about practicing with compulsory group, reworking drills from lvl 4. Yes, our DDs capped, if not in sport, in given environments.

 

[bogwoppit]

I recall now that several times when I questioned move ups and asked about long term goals, her coach made references to injuries and the fact that most girls quit after level 8. I understand that. I wondered then, is it all they have for her? possibility of reaching higher levels never came up. Now, she has lvl7 (and some 8) skills, doing awesome on one event and struggles on one other due to training gaps (or not working hard??). She is not exited about practicing with compulsory group, reworking drills from lvl 4. Yes, our DDs capped, if not in sport, in given environments.

I would be gone.

 

[flipster]

I would be gone.

no brainer.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Sometimes coaches don't seem to make much sense about stuff like this.

We have recently gone through something similar with my YDD. She had a fairly successful season of L6 last year, doing well at states and medaling at regionals (T&T has regionals for all levels).

She's been slowly and steadily prepping for L7 this year but it was already pretty clear that her coach had no faith in her (because she's not the fearless type) when he told me he wanted her to give up her spot in the L5-7 training group. He wanted her to go back to the L3-5 group because he didn't think she tried hard enough and he wanted to move up kids who "deserved it more". My DD had been saying to him for months that he shouldn't judge her effort solely on his desired results, but in the end she was clearly not the type of gymnast he really wanted for his program. We found her a new gym the day of that conversation. There was no way they could work together after that.

How can you ask a kid to trust someone that doesn't believe in them and doesn't want them around. I think moving a kid down who is actively working hard at moving up and isn't injured is awful. Repeating? Understandable. Bumping down is just mean and pointless. I hope you are looking at another gym pretty seriously.

 

[txgymfan]

That's horrible. I'm glad you found a new place quickly.

 

[Tuppy]

Did her coach tell you or her? Could she have misunderstood? Schedule a time soon so you can sit down and understand and not speculate.

 

[3rd_time_around]

Make sure you get all the information first. But you can't move back a level without petitioning USAG and also have a very good reason. Normally, a gymnast who isn't ready to move up just repeats her level. Why isn't that an option? If all this is true, I would seriously consider a move, because they seem to be finished training her. If they've lost interest in her, she will be miserable, as they will not train her to her ability or uptrain. I'm so sorry, I hope there's a misunderstanding, but if not, I hope there's someplace she can transfer to.

 

[wnl256]

I recall now that several times when I questioned move ups and asked about long term goals, her coach made references to injuries and the fact that most girls quit after level 8. I understand that. I wondered then, is it all they have for her? possibility of reaching higher levels never came up. Now, she has lvl7 (and some 8) skills, doing awesome on one event and struggles on one other due to training gaps (or not working hard??). She is not exited about practicing with compulsory group, reworking drills from lvl 4. Yes, our DDs capped, if not in sport, in given environments.

Level 6 is not a compulsory level. I can't see L6 training with L5, that doesn't make any sense.

Unless there's a skill she needs at L7 that she is dangerously unable to do, then there is no compelling reason to move her back. And if that was the situation, then why did they let her compete at L7 this year. I don't see how this could benefit your child in any way.

 

[munchkin3]

My daughter competed level 7 last season. Struggled but still medaled here and there and did qualify for states. We were perfectly fine with her repeating level 7. Now we are being told that she will most likely move back to level 6 or go into the xcel program. Can anyone help me make sense of this? She is very confused as she has all of her coaches requirements for level 7 and some level 8 skills.

Unless the gym has decided to adopt more stringent requirements for each level, then I would assume your daughter is not the only one. If the gym wide policy is to shift gymnasts down a level to increase the gyms performance, then I would want to find out exactly what their new strategy is and decide if it's for you.
If it is just a handful of gymnasts they are targeting, the I would still question why the heck this happened. To me it's a failure of the gym.....
As a paying customer, it starts out fun....then and commitment increases, so does time effort and money.....the gyms commitment- train all the kids to the best of their ability......when a few children struggle, it highlights the deficiencies in the coaching style......(this is usually when coaches start given the kid a hard time hoping they will leave) there should have been communication all along about what was going on with your DD
'A gymnastics program is as good as its weakest athlete'
Not that your DD falls in this category, but just look how the coach deals with the struggling athlete, and there is your answer.
Either way, you need to find a different program.