Parents Did we make a mistake?

[OrangeArt]

My daughter (9yo) was sort of rushed into doing level 4, it was offered to her halfway through the summer, after working on l3 stuff for the first half. Needless to say, she is somewhat behind, primarily on not having a kip, but also some other skills aren't exactly clean.

She was given a choice, and in the end I let her decide, while making it clear to her that she might struggle during the season, and not to take if too much to heart, since she wasn't as "prepared" as some of the other girls.

Her coach's rationale (and ultimately mine, which is why I left it in her hands) was that she was too advanced in *some* areas, and too strong to spend the season perfecting l3 routines. There isn't much uptraining during the season at our gym. I figured it would be better to do 2 years of l4 if need be, rather than waste time on some of the l3 stuff.

I guess I am saying all this to say, with our first meet a few weeks away, I am getting nervous! And questioning if we made the right choice (her choosing to do l4, my choosing to let her decide, coach choosing to offer it, etc.)

I don't think dd is too nervous yet, but my heart breaks at the idea of how she might react to scoring poorly. I know she understands intellectually the reasons why, but who's to say emotionally how she will feel placing at the bottom, or having to scratch bars, while her teammates do just fine.

Thoughts?

 

[Sasha]

Well, we were in a similar "on the cusp of L4" situation this summer, and I was actually hoping for her to skip L3 and do L4 for the same reasons as you. Our gym was ultimately more stringent, and kept my DD in L3 (which she is currently competing) despite having a kip already, etc. She is now scoring at the top of the podium in L3, which is great for her confidence, and I'm beyond proud of her of course, but I'm still not positive that spending months of mill circles was really best for her. She wouldn't have been anywhere near top of the podium in L4 (well, maybe on bars where she rocks!), but I think she could have achieved a solid mid-pack, and have much more solid L4 skills by now instead of barely practicing them since focusing on L3. Just my opinion.

So personally, I prefer your gym's approach, as long as there are realistic goals, and the child is prepared that scores likely won't be awesome at first. But if the gyms' message to her is that it's OK for the score to be whatever it is as long as she is trying hard, and not to worry, and that if she continues to work hard, her routines will improve and start to score better, then I think this is the best way to go. Having been to comps now, there is a WIDE range of mastery of the L4 routines across gyms and gymnasts. She may very well end up repeating L4, but repeating L4, imo, is a better strategy than spending a year of L3 then being new to L4. I might change my opinion if it really is specific L4 skills holding her back and she would have to scratch multiple events or score in the bottom 5% all season. Then maybe L3 is the better place.

Hope she does her best and is proud of herself this season!

 

[MeetDirector]

N's Mom -

No, you did not make a mistake; stop second-guessing yourself and the coaches. You must trust that the coaches know what your daughter can and can't do; they aren't going to put her in a situation where she will fail. And by all means, don't let her see your doubt.

Her goal should be to learn the basics, learn to compete, score high enough to advance, and get to optionals. The level 3 skills really go nowhere, for the most part, where the level 4 skills are foundational and set-up for the future.

Good Luck.

 

[Ali'sMom]

She may very well end up repeating L4, but repeating L4, imo, is a better strategy than spending a year of L3 then being new to L4. I might change my opinion if it really is specific L4 skills holding her back and she would have to scratch multiple events or score in the bottom 5% all season. Then maybe L3 is the better place.

Hope she does her best and is proud of herself this season!

I agree with Sasha.

Having a new L4 girl myself, who was the last one on her team to "get" her kip (and I say that loosely), I don't believe you made a mistake. If the coaches feel she's too advanced for L3, it's a good chance that she is. Might she not place top 3? maybe not. But is she better off working L4 than perfecting L3? I believe so.

I hope she does great!

 

[OrangeArt]

Thanks for the reassurances. I'm definitely not showing my nerves to her (at least I don't think I am!). She should be good for floor and beam, and tumbling skills have been her easiest thing to acquire. She has yet to make a kip, let alone a long hang, although she tells me she's close. I just wish she could have had the chance to work on it all summer!

All the posts about the kip being the hard line between 3/4 definitely have played a role in my doubts. I do feel this was the right choice, I'm just going to have to try to swallow my nerves...

 

[aerials]

2 years of level 4 is better than doing level 3 this year. Who knows maybe she'll get her kip next week.

 

[twinklytoes9468]

I think you did the right thing.She would have got bored doing L3.

 

[lovemygymnast]

I agree! You did the right thing! Who knows? Halfway thru meet season it may all just be so great, she might not even have to repeat.

 

[2G1B]

My dad got her HB kip I think about 2-3 weeks before her first competition, her low bar a week before and "found" her lost squat in 2 days before. There us definitely still a chance that she will get it and I agree, it is better to repeat 4 than do 3 this year.

 

[kandkfunk]

Trust your instincts and the coach. You know your kid the best and how she will react to the situation. My DD almost always competed a little above where her skill level was (especially on bars). When they finally do master the skills and make it to the podium, it makes the victories that much sweeter.

 

[MaryA]

My DD was the last to get her kip and scratched bars at her first (old) level 5 meet. And her vault was... well... terrifying. She ended up being the highest scoring kid on the team by the time States rolled around. Things will likely fall into place for your DD over the course of the season. And if she ends up repeating 4 next year, it's not the end of the world.

 

[OrangeArt]

Thanks MaryA, that actually makes me feel a little better

 

[Ginger]

We're in the same boat. My daughter has all her L4 skills (well, except of the high bar kip - but she is quite consistent in the low bar one), but most of them not pretty. She competed L3 last year, but her main challenge is the body awareness/form, and because of it, she wouldn't score well at L3 either. I am glad they let her to do L4, mainly because there is not much uptraining during the season, plus she would be bored, plus - as stated above - she wouldn't be at the top of the podium at L3 anyway, so no good for her self-confidence either.
So, I agree with all who said it is better to have not-so-great L4 season and repeat next year if needed than spend one year at L3.
But I must admit - I am nervous about the approaching comp season as well.

 

[meganliz77]

Similar situation here, but coach made a different decision for my DD... She got her low bar kip a couple months ago and got her high bar kip a month or so ago. She has all of her level 4 skills right before meet season.

My DD just turned 7 and competed Level 3 last year after being in gymnastics for only 7 months. She did reasonably well... Placing in almost all events at every meet in the top three or four.

Coach decided DD would repeat level 3 this year and move to level 4 following States during mid season. I know some will argue that it's a waste and kiddos get bored (definitely wouldn't totally disagree with this) but I have to say, watching my DD prepare for her first meet this weekend and WOW! Her form is beautiful... Every angle, every finger point, every shape...smooth and connected...just beautiful!

So I figure she will rock it the first 1/2 of the season with high scores but second 1/2, well she might have to work for it more.

She's a little frustrated knowing she has all of the skills for the next level but she seems to understand why coach has decided her season like this.

But like you, we will see how she deals with being top of the pack to possibly mid pack a few meets down the road!

I also had my DD write down 3 goals - NOT score related.- she wrote down:

1) ROBHS with straight legs
2) vertical handstand on beam
3) perfect stride circle

Good luck to your DD! Hope the meet season treats you both well!!
1) ROBHAS WITH

 

[meganliz77]

Sorry about the typo above--- stupid phone...

 

[2littlegymmiesmom]

We are in a very similar situation. My DD (7) made an early jump to team into a level 4/5 training group. She was cruising along fine and then hit a mental block on a skill that then caused her to have overall confidence issues. She has all the skills for 4 and a lot of 5 but she freezes on doing them sometimes. To help her gain her confidence back coaches have decided to start the year at Level 3. Initially DD was crushed because she felt that she had all the level 4 skills and didn't want to complete down a level. She now understands it's to help her with her confidence (and says as long as she can complete her kip and cast above horizontal on bars she's happy..lol). She's never competed before and really doesn't like being in the spotlight. So while I do feel that she's better served doing. 4 skill wise I definitely feel that mentally and emotionally starting with 3 will be a good idea. Coaches are figuring she will score high because she is easily capable of doing the skills and that this will boost her confidence and help her get it back so she can do well second half at. 4. Her mind and emotional level need to catch up with her skill level. Sounds like for you though your daughter will do fine in 4 as long as she has the skills. It sounds like since she had a say in the decision she's mentally ready and I am sure she will do just fine! Her coaches seem to have confidence in her competing 4 as well, trust them, her and yourself. You know your daughter better than anyone and if you feel she will be fine in 4 then she's in the right place.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

If you have all your skills, can safely and successfully perform them then you should move to level 4. But moving up to 4 without a kip a mistake. Sorry. Dangerous for the child the coach and achieves nothing, unless saying "you did it" some how replaces the fact that you didn't .

 

[OrangeArt]

coachp, what makes it dangerous?

 

[munchkin3]

Even very prepared L4 girls can have a very bad meet and score terrible because of a fall etc....it's part of the sport so I would not get nervous on that part. I am sure she is ready enough, and I'm sure the coach knows what he/she is doing.....
Tell her to have fun

 

[mimi]

When my dd was a level 4 (it was old level 5 back then) she had an "elusive" kip. She never actually had to take a spot at a meet, but the kip was extremely ugly, especially the first few meets. She was at a different gym then, which had a sort of "chuck it" mentality.

She never scored higher than in the 7s at meets even though she made the kip. She had one bad meet where she fell on something (squat on?) and got a 6 something. It was very hard for her to see scores like that, and because I was so new to gymnastics I don't feel like I adequately prepared her for what scores she might see. So, my advice would be to have a conversation with your dd about what the scores will look like if she doesn't make the kip or has to take a spot.

My dd ultimately ended up repeating old 5 because of bars and bars began to haunt her a bit. Luckily we are now at a great gym that is meticulous about form and drills and bars is now one of her best events.

It is all a process and it is best to go along with what the coaches think is best. It is likely that she will improve as the season goes on, just be realistic with her about scores and have her set some personal goals instead of being worried about placing or the podium. I still remember my dd jumping for joy when she got a 7.5 on bars...it's all relative, lol. Good luck to your dd this season!