How Does Gym Type Effect Gymnasts

[Shelovesthebars]

I have been thinking about this question for a few weeks. I don't even know exactly how to word it but I will give it a go. If a gymnasts goes to a gym that focuses strongly on elites and the gymnast has no elite aspirations or doesn't have the talent for it, how does this effect the gymnast as far as coaching goes? Let's say that the gymnast is a hard worker, loves gymnastics but works really hard to make level 9/10. Does this type of gymnast feel valued in this environment? Would a gymnast like this be better off in a gym that has no elites and who's focus is developing athletes up to 9/10?
What it boils down to is the fact that I want my daughter to feel good about what she is doing in the gym if she is doing her best regardless of scores or placement or level. If she is going to be spending so much time in the gym over the next few years, I want her to feel like she is a valuable part of the team even if she isn't the best or most talented. How do you know that a gym is going to make your gymnast feel valued if you are just beginning there? Do you ask a coach what their feelings are on this? Do you ask upper level parents?
I have no idea at this point where this journey will take us to but I want my daughter to enjoy the process. Am I thinking too far ahead? Right now I feel that the parents are constantly comparing gymnasts. I hope that the coaches are just teaching at this point and not placing any undue expectations on or writing any of these other gymnast off at this very young age. I hope someone gets what I am trying to get across.

 

[All Chalked Up]

Okay, so I think I get what you mean.
In my honest opinion, it doesn't matter what kind of gym you have (eg: focused on developing elites as opposed to focused on 9/10) as long as you have discussed your goals with your coach and parents. A "focused-on-elites" gym shouldn't lower or heighten their quality of coaching depending on the level. The coaches should coach their pre-teamers just as well as their elites.

What I mean is, no matter the goals, the gymnasts should feel just as welcome and get the same amount of attention/spotting/etc. as the other gymnasts, no matter the goals or the level.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Gymgirl808- Well said! Thank you for unscrambling my brain for me. It has been one of those weeks for me. That is a good way to adress my question in the gym without making it too personal. Thanks again!

 

[Kiwi]

I think you have two questions here. One is about the actual coaching, the other about feeling valued and welcomed.

I do feel that in some gyms, the focus tends to be on the top stream gymnasts. For example, at our gym, the development stream train a lot of hours, and the 'B' stream train a lot less hours than at other gyms that don't run a development stream. It isn't that I feel that the quality of the B stream coaching is bad at all, the coaches seem very competent and nice, but I sometimes feel that the B stream are perhaps missing out a little bit, especially compared to other gyms. However, I've never felt that the B stream gymnasts are not valued or not welcomed.

I have heard that there is higher 'burnout' rate in young gymnasts at some of these other gyms where the gymnasts train longer hours - although this is just rumour and I don't know how accurate - so perhaps the low-key approach has its advantages.

I think it really depends on the individual gym and I would observe what happens at your gym and see how you feel about it. You could also talk to her coaches and get a feeling for their attitudes from their responses.

 

[lilgymmie7]

Are you thinking too far ahead? Perhaps. Gymnastics is one of those sports that gets under your skin. The kid that stays in it for the long run, can't seem to get it out of his/her system. My older DD fits this bill. She knows that at this point she can't really compete anymore, but just being at an open gym makes her happy. And she had some coaches who at this point, I strongly believe, emotionally abused her and her teammates, literally. She didn't give it up, I pulled her. Her desire for the sport went far beyond the coaching.
Little DD can't seem to do anything else but stand upside down. She is happiest when she is flipping. Her coaches are phenomenal, and work on an individual bases with each of their girls. Today, she cried because she thought her bar coach hated her. Imagine that, a 6 yo thinking her coach hates her. Kids perceive things so differently. A talk with the coach and then his talk with DD caused her to realize that she had it all wrong. Through this moment DD couldn't see herself NOT going to gym.
I think if the kid loves to do gym, it really isn't going to matter what the mentality of the gym is. The gymnast 'creates'/'nurtures' his/her own reason for going to the gym everyday. They invest of themselves because in doing so they feel whole. We parents like to say that gymnastics is just part of their child's life. Yet the gymnast themselves will tell you it is his/her life, at least the FUN part of life. It has been many years since I officially left the gym, yet I still feel that pull of gymnastics. It does 'suck' you in. But a word of caution, it can't be the parent's dream for the child. It has to be from within the gymnast his/herself.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Lilgymmie7- I am going to have to disagree with your statement. The mentality and coaching philosophies do matter and can drastically effect how a gymnasts trains, how she feels about herself, and really does determine in a lot of cases the success of a gymnast whether their goals be achieving level 5, level 10 or just the recreational team. You said yourself that the mentality of the coaching at your daughter's gym had a negative impact on her.
I guess I am asking too how do you find out what your gyms coaching philosphies truly are, in action, day to day and whether it is a good fit for your particular gymmie.
My kid definately loves her gym now but she is very perseptive to what goes on. I want her perceptions to be as positive as possible. I don't want her love of the sport to get squashed over a coach's or specific gyms philosophies on training. Now that I know she truly loves it and wants to go on, I want to make sure she can succeed with whatever her goals are in the best possible environment. Preschool classes are a lot different than team. I have been really happy with her time there as so far. Don't get me wrong. The questions about the where a gymnast should train based on their goals was really something I would like feedback on from gymnasts or parents that have been down both roads as far as gym types and goals and the gyms emphasis on priorities. I don't know what path she will take but I would like her to be at a gym where the emphasis is on helping each gymnast reach her potential no matter what talent she posesses if the gymnast is willing to put in the work and positive attitude.

 

[lilgymmie7]

Well we are all entitled to our own thoughts. However, at 5/6/7/ heck 8,9, yo a gymnast shouldn't really be looking at what they can get out of the gym/ coaching. They are in it for the fun or the 'feeling' they have for the sport.
The point I made about older DD was to show that the negativity displayed of her coaches didn't steal the love of the sport she had. It did however not help her mental sense. She like many kids was a perfectionist and people pleaser.
At your DD's age, she should gain the fundamentals and begin to establish her own desire for the sport. As she progresses in the sport, her efforts will be noted by her coaches.
I am not sure I have bought into the 'elite' gym mentality. Look at WOGA, they probably have produced the most elites than any other gym in the country, yet they have a recreational side as well. Great gyms are there for all to enjoy. The apptitude of the gymnast is what grabs the coaches attention. Many smaller gyms have produced an elite here or there, but again it is the drive of the individual gymnast.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Well we are all entitled to our own thoughts. However, at 5/6/7/ heck 8,9, yo a gymnast shouldn't really be looking at what they can get out of the gym/ coaching. They are in it for the fun or the 'feeling' they have for the sport.
The point I made about older DD was to show that the negativity displayed of her coaches didn't steal the love of the sport she had. It did however not help her mental sense. She like many kids was a perfectionist and people pleaser.
At your DD's age, she should gain the fundamentals and begin to establish her own desire for the sport. As she progresses in the sport, her efforts will be noted by her coaches.
I am not sure I have bought into the 'elite' gym mentality. Look at WOGA, they probably have produced the most elites than any other gym in the country, yet they have a recreational side as well. Great gyms are there for all to enjoy. The apptitude of the gymnast is what grabs the coaches attention. Many smaller gyms have produced an elite here or there, but again it is the drive of the individual gymnast.

for the record...nope. only nastia. the others all came from somewhere else. and i love valeri and marchenko as brothers.

 

[gymdog]

Well first of all there's generally a huge difference between being of average or below average talent for competitive gymnastics at all and "only" making it to L9/10. Most girls who make it to this level were consistently of above average ability in the lower levels at least in terms of strength, toughness, and skill acquisition (if not scores). There are plenty of L10s with elite potential or who trained for elite. So I think we need to really define the issue. At most gyms girls with the potential for L10 certainly aren't going to be the ones who are overlooked at any rate...

And yeah, sure there are gyms that only want girls of above-average talent for the JO system. If your child doesn't fit the ability criteria at such a gym, it would be in their best interest to move on. I'm not sure exactly what the question is.

Many gyms with elite programs also have L10 teams of girls who will finish their pre-college careers as L10s, so I don't necessarily think you need to leave for a gym with no elites

I would disagree that the gym has no effect on anything whatsoever. Certainly a gym with an elite/high performance program will produce more higher level gymnasts than a gym with a more recreational team. There's a lot more development of high level gymnast than just talent. This isn't something the kid can just pursue casually on their own. On the other side of this if your child is of above average talent and driven, a gym with more laid back standards is probably not the best choice if there are other options.

 

[10.0]

Yeah honestly I think you are thinking way too far ahead, if I remember correctly isn't your dd like 5? Level 9 and 10 are quite a ways off. If the gym she is at now is working well, she likes it and the coaching is good don't worry about it.

When I was a kid granted this was a long time ago, lets just say before the new age limit was made to go to the Olympics I went to a rec. only gym first and then an elite gym. The rec, gym was awesome, really nice coaches but they didn't go past level 6ish skills. I went to the elite gym and it was very strict with all competition levels, no one was passed up because at that age no one knew what the child would end up becoming so it wasn't like oh Suzie only wants to go as far as level 9 so put her on the back burner. But another important thing was going elite wasn't even discussed until the chilld was a good solid level 10, and they trained all the kids from level 5 and up like they were going to go elite someday. A handful went elite, by the time I left we had one girl make it to the Olympics and several got to level 9 and 10 and a lot went to college.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

In no way did I mean to imply that level 9/10 is does not require talent and dedication. We had a tradegy affect our family this week and I guess my brain is not functioning at it's regular capacity. I can't even get normal thoughts to process.
Anyway, my questions boil down to how do you know if your gymnast's individual goals with be treated with respect and if these goals don't match what the coaches necessarily have in mind for a gymnast, will these goals be respected and valued? Also, is a gym going to coach every gymnast to their potential even if it is not usag, level 10, or elite?

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I do think you're jumping the gun a bit. I definitely agree that if your DD is happy, is flipping all over the place, and again, is HAPPY. She's where she should be for the time being. Your DD is young, this needs to be fun for her and she needs to continue her love for the sport. I think it's a little too soon to be worrying about her "goals" in the sport. A 5 year old's goals will change over time, whether it's to become MORE competitive or whether she decides she wants to do ice skating! Honestly, it's a crap shoot at this point.

At some point, you may discover that her current gym is not best suited to her goals, whatever they may be. You will DEFINITELY be able to tell whether or not it's working for her. Whether it's through communication w/coaches (or lack thereof!!!), or maybe she will start making comments, or you will be able to see her demeanor when she comes out of practice. There will be tons of little things you will see that will make your radar go up as to whether this continues to be the right gym for her or not. For now though, just enjoy the ride!!! It's quite the trip!

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

What specifically are you worried about, your post could be perceived (to me) one of two ways:

1. DD's gym wants her tracked Elite at 5--- and you (parent) don't think that's her goal and/or your goal for her

2. DD's gym is not an Elite/highly competitive gym and you are wondering if maybe a switch now while she is young to a more competitive gym would be better suited for her needs/goals/desires looking forward

Or do I have it all wrong? What are you worried about? What is your specific concern with your DD and her current gym?

 

[lilgymmie7]

for the record...nope. only nastia. the others all came from somewhere else. and i love valeri and marchenko as brothers.

Thanks, but I wasn't necessarily meaning from scratch. WOGA is a top gym along w/Texas Dreams and others. I was just responding to the effect of coaches stealing the 'dream' the OP was asking about. And by 'dream' I mean what ever the child wants. Again if the coaches are totally disrespectful, etc, then any child will walk away. But wouldn't that be an obvious red flag to a parent. I didn't read into so much of the goal setting because at 5, does the child really know this? My soon to be 7yo is just looking forward to her first level 5 meet. She isn't capable mentally of seeing past that.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

gymgirl's mom- I don't have a specific concern that is rearing it's head now. We are at a highly competive/elite gym. I don't think they have any set goals for my dd at 5. What I am concerned about is whether or not she will be able to choose her own path with this and it be respected.
lilgymmie7-I really do appreiciate your posts and advice but I don't think you are getting the point of my post. She at 5 has no dreams or aspirations other right now other than Santa bringing her this paticular doll that she wants!
I guess I just want to know if the gym we are at is a healthy environment for her to be in. Preschool wise, it has been fantastic. I just want to know what their thought process is for every team gymnast that walks through the door, not just mine. It is meant to be a broader range question about environment and atmosphere.

 

[gymcoach34]

Sounds like your gym has it all-preschool, rec, rec team, JO and elite. All is well, and Im sure everyone works to make sure the kids have the right "fit".

 

[Optionals United]

Wait ok. Let me see if I have got this right. Your dd has no goals for the sport but to have fun. You are worried that if she is at a gym that make level 10s and elite her goals to maybe not do that wont be respected? So say your DD wanted to do level 8 as her highest level. You are worried that the coaches wont give her as much attention as they would if she was trying to go level 10 later on. Are all thesse things correct or am I just confused?

 

[sportzmomov3]

I think I get what the OP is trying to communicate b/c I think we were in this very situation. Your DD has "potential." As a parent, you want to do what's best for your child - providing her with the best opportunity for success. You place her in a program that you believe to be a good fit. But how do you know?? Ah, that's the $1M question, isn't it? Your DD has the drive to reach potentially high levels. At 5 yo, can you even know what's best for her? My answer is 'no'. It's far too early to tell if the particular gym you're at today will be good for her when she's 10 or 15, or maybe even in another year. Too many factors play into the answer. Changing gyms is nearly an inherent part of the journey. Case in point is dunno's confirmation that WOGA has not produced (from birth, so to speak) all those elite gymnasts. Many (including the current crop of up-and-comers) came from other gyms. Why is that? They obviously all had talent - why switch gyms? Each is a different story, but it shows that you can't know if a place is your "forever" place and that's ok. It's not a sprint to the finish, remember - slow and steady wins the race.

My DD has always had a passion for gymnastics. She has always been a strong girl. She was labeled as having 'talent' and 'potential when she took a movement class in preschool. Reluctantly we put her into a program. As a parent, I always questioned whether she was in the right place that could help her reach whatever heights she wanted to attain. Her journey has had a couple of gym changes (from rec to low-level competitive to current elite gym). In many ways I'm glad I was a naive parent and didn't do all this browsing on the internet for what gyms to go to and how scores are, etc. It allowed my desires for her success to be dictated by HER desires and goals.

So to OP, just let DD enjoy where she is at RIGHT NOW. It's useless to worry about what if her goals are to be (fill in the blank). She's 5. It should be laughter and fun with her friends, with enough focus to keep learning new things. If the coaches are safe and respect the gymnasts, that's all you need to know right now.

 

[LizzieLac]

My feeling is if things appear to be going smoothly currently - meaning if your current goal/needs are being met, then you just go with it.

I think you will know when something doesn't feel right or fit right - you will see it and your DD will feel it. At that point you may want to consider if a different gym, with a different approach or philosophy is better for you. It sounds like right now, your DD is doing well, improving and having fun. So I don't think you need worry or wonder about their philosophy on elites or how the team dynamic works.

Also, consider that gyms change coaches and even their goals and approaches (after all it is business for them too), so I am not sure how much "knowing the future" any of us can ever have.

I do applaud you for being active in the process. You are obviously looking at your DD's well-being, and that is what parents should do.

 

[Megley]

Unfortunately, I doubt you will ever be able to determine what the gyms "thought process" is for each level. That said, I think you are in a really great situation. You are very lucky to be in a gym that has a proven elite track record. Your dd has a lot of potential, she is doing well, having fun and enjoying her Level 3 competitions. You know that she is in a gym that can help her reach her full potential. It's really a great place to be.

Many parents, including a couple at our gym, have to deal with the struggle of outgrowing a gym. Their dds have loads of potential, but the gym has no elite program, no desire to do elite, or no real experience with it, and they are faced with having to move somewhere out of state to find a good elite program. Gyms like yours exist in only a few places! You won't have to move to find one.

If, for whatever reason, your dd decides that she doesn't want to be an elite or a L10, or the gym is not meeting her needs, you have no doubt got a lot of other options in your area. For now, though, you really are in the best place for her. As the price for that, apparently, you have to put up with some nutty parents. But that will get better as the girls advance in levels and can be mitigated to some extent by just ignoring the weirdos.