WAG How many L7s get to L9?

[Midwestmommy]

The one or two gyms in our area that have huge level 9 and 10 teams have lots of girls who transferred from other gyms at various optional levels (I think I looked once at one of them and that year it was over 70% of their level 9 and 10s one year who did compulsory and/or some optional in another gym). So even that gym has big attrition. And their 5 and 6 year old preteam "pickers" are not that much better than everyone else it seems... It makes it even more difficult to build optional programs at other gyms when talented kids switch gyms.

In general, though, it seems like there are a few more gyms here in the last couple of years, and many are starting to have better and growing optional programs--which is fun to see. It will be interesting to see what the numbers at the state meet are this year and over the next few years. I think the consensus among seasoned coaches and parents on this board are that Levels 9 and 10 will always be a lot smaller because they are.....hard! And even gyms that try to circumvent the whole teen thing a little bit by training hard super early (and trying to get as many skills as possible before puberty)...not sure that results in bigger numbers of high school level 9 and 10s because of burn out and injuries, and even the itty bitty talented ones....time marches on... and they too become teenagers and then grownups....

Its's the journey.... if this year isn't worth it if the future doesn't pan out into big dreams down the road, then maybe time to refocus. If my daughter quits tomorrow, it's gotta be no regrets for we parents. She has learned a lot and gained a lot from gymnastics already...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

The point of the levels is to tease out the good, from the better, to the better still and ultimately some of the best. Even the score out number gets higher.

There are many many kids who can do level 1/2, walk across a beam, do a cartwheel, even a back handspring, flip around a low bar. And of course proper training and opportunity are necessary to get the best of the best to higher levels. But many many of those littles are just not going to be able to move on and it continues through the levels.

Level 7 actually put limits on difficulty (I think, could be wrong though). I still see a front handspring listed as a vault. Huge difference to a Yurchenko (sp).

There are supposed to be less kids at 9 then 7, its part of the process.

I have no idea how far my kid is going, but I know each year there will be less kids at her level if she keeps moving, and after 4/5, I expect it to be significant if she is one of the ones still moving.

 

[duyetanh]

Our gym has 4 level 2's, 9 level 3's, 2 level 4's, 1 level 5, 4 level 6's, and 1 level 9. We have 9 xcel girls also.