Hi all! I'm very new to gymnastics and seeking advice for how to discuss my daughter's goals with her coaches. Or, if that is even something I should do?
Here is the situation: DD (8) was on a dev team at a good gym but really didn't enjoy it (it was all conditioning). After 4 months of having to drag her to practice, I pulled her out but there were no rec classes available. She was bummed, so I called around a few gyms in our area and one of the stronger gyms asked her to come in for an eval so they could waitlist her on the proper rec class. After her eval, they told me they thought she had great potential and said she told them she wanted to compete, so they had her work out with a competitive coach. She did, it went well, and they broke their own policy to allow her to join a team mid-season - a Silver Xcel team. She LOVES it. Like lives/breathes gymnastics, cartwheels more than she walks...you get the idea. We are now 3 meets in and she's doing really well, consistently medaling in all events/AA.
Last week, there was a group conversation during practice about moving up. She said she didn't really participate and afterwards, one of her coaches asked her why she didn't want to move up. She said that she told him that she thought another year of Silver would be best for her.
Here's the thing though - she is upset she said that. She actually does want to move to L6 optionals, as another teammate has planned. The other teammate has much more years under her belt but isn't any more skilled. I would say they are about equal skill-wise.
Now she wants ME to talk to her coaches. I don't really know what to do. I don't want to sound like a crazy gym parent and I don't even know if her goals are considered when they form new teams next year. If you asked my daughter, she would tell you she wants to compete in college - but she's 8. I thought all kinds of things at age 8 that never (thankfully) came to fruition.
Thoughts? If it helps, we're in a major US metro and our gym does not offer lower-level compulsory teams - just Xcel until L6. So, she could stay on Silver, move to Gold, or move to L6. I am fine with whatever happens as I really only care about her enjoying herself. I do think she has some natural talent, as she's picked up skills considerably well with less than 1 year of formal training.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading.
Here is the situation: DD (8) was on a dev team at a good gym but really didn't enjoy it (it was all conditioning). After 4 months of having to drag her to practice, I pulled her out but there were no rec classes available. She was bummed, so I called around a few gyms in our area and one of the stronger gyms asked her to come in for an eval so they could waitlist her on the proper rec class. After her eval, they told me they thought she had great potential and said she told them she wanted to compete, so they had her work out with a competitive coach. She did, it went well, and they broke their own policy to allow her to join a team mid-season - a Silver Xcel team. She LOVES it. Like lives/breathes gymnastics, cartwheels more than she walks...you get the idea. We are now 3 meets in and she's doing really well, consistently medaling in all events/AA.
Last week, there was a group conversation during practice about moving up. She said she didn't really participate and afterwards, one of her coaches asked her why she didn't want to move up. She said that she told him that she thought another year of Silver would be best for her.
Here's the thing though - she is upset she said that. She actually does want to move to L6 optionals, as another teammate has planned. The other teammate has much more years under her belt but isn't any more skilled. I would say they are about equal skill-wise.
Now she wants ME to talk to her coaches. I don't really know what to do. I don't want to sound like a crazy gym parent and I don't even know if her goals are considered when they form new teams next year. If you asked my daughter, she would tell you she wants to compete in college - but she's 8. I thought all kinds of things at age 8 that never (thankfully) came to fruition.
Thoughts? If it helps, we're in a major US metro and our gym does not offer lower-level compulsory teams - just Xcel until L6. So, she could stay on Silver, move to Gold, or move to L6. I am fine with whatever happens as I really only care about her enjoying herself. I do think she has some natural talent, as she's picked up skills considerably well with less than 1 year of formal training.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading.