Hi everyone! We need help making a decision, and am looking for your wisdom.
My daughter who just turned 6 years old has been doing gymnastics for one year now. She has been on Preteam for the past nine months, learning the basics. Going twice a week for two and a half hours per day for Preteam, and for the last seven months has done TOPs for three hours on a third day., so 3 days totally 8 hours per week. At our gym, it's decision time. Parents are informed of where their gymnast are going to be placed for the summer trail period. Then once the summer is over, they find out if the gymnast made the cut for that level or if not where the gymnast would be better placed. Well, right now my daughter has three options for the summer trail.
Option #1: Level 4 Team. Which she has been training the skills for while she's been on Preteam. She is excited to learn the routines and be in meets. For this summer, she would have practice 3 days for a total of 10 hours per week. No TOPs practice for the summer, but pick that back up in the fall. The goal here is to compete one level per year.
Option #2: Elite Program. She would not do Level 4 at all and continue to train but for Level 5 skills now. With the goal of competing in one Level 5 meet just to get a high enough score to move up to Level 6., and then compete Level 6 in one meet to get a high enough score to move up to Level 7. Thus getting to the Optional Levels hopefully faster with the over all goal of going Elite at a younger age. For this summer, she would practice 3 days for a total of 9 hours, and then do 3 hours of TOPs on the fourth day., meaning 4 days with a total of 12 hours per week. I think in order to test for TOPs at age 7 in the summer of 2011, she would have to do a Level 5 meet sometime between Jan. 2011 and March 2011.
Option #3: She could do both Level 4 Team and the Elite Program. For this summer, she would then practice 5 days a week for a total of 19 hours., and no TOPs practice til the fall. This way allows her to compete Level 4 getting meet experience, and still fast track through Level 5 and Level 6 to get to the Optional Levels and hopefully become Elite.
Being new to this sport, I have no idea which would be better for my daughter. Would like any and all (don't hold back to be nice) input, from everyone; gymnasts, coaches, judges and parents. Please we need help making this decision. I thank you in advance for your advice!
My daughter who just turned 6 years old has been doing gymnastics for one year now. She has been on Preteam for the past nine months, learning the basics. Going twice a week for two and a half hours per day for Preteam, and for the last seven months has done TOPs for three hours on a third day., so 3 days totally 8 hours per week. At our gym, it's decision time. Parents are informed of where their gymnast are going to be placed for the summer trail period. Then once the summer is over, they find out if the gymnast made the cut for that level or if not where the gymnast would be better placed. Well, right now my daughter has three options for the summer trail.
Option #1: Level 4 Team. Which she has been training the skills for while she's been on Preteam. She is excited to learn the routines and be in meets. For this summer, she would have practice 3 days for a total of 10 hours per week. No TOPs practice for the summer, but pick that back up in the fall. The goal here is to compete one level per year.
Option #2: Elite Program. She would not do Level 4 at all and continue to train but for Level 5 skills now. With the goal of competing in one Level 5 meet just to get a high enough score to move up to Level 6., and then compete Level 6 in one meet to get a high enough score to move up to Level 7. Thus getting to the Optional Levels hopefully faster with the over all goal of going Elite at a younger age. For this summer, she would practice 3 days for a total of 9 hours, and then do 3 hours of TOPs on the fourth day., meaning 4 days with a total of 12 hours per week. I think in order to test for TOPs at age 7 in the summer of 2011, she would have to do a Level 5 meet sometime between Jan. 2011 and March 2011.
Option #3: She could do both Level 4 Team and the Elite Program. For this summer, she would then practice 5 days a week for a total of 19 hours., and no TOPs practice til the fall. This way allows her to compete Level 4 getting meet experience, and still fast track through Level 5 and Level 6 to get to the Optional Levels and hopefully become Elite.
Being new to this sport, I have no idea which would be better for my daughter. Would like any and all (don't hold back to be nice) input, from everyone; gymnasts, coaches, judges and parents. Please we need help making this decision. I thank you in advance for your advice!