Parents Questions from a new gym Mom

[gymratmom]

I just joined this group, but have been reading the forums for a little while. I am just looking for a little guidance/advice from seasoned parents as this is a new world for me!

I have a 7 year old daughter competing at AAU level 4 this year. She competed as a Level 2 last year and did very well, but was often in small groups (3-10 gymnasts at her age level). I didn't pick her gym with the goal of competing, she just did a preschool tumbling class and loved it so we have stuck with it. The gym is very small which is good in some ways, only four girls on the team, lots of one on one coaching, lots of time on the equipment, etc. But, it is very disorganized and no one has ever talked with me about any short or long term goals for her. Since I have zero experience with gymnastics, I don't even know what to ask!

I guess my question is at what point should I be thinking about her competitive future? I see references to TOPS, optionals, etc but don't really know what it means. Is there a path that I should be guiding her on? She loves the gym and coaches, but the teams seem to fade out around Level 6 so I know I will probably need to find something different at some point if she wants to continue. I do think she has some talent and I have to drag her out of the gym after practices, she has gotten some of the skills beyond 4- doing multiple back handsprings, back tucks, she was very excited about her baby giant yesterday-though I have NO clue what that is! One thing I do notice, though, is that she does not always point her toes, have tight arms, etc and I feel like that should be a big deal to the coaches at this point?

Sorry for such a long post, Thanks for any input for a confused mom!

 

[MaryA]

First of all, welcome! Second, this is a really good place to learn about gymnastics! So many questions. First of all, TOPS... Don't worry too much about that. Not all gyms do it (in fact, I would say that most don't). It's an advanced training program for young gymnasts. Girls who participate in the program can go for testing and those that do well in testing can go to a special camp. The girls who do it can be very impressive to watch, but it's not really a predictor of future gymnastics greatness. If you switch gyms and they have a TOPS program and your daughter is invited to be in it, then you can find out more about it.

My daughter came from a YMCA program, and I would say that the focus was definitely more on GETTING the skills rather than PERFECTING the skills, and it sounds like that's the same at your DD's gym too. The problem you may run into if/when you switch your daughter to a different gym is that she may have to back up to some more basic skills and relearn them with proper form, which she may find frustrating.

If you feel comfortable talking to your DD's coaches, you could ask what girls from their team do when they max out what your gym has to offer and want to continue in the sport. You could also start looking into what you other options are in your area. From a purely gymnastical (new word ) point of view, it would probably be better to switch her sooner rather than later, but only you can judge what is best for your daughter and your family. If she does stick with it at your current gym through level 6, you may want to consider Xcell (Excel? Not sure how it's officially spelled) because it will be closer to what your daughter is used to.

As for optionals, that's when girls get to have their own routines and music rather than every kid having the same ones. In a Junior Olympic program, that starts with level 7. Girls in the Excel program get to have their own routines the whole way through. Hope this helps some...

 

[clark222]

I am pretty new to this too, but my dd is also competing L4 AAU this year and we are in a very similar gym situation.....except my dd is not doing back tucks or baby giants I agree with MaryA in that it might be a good idea to explore your options sooner than later. If we had other options, I would be doing the same. Our gym also tops out at L6 or so. We have a couple of L7/8s but they are pretty shaky and I don't think I will feel comfortable keeping my dd in the sport up to that level because we just do not have the facilities or coaching experience to satisfy me. When we go to meets, our L7/8s are usually the only ones there. AAU seems to fizzle out around L6. Since we do not have any gyms (within hours) that compete USAG, we are stuck. But if you are not, I would be looking around now. My dd is older and not a natural at the sport. If she does not lose interest and actually makes it past L6 (L5 in the new level system), her choices will be to wander around in the modified optionals catagory until she is done or I will have to pull the plug. Not a great situation to be in. If you have a way to avoid this, I would go for it!

 

[Muddlethru]

I would look into other gyms in your area that have successful L9 and L10. She'd get better training off the bat. Opportunities will be more available to her at those gyms if she decides to go a lot further. TOPS, elite, Olympics is something you can explore later and only under a qualified coach's assessment. If there is a gym convenient to you that has elites, a TOPS program, successful high level gymnasts, I would start there. Unfortunately, those gym's are not common. So I would find the best gym that I could realistically afford and drive to. And since you feel your daughter may have potential, I would do it sooner than later. Do your research early on so you feel confident your daughter is on the right track.

I did not do my research. I just registered my daughter at the most convenient gym (5 mins away). She is now a L9, doing ok, but as my knowledge of the sports increases, I am finding a lot of holes in the coaching, training, management and politics. My daughter is now very attached to her gym. I am always second guessing the coaches because of my experiences with them. She has developed some bad habits, gymnastically. The list goes on. I am always worried and I don't want to be. We are trying to switch but the only good gym I could reasonably drive to is full and we are on a waiting list. She just turned 11. But her training is not doing anything for her. Try to find a competent gym where your daughter will thrive and be happy and where you feel you can trust the coaches so you can just sit back and enjoy the journey.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

I would look at other gyms too. I do not think a gym that has TOPS and elites should be the first or only place you look. A gym with happy gymnasts and a proven track record of getting girls to Level 9 and 10 is more important, I think. Look for a gym that has girls in every level. Some of the elite gyms are very selective, train very long hours and are not right for many gymnasts. Instead look for a good gym with gymnasts at all levels. If your DD likes gymnastics and thinks she'd like to go further with it, it sounds as if your current gym may not be the best fit.

 

[gym law mom]

The first thing I would do is talk to the current coaches. Ask them what girls do that are interested in staying in competitive gymnastics past L5 or so. They may give you a blank look or may suggest a few gyms(hopefully) that other girls have gone to after their program. AAU is more relaxed in its approach to gymnastics than USAG so you going to a USAG program might be difficult at first. TOPs testing starts in USAG at age 7 and it is not required for a gymnast to have a good career in the sport. It is not part of the AAU program so that is probably why you haven't heard much about it.
The best time to change gyms is between competition seasons, but if you find a gym that is a great fit and will at least let your dd practice with their L4 team that would be the best.
Good luck and ask lots of questions!!!

 

[gymmomtoo]

I agree with everyone else! Sounds like the gym focuses on skills, rather than perfecting skills. That's great for competing lower levels, but those who want to stay on and advance will need more. I'd definitely look around now--before she develops too many bad habits. And I am sure she'll get just as attached to her new coaches and gymnast friends wherever you might bring her. (btw, I did the same thing as you--when my oldest DD first started gymnastics, we just brought her to the closest gym--we got lucky and it's turned out great!)

 

[gymratmom]

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I think I will research some other options for next season. Our gym does switch to USAG at 5, so I will talk to her coaches also to get an idea if they could still meet our needs. We are lucky in the fact that we have several higher level gyms in a 20-30 min radius so at least the travel wouldn't be so bad. Off to read the forums to figure out how to find the right fit!

 

[littlegirlsdream]

Welcome! I really just echo what has already been said. I will say the basics that are learned in the lower levels are extremely important. It is great she is learning more advanced skills but the key is are they being taught and executed in a technically correct manor. It seems that the early skills are the building blocks and without a strong foundation it's hard to build on. Bad habits can be very difficult to break so learning it correctly from the beginning is so very important. Your gym might already be doing that and if so that's excellent. Good luck on your gym search and your daughters gymnastics journey. Can't wait to hear how it's going