WAG Skipping the new level 3

[ollieblueeyes]

I would say its way too far in advance to predict what her level should be. You are talking about almost 1 year out! A lot of polish can be accomplished in that time. I know my DD would not make it a whole year 'polishing' LVL 3 skills. She would be bored and quit the sport for sure.

 

[Moxiegrl83]

It doesn't sound like your gym does a lot of uptraining, (trying kip when no ones looking, etc), so if they are going to let you skip I would go for it. I have a just turned 7 yr old, first year competing level 2, who has all of the skills you just mentioned. For her, it's maturity ( next level has 3.5 hr practices, more independent work, etc), but since they keep her progressing regardless of the level she's competing it works for her. She's not bored, she's competing well at her level, and still gets to work on her kip and other bigger skills. She just did her cast to handstand by herself a couple weeks ago!

Your DD is old enough to know she might have to work a little harder if she skips, and mature enough to take the challange and run with it. But I know my kid would be bored out of her mind with working only her skills for that particular level. Good luck!

 

[gymmomtoo]

If you're talking about a year out, she's 10 yrs old and has nearly all her skills, then I would say move her up, especially since your gym doesn't up train at all. Looking out--if they move her up a level a year, then next year at 11 yrs, she'll be level 4, 12 yrs, level 5, 13 yrs level 7 (skipping level 6), 14 yrs level 8, etc. She won't get to level 10 until she's 16 yrs old! That's not a lot of time at level 10, if she's thinking college (and I realize things may change drastically before then!). Plus, that doesn't give much time to repeat levels--which is more likely at the optional levels.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

Our old gym did not uptrain at all. You did not start training new schools until after state. They also liked to keep girls back so that they could keep winning. For example, my daughter had a 38 AA at Level 4 state last season and they said they were on the fence about her moving up. We moved to a different state (coincidence) and had to switch gyms. When she got to her new gym at the very end of May, she did not have a double back hand spring, cartwheel on beam, kip, front hand spring off of the vault table, front hand spring on floor, back extension roll, etc. She knew that she needed all of those skills to be able to compete new Level 4 and it was a little daunting because everyone else had them because they had uptrained all year. But she rose to the challenge and she was able to get ALL of her new skills within a month or two. Actually, she is now well beyond that and has her BWO on beam (and is starting to work on BHS on beam), back tuck on floor, drop kip (or whatever that's called), aerial, etc. She is starting to work on cast handstands, giants w/ the strap bar, and some other new things, too. Her new gym has a very different approach and it's working really well for my daughter. So you may just need to switch to a less conservative gym, or convince the coach to let her move up. Some coaches want girls who will win, and some coaches want girls who don't just have the skills, but have them perfected. I am not sure when your gym starts competing. It may be tough for her to learn all of the skills and choreography for new Level 4 (it's a fast floor routine and a lot more technical than Level 2 for sure) in time, but she could always skip the first few meets.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

Another option could be to ask the coach if she could train part-time with 3's and part-time with 4's, competing Level 3 for the first half of the season and Level 4 for the second half when she's ready.

 

[EastCoastGymMom]

It sounds like she could learn all the new Level 4 skills by next August! She certainly won't learn them if she is training new Level 3 skills all year with no uptraining. If it was my daughter, I'd definitely move her up to train with the Level 4 girls so she can work on kips, high bar, the vault table, etc....

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

If you have been given a choice, I say move her up. We were in this same boat a year ago. Kipper had competed (old) L4, but didn't have great scores. She had a good off season, and had all of her (old) L5 skills except the dreaded kip. (She till insists I use her nickname since she worked so hard to earn it!) We were given the choice to let her move up. Long story short, last year was REALLY difficult to compete. Kipper scored last or nearly last at every meet. However, her training hours doubled by moving her up, and she worked really hard to learn new skills and catch up with her group. So, if your dd can keep the competition aspect in perspective, it sounds like that would be the better choice. Flash forward to this year, Kipper is competing new L4. She has all of her skill and is looking forward to a great season.

 

[shelovestoflip]

Unless the rules have changed, you don't have to compete anything before 5 at the very least. My daughter didn't start competing USAG until Level 5.

Also, I am curious if there are other gyms near you that you could have your daughter check out. I would want to look around. Something seems quite rigid at your gym in my opinion.

If I understand correctly, she is currently competing Level 2, not slated to compete 3 until 2014? That is a LONG time from now! Your daughter is already 10. It seems that she might lost interest if she isn't challenged as she enters her tween years.

Also, not clear on the fact that your coach says they have to compete every level and there needs to be a record?? Our gym doesn't have Level 1/2 and girls just begin competing Level 3.

Something doesn't sound quite right to me.

 

[Leekelhank]

She is competing new level 2 now. Her season ends in December. Then in January the girls move up. If she goes to three she will be spending from January till September working on level 3 skills, which she already has. There is no uptraining at all. If she skips to 4, she will have from January to September to get and perfect those skills. Hope that makes sense. None of the new level 4 girls have these skills, they will all start learning them together in January.

 

[Quadqueen]

I'm a little confused on whether your DD's coach is asking if you want her to skip L3, or if you're just asking us if we *think* she should skip L3, which of course has no bearing on the coach's final decision. ??

 

[MBJ974]

It sounds like there are trust issues between you/your gymnast and the coaches (mainly head coach). This is definitely more detrimental to your daughter's gymnastics experience than "skipping" levels.

 

[LizzieLac]

She is competing new level 2 now. Her season ends in December. Then in January the girls move up. If she goes to three she will be spending from January till September working on level 3 skills, which she already has. There is no uptraining at all. If she skips to 4, she will have from January to September to get and perfect those skills. Hope that makes sense. None of the new level 4 girls have these skills, they will all start learning them together in January.

From the sounds of how they approach training, she will be lucky to move up one level per year. Starting at level 2 as a 10 year and that kind of approach to training is what would worry me. If you have a child who has some drive and ambition and thinks she wants to do college gymnastics, I personally think you need to get her in a gym that uptrains all the time. Do you have any other options for her? I sure hope this works out!! Good luck!

 

[kandkfunk]

I'm just stuck on the fact that all these gyms (or so it seems here on CB) are competing levels 1 and 2. I don't get that at all. A big waste of time and money in my book.

Not a lot advice here other than good luck. It's a difficult decision to make and nobody can really tell the future. You know your daughter best and how she would react in both situations. Sounds like she really wants to move up and you want her to move up. If coach is giving you that option, then I think you already know your decision.

I would be more concerned that your gym places so much emphasis on scores at level 2 or 3. Those levels are really not great indicators of how a gymnast is going to do in the future. Some of the best compulsory gymnasts never make it to optionals and some girls who really struggled in compulsories make outstanding optionals.

 

[Leekelhank]

I'm a little confused on whether your DD's coach is asking if you want her to skip L3, or if you're just asking us if we *think* she should skip L3, which of course has no bearing on the coach's final decision. ??

I actually did not have any trust issues with her coach(es) until this occurred. It is a very unfortunate circumstance because we would like to believe that they are doing what is best for our DD and not just for the gym.

 

[Leekelhank]

From the sounds of how they approach training, she will be lucky to move up one level per year. Starting at level 2 as a 10 year and that kind of approach to training is what would worry me. If you have a child who has some drive and ambition and thinks she wants to do college gymnastics, I personally think you need to get her in a gym that uptrains all the time. Do you have any other options for her? I sure hope this works out!! Good luck!

We are looking at other options as well.

 

[Leekelhank]

I'm a little confused on whether your DD's coach is asking if you want her to skip L3, or if you're just asking us if we *think* she should skip L3, which of course has no bearing on the coach's final decision. ??

He is giving us the option but he really insist that she spend a year working on level 3 skills. The ones she already has.

 

[MeetDirector]

To the OP, let me put it bluntly - find a different gym. This coach does not have the best interests of your dd in mind; he is only concerned about his bank account. Here I go again, competing these low levels does nothing to get a gymnast to the higher levels; it just lines the pockets of club owners. USAG has established that the first required competitive level is new 4 (old 5); the preceding levels have skills that frankly go nowhere. Staying in these low levels artificially is ridiculous; move them when they have the skills. Find a gym that will support her goals.

 

[raenndrops]

As long as you have the skills for New 3, you are not "skipping" the level... you are just choosing not to compete that level (which is fine since it is not a required competition level.
I personally know a gymnast that competed old L3 and scored no LOWER than a 37.5 (and was AA 1st place all but once). Competed in the Fall State meet. Then Competed Old L5 in the spring. She was 2nd AA around at L5 state. She competed a bump up meet as a L6 in April and scored well enough to have more options. If she gets her giants consistent, she will compete L7 this year... if not, she will be L6 until she does get them.

 

[Committed]

My DD would go INSANE at your gym!

 

[Bajanswife]

My DD would go INSANE at your gym!

Mine too!