Parents When will she make the team?

[purpleleomom]

Rhetorical question - I hope that's clear. DD is 8.5 and has been in gymnastics for a year now. We switched gyms after about 4 months because rec wasn't really engaging her, and there was no possibility of moving to preteam at her gym (looking back, they seem pretty competitive). She did preteam at a new gym for awhile. We have now moved across country and she is in a new gym on their preteam.

I'm still trying to figure out what motivates this child - it definitely seems to be external things. For example, she practiced pullups at home the last couple of weeks because her coach declared a pullup challenge. So with that in mind, I don't think she is very motivated to work hard in preteam. It's mixed ages, but it ranges from girls who are not close to ready (as young as 5) to closer. She is the type who needs a goal to work towards. As a parent, I think she should find that goal for herself. I certainly can't do it for her, but it would be nice if a team invite was in sight or she knew she had to accomplish x, y, and z.

I do know her gym will move kids up during the season, even to team. They do Xcel instead of compulsories. I guess the million dollar question is...if she doesn't get invited this year, is it never going to happen? Is there anything I can do to help without being a dreaded CGM? I want to see her reach her goal and have the experience of competition...of losing, winning, and everything in between. Some of you may remember me posting in the various ADHD threads. She does have this, and it seems to have its own challenges. Maybe her struggle is with maturity.

Honestly, I most of all want her to have a sisterhood of friends. Does every gym parent go through this?

 

[tooootsie]

I think them not having l3-l5 is strange. And for Excel at our gym kids do bronze from 5-8 years old, Silver 9-10 and so on. A year in pre-team seems like a long time but they are probably working her towards specific skills. Both of my kids did 3 years of pre-team programs. One started at 5, the other at 3. They both made L3 team this year and started competing. I would talk to HC, because I don't see why they wouldn't put her on Bronze, that is equivalent to L2, in our area Excel competes in the spring, it isn't too late if that's how it works at your gym

 

[purpleleomom]

From reading CB the last year, it sounds like using Xcel instead of compulsories is common in our region. I can see both sides...and I assume there is still a method to working them thru the Xcel levels, i.e. not just ONLY focusing on their strengths.

 

[LJL07]

I've seen your posts before about the adhd, and I sympathize. At our first gym, the owner waited a year to put my DD on the team despite having the skills due to the hyperactivity and attention problems. Have you asked your gym what their criteria is for getting on team? If you haven't had that conversation with them, I really don't think its CGM to ask.

 

[sce]

IHave you asked your gym what their criteria is for getting on team? If you haven't had that conversation with them, I really don't think its CGM to ask.

I agree, asking is not crazy. it's good for everyone to be clear one expectations. 1) Your dd wants to make team. 2) What the gym expects for an athlete to make team.

 

[purpleleomom]

I did recently, and the answer was just vague enough to be frustrating. "Soon, needs to work on focus," etc. Her focus improved when she moved from rec to preteam. I believe the higher expectations lift her up.

 

[Amusibus]

I'm not sure how to respond to the part of your post about asking to move up etc., but just wanted to mention that my 8 year old ADHD gymnast has definitely progressed more slowly because of issues with maturity, attention, and motivation. While all of these have improved a lot in the last couple years, it seems to me like there is kind of a chronological age/maturity age mismatch. Mine also has mild Asperger's, and for spectrum kids I have heard it said that their maturity level is about 2/3 to 3/4 of their chronological age. Not sure if this applies for ADHD alone. So I try to let her mature on her own schedule and not draw comparisons to age-mates.

Not sure if I am making sense, and sorry CB for the long run-on paragraph. 3 hours of sleep last night (yawn)