Why the huge drop off between 5 and 6

[tomtnt]

I saw that PDF that JBS link yesterday from USGA...

http://usagym.org/pages/home/publications/usagymnastics/2009/1/32_stats.pdf

there's such a huge drop off between level 5 and level 6-number and percentage-wise... 16856=>8542

any thoughts? Is it the number of hours going up, the harder bar skills, back tumbling fears, cost, other sports, school/homework, all of the above?

Interesting that 6=>7 is pretty stable... 8542=>7623

 

[Empowered]

From what I have seen at my daughter's current gym and her old gym, there were three main reasons for girls to never make it to level 6.

The number 1 reason girls either repeated or quit before level 6 was because of BARS. Either it was a complete inability to generate enough swing/strength to do the high casting skills and clear hip or it was fear of the flyaway.

The number 2 reason girls quit (every one of these was middle school age or older) was because of schoolwork issues. Basically not being able to do the level 6 hours and keep their grades high.

The number 3 reason was because of beam fears and every time it was a complete block on the bwo.

 

[tomtnt]

I wonder how they calculate the girls who do only 1 meet @ level 6 then jump to level 7... that seems to happen alot too...

at our gym, there are 20+ level 5s and only 6 level 6s... but a few who would have been 6s, went straight through to 7 (after doing 1 level 6 meet)

 

[MdGymMom01]

In my dd's case, she quit gymnastics after completing 2 years at Level 5 (MDL Lvl B) and for her it was the back tumbling and bar fears that kept her from progressing to Level 6 skills. She is also entering 7th grade, so the schoolwork is really starting to pile up. For the Mason Dixon League (MDL) which has over 400 gymnasts this year, the largest percentage is Level 5 (Lvl B). Many girls end up repeating this level a few years in a row and some kids end up dropping back down to B after losing level C skills. The league goes up to Lvl D (lvl 7) and E (lvl 8) but there are very few gymnasts competing at this level. It does seem like that leap from Level 5 to 6 is what is the major roadblock for a lot of gymnasts.

 

[bogwoppit]

My 12 year old also quit this year, under the Canadian system she was a L5/6. No real fears, she can tumble big time, she can flyaway off bars no problem, but she began to hate beam and bars, just didn't want to train them and never wanted to compete them. So she finished up her season and moved onto cheer and horse riding., she is happy as a clam.

Oldest stopped due to injury, she had always dreamed of doing gym until the end of high school, not for college reasons, just because she loved it. When back pain sideleined her from gym she moved over to tramp, but when that was no longer a possibilty she realised that she was done with gym completely at the age of 14.

So both of them out of the gym in one year for totally different reasons.

I think L6/7 skills start to get bigger and scarier, hours get longer, pressure begins to build and gym becomes more work and less fun. School and social pressures change and so do bodies, longer legs, puberty etc etc. All of these things together are what make girls stop doing gym.

 

[gymgal]

I think they count it based on what is on the registration form sent in at the beginning of the season. Not sure how gyms fill out those forms for the girls who do only 1 meet and then skip to level 7. But my guess is that there really aren't that many girls doing it across the country. Hundreds, not thousands.

I would agree with Sharks on the reasons. I think age and schoolwork is a huge factor. For an average gymnast, it is around level 6 that they hit middle school. Friends, puberty, homework, and and other sports take center stage. Many gyms tend to add a practice day for this level so instead of going 3days, you're in there 4 now. That's a huge change in the life of a typical tween/teen.

I also think that the tides turn at level 6 and you really have to be prepared to practice hard. You can get away with a sloppy back handspring in 5 but if you have one in 6 you can't get your back tuck. It's one thing to have the bar to support you in doing circling elements in 4 and 5 but those clear hips and 3/4 giants are huge steps up in terms of difficulty level. A Lot of girls just don't have strength and power. And if they weren't hard workers in the lower levels (building their strength) they won't make it in the higher levels. It just isn't fun anymore.

I bet injury is another big factor. It is the first year when you are really flying through the air with the tucks and the flyaways. More chance for bad sprains and just more pounding which makes a body constantly sore. Dedicated gymnasts will deal with it but those in it for fun find the risk outweighing the benefit.

It seems like it really is a natural weeding out level - those who are serious and dedicated stay. those who aren't decide it's not worth the time and effort (or money for the parents).

 

[CoachGoofy]

6 is hard and scary. Pretty much ALL the new skills are one, the other, or both for a sizeable number of girls.

 

[gymgurl]

The drop off in Australia tends to happen after level 4 (mind you we compete levels 1 - 3 regularly) and we discuss this with my coach sometimes and have come to the conclusion level 4 tends to be the last level you can get to without either huge determination and training super hard or some natural ability. In Australia level 4s are also older many are 10 or 11 and then when they get to level 5 they get to high school and they get interested in other things,

 

[Allieonbeam]

the drop off wasn't too drastic for the last couple of years at our gym, my guess is because the girls are doing a lot of uptraining in the off-season, for example new level 5s were training giants and beam bwo in the summer and a few of them (not all) got them while they are competing level 5 this season

 

[flipper's fan]

Also, a lot of girls switch to prep opt or another program at that level- similar to the number who "score out" of 6 to go to 7. I think compulsory gymnastics also gets boring doing exactly the same thing as everyone else for so many years. The scoring also gets so hard at level 6 that girls get discouraged when they see their level 5 scores plummet at level 6. My dd was a really high bar scorer on 5 and a really low bar scorer on 6- some teammates experienced a big drop in vault scores even though it is the same vault. Age is a factor- most hit level 6 in middle school.

 

[jasminekayla]

We also lose alot of girls between 5-6 and even 7. They either decide they "dont" like it anymore, its getting to hard or excel is the way to go esp with alot of girls that are struggling but still love the sport. My daughter moved to 6 this year and I was worried because everyone said and groaned- good luck in 6 its a different world. not only did my daughter qualify first meet I have heard her say numerous times she thinks 6 was easier then 5.

 

[Aussie_coach]

It does seem common in USAG gyms to just test out of level 6 and go straight to 7. This would account for the large drop from 5-6 but the stability from 6-7

Major factors for drop outs are usually age, this can cause.
1. School pressures increase, there is more homework and more expectation to be involved in extra activities at school.

2. Social lives change, when kids are little and they go the the gym it is an outing. If they were not at the gym they would be at home so it's their chance to go out and be with friends. When they get older their freedom increases and if they weren't at gymnastics they would be out with friends and doing things.

3. Interests change, just as when kids get older they lose interest in dolls the same goes for many childhood interests.

4. Peer pressure, they feel if they are always saying no to parties and things they will be social outcasts which can be a fate worse that death for these kids.

5. changing to middle school or high school often means they must travel further to school, en extra half and hour to and from school is actually an extra 10 hours a week of less time they have.

6. Boys, need I say more.

7. Part time jobs, friends are getting jobs and they can buy the latest gadgets and clothes and phones.

8. Self consciousness, many kids hit level 6 about the same time they hit puberty and they are no longer keen to prance around in nothing but a leotard.

9. Parent pressure to do something "real" with their lives. As kids head towards middle and high school, there is pressure to be preparing for a career, studying a lot and so on.

 

[gymgurl]

It does seem common in USAG gyms to just test out of level 6 and go straight to 7. This would account for the large drop from 5-6 but the stability from 6-7

Major factors for drop outs are usually age, this can cause.
1. School pressures increase, there is more homework and more expectation to be involved in extra activities at school.

2. Social lives change, when kids are little and they go the the gym it is an outing. If they were not at the gym they would be at home so it's their chance to go out and be with friends. When they get older their freedom increases and if they weren't at gymnastics they would be out with friends and doing things.

3. Interests change, just as when kids get older they lose interest in dolls the same goes for many childhood interests.

4. Peer pressure, they feel if they are always saying no to parties and things they will be social outcasts which can be a fate worse that death for these kids.

5. changing to middle school or high school often means they must travel further to school, en extra half and hour to and from school is actually an extra 10 hours a week of less time they have.

6. Boys, need I say more.

7. Part time jobs, friends are getting jobs and they can buy the latest gadgets and clothes and phones.

8. Self consciousness, many kids hit level 6 about the same time they hit puberty and they are no longer keen to prance around in nothing but a leotard.

9. Parent pressure to do something "real" with their lives. As kids head towards middle and high school, there is pressure to be preparing for a career, studying a lot and so on.

Very Nicely Said Aussie Coach, you always seem to have words of wisdom on this board. and I can totally relate to the last two, leotards do seem to reveal all and trust me my parents were absolutely sure that i would have to quit for year 12 but now they see how much it helps my focus and its a release for all my in built energy.

hijack over.

Another thing to consider is this is when they start training particularly hard skills that they could injure themselves quite badly and therefore be forced out of the sport.

Social is a biggie though, I don't like to miss gym very often but sometimes you just have to skip training that once to go to your best friends birthday. I feel awful everytime something is on and its "Sorry no I have gymnastics"

 

[Mack_the_Ripper]

Very accurate, though in fact I've noticed that many kids drop out of sports and other activities at the beginning of high school. A lot of my friends lost interest in choir. One boy who had been training seriously as a swimmer for YEARS just took a year off! He's having some trouble getting back in the swing of things. A girl who was a really talented dancer did the same thing - took a year off. I suppose when high school gets tough, you have trouble staying competitive with your peers who have fewer or no athletic obligations.

"I have gym" is always a nice excuse, though. Friends being dramatic? Sorry, gotta get to gym. Father wants you to go to some boring play with him? Nope, I have gymnastics.

 

[JBS]

Some clubs don't do L6...they go L5 >> L7. Basically they require giants to get out of L5.

EDIT: This is kind of were we are trying to go with our team system. L5's with giants go to L7. L5's without giants go to L6. We are not looking to eliminate L6...but we want to get the L5 >> L7 jump more often than not.

EDIT #2: From what I hear...the new USAG level system will address this concept better.

 

[UnoMas]

Here is my answer on why many girls do not compete level 6 based on my non-professional opinion:

1. middle school
2. puberty
3. scared of BWO on beam
4. scared of flyaway
5. Gym "scores out" of 6 and goes to 7.

My DD is sort of in between 5 and 6 (she is competing Xcel gold this year). She is different because she is not in middle school yet nor has she hit real puberty...and she is not scared of BWO or flyaway...has both of those...but she struggles with tumbling and is FAR AWAY from back tuck and front tuck. She may very well get giants before a back tuck. I am hoping she can push through the tumbling issues and be able to score out of 6 (our gym does this) and make it to 7. But then there will be that nasty BHS on beam...sigh...

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

My DD is 12 and has not yet competed a Level 6 meet. She is doing X-Cel right now (which in Missouri is somewhere between level 5-7). OUr gym uses X-Cel as a way to get the girls ready for L7. They just had their one and only qualifier for States which is in December. My DD is very afraid of the balance beam so because the skills are harder now. Her last 2 meets she scored 6.15 and 6.35. She barely got the qualifing score for going to states and that was after the coaches went to bat for her with the bars judges. So the skills are much harder. Alex is certainly not in gymnastics for anything but the joy she gets from it!! (except for the beam). So she may end up leaving this sport if it becomes too much work and less fun for her!

 

[cher062]

from what I've seen there can be a variety of reasons

First the skils from 5 - 6 are harder and pure talent just won't see you through anymore. So it can become scary
next - usually they are now in middle school and are joining things like band, and sports teams at school so time doesn't allow it
then there is the increase in time for practice and increase usually in cost that parents don't want to incur
More dedication and focus is needed as well and many gymnasts see that this is now a lifestyle and are missing out on parties and friend actvities.

 

[10.0]

Our gym doesn't even offer level 6. You go from level 5 to prep op and compete only AAU until you have all your 6 skills (if ever) then you do 1 USAG level 6 meet and go on to level 7 which still competes AAU but also does USAG. If you don't ever get the 6 skills you stay a prep op and if you do but can't quite keep up with USAG level 7 you are a mod op and when you turn 16 you can do ladies.

I kind of like this system it keep kids in longer as there are a lot more options for average gymnasts.

 

[NGL780309]

As I read all of these reasons the 2 that stick out are fears and wanting a social life. So coaches would you say it's an advantage to be younger and hopefully avoid some of those roadblocks? Certainly is easier to handle level 6 while in 1st grade than 6th grade. DD 6 will train 6 this year.