Parents Wiped out!

[MaryA]

Ugh. Back from today's meet. Must decompress. Going to ramble. Consider yourself warned...

3 hour drive each way.

Previous session running late so meet started an hour late.

I knew from the line-up that the competition was going to be fierce so I wasn't expecting great placements (DD's team practices probably less than half the # of hours of most of the teams there) but I thought she had a good chance of qualifying for sectionals (she got a score that would have qualified her at the last meet but it wasn't a qualifying meet). Well, I have NEVER seen a meet scored so hard before, ever! To give you an idea, there were some girls scoring 3rd AA who didn't even get the qualifying sectionals score (31). Beam and Floor judges (generally my dd's two highest scoring events) were a mother and daughter who, apparently, have a repuation for being brutal. They appeared to be scoring at least a full point lower than what I had been seing at previous meets. (Kathy's floor scores so far this year... 8.35, 8.85, 8.8... today 7.2. Kathy's beam scores so far this year... 8.15, 8.6, 8.6... today 7.15).

DD's grip slipped off one hand (first time that's ever happened) during her bar routine.

After the meet had to listen to a mom from another team who happened to be sitting next to my mom berate her daughter (the cute little thing couldn't have been older than 8)... "Why did you slip off the bars??? If you hadn't slipped of the bars, you would have qualified for sectionals!!!" She was really laying into her!

Lots of issues with awards... leaving kids out of the line-up who should have actually placed, etc. Just not a very well-run meet.

Positives... dd's scores actually went up on vault and bars (in spite of the grip mishap, she got back up and finished her routine). She did place on beam, so she didn't go home totally metal-less. We met up with some other team families on our trip home and had a good time eating and drinking and decompressing. Kathy seemed to have fun in spite of it all (I just have to keep telling myself, that's what it's all about, right). And I guess the best thing of all is that it over and we are home safe and sound and next week's meet is only a 15 minute drive!

O.K. I'm done now. I think it's time for bed.

Thanks for listening!

 

[MdGymMom01]

Sorry to hear about the rough meet--it can be very frustrating at times. You are so right to be focusing on Kathy's positives through out the meet--because THAT is what matters most (and of course, the fun time with friends afterwards ) Great job to Kathy on bars for scoring higher even though she had the grip mishap--way to pull through! And congrats on medaling on Beam!! The good thing about gymnastics is there's always another meet right around the corner!

 

[gymjourneymom]

Wow! I'd be wiped out after that too. Thank goodness it was on Sat. so you have today to decompress. So proud of Kathy for getting out there & doing her best! Sounds like she did a great job!!! Glad she brought home some bling!

Unfortunately, there will be meets like this (far, poorly run, harsh scoring, etc) & yes, going out with friends always saves the day for us too!!! How you handle the stress can really form an impression in your DD's mind. Helping her to learn that you are proud of her no matter what & that this was just 1 meet, there will always be others. And that friends are always there to have fun with no matter what! It is an important lesson! Finding fun where ever you can(especially after a tough meet) helps to build their on going love of the sport! Glad you were able to meet up with the other team families on your way home!!! I find that really helps build team spirit too! Sounds like you made the best of a not so wonderful situation.

Hope you have all day today to rest & relax!!! Remember you can always vent to us!!! Hopefully next weekend's meet will go much smoother.

 

[UnoMas]

Wow that scoring sounds crazy. Sorry about the stress of it all, I understand, I have been to meets like that too. Kudos to you and to your DD for the way you celebrate the positives. I need to do a better job of teaching my DD to do that too, she is so darn hard on herself. We have definitely been talking about thinking positively and setting small goals that are achievable! Congrats to her for that medal on beam even with the crazy low scoring judges. Glad to hear vault and bars improved too!

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

I feel your driving pain we had nearly a 4 hour ride. I thought the judging at my daughters meet this past weekend was rather tough. They usually ease up by now I thought to allow the kids to qualify for states. I did not see hardly any 9's. Her coaches also said it seemed to be tough. I am glad your daughter had a good time and placed in beam. Hopefully she will qualify next time but try not to stress over it, unfortunately it is just gymnastics( I keep reminding this to myself)! Some of these other teams are really competitive and it is alittle unfair that your daughter has less practice time, so it is great that she was able to do as well as she did. Does the y have their own version of states?

 

[MaryA]

Does the y have their own version of states?

Not really. They have a final meet of the season that is supposed to be (I think... this is our first year competing in the Y league) sort of an end-of-season celebration meet, but you don't have to qualify to get there. They also have Nationals in late June, which you have to qualify for with a 32AA, but I don't think our team is going (fine by me). Next year I think Kathy will be doing Prep Op, and the practice hours for other Prep Op teams are more on par with what our girls practice, so that should level the playing field a bit. Our girls tend to spend a couple of years doing prep op after level 5 and then move on to level 7. I wouldn't mind her repeating level 5 again, if that's what the coach thinks is best, as long as she can do a bit of up-training so that she doesn't get bored. With only 6 hours of practice time a week, there's not a lot of time for uptraining. I long (as does my daughter) for more gym time, but when you have to share the gym with Zumba class and the basketball team and Kids Night Out and whatever else they have going on in there, there just isn't any way to make it happen. I think she moves up to 7.5 hours when she moves on to Prep Op.

 

[Jennemmy]

When you mentioned a tough mother/daughter judging team I had to glance to see if you were from our state. We have one of those too. Glad your dd had some medal moments despite the tough judging.

 

[Megley]

Ugh, sorry to hear about the tough judging and the mishap on bars. Good for her getting better scores on vault and bars despite the tough judging. That has to bode well for the next meet. Sorry you had to be subjected to a crazy mom too. UGH! DDs should be comforted after a mishap, not berated. Sounds like you salvaged some good from the bad and your dd had a good time - that's what it's all about anyway!

 

[cadybearsmommy]

Wow, that judging must have been so frustrating! Good for your dd for getting through it and even improving her scores on the vault and bars! I hope the next meet goes a lot smoother for you!

 

[Deanna]

So sorry the judging was so harsh. And how unfortunate that her grip had to choose that as its first time ever to slip off. Sounds like even though things were tough she didnt do so bad. Congrats to her. And Yay for the next meet only being 15 mins away. Thats always nice..lol

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

Wow that does seem like not very much practice at all for level 5 she must of really did well considering the amount of hours the other gyms are putting in. I did notice at daughters meet over the weekend there were alot of prep op but some were some of the more competitive gyms, I know our girls on the prep op level practice the same amount as the other levels. I am not sure if this was what it was intended for but the one gym split the girls between prep intermiate and level 7. The girls that were not ready for 7 went to prep but these girls are way far more advanced than my daughter who is a 6. If your daughter goes to prep she may run into the same problems competing againest girls with more practice time. If your daughter is really serious about the sport and wants more time maybe you should look into a private gym.

 

[MaryA]

If your daughter is really serious about the sport and wants more time maybe you should look into a private gym.

We've gone back and forth on the "private gym" issue, but the bottom line is that she is happy where she is... devoted to her coaches and her teammates... and doesn't want to leave. Our Prep Ops and even our level 7s do pretty well at competitions. There is only one private gym in town and, to be honest, their compulsory girls don't do a whole heck of a lot better than ours do. Kathy knows the private gym is there (she does take some privates there and attends their summer camp, etc.) and that it's an option for her, but the decision to switch (unless I feel like Kathy's safety or well-being are at risk) will have to come from her.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

I completely agree if she is happy there and likes her coaches I would leave her. I quess there are times where I get frustrated with daughters gym but I know she loves it there so I would not switch her either.

 

[Swiftli]

Although there is not supposed to be, I know there is a huge difference in the scores of a YMCA meet and a USAG meet.

Judges are aware that most Y's do not put as many hours in as a private gym and they just don't want to kill the kids for that by giving them low scores at a Y meet. While I understand where they come from there are Y teams that do choose to go the USAG route as well, and it is these girls that it is most difficult on. They are on a roller coaster of emotions. One week they have a #1 AA next week they are in the bottom of the pack.

It has been very hard to get my head around the same thing for fours years now. You just have to look at your daughter and stay focused on the positive skill improvements that you are seeing...as I know you are

 

[MaryA]

We've had two USAG and two YMCA meets this year, and I thought the scoring seemed fairly consistant until this last meet. The parents around us were ranting and raving about the low scores, so I know it wasn't just the Y team that felt it. I'm not complaining, really. I know it's all part of the sport, and that some judges are tougher than others. And, of course, I know (as does Kathy) that it's hard to place well against girls that practice twice the hours. We'll see how this week's meet goes!

 

[Swiftli]

Not really. They have a final meet of the season that is supposed to be (I think... this is our first year competing in the Y league) sort of an end-of-season celebration meet, but you don't have to qualify to get there. They also have Nationals in late June, which you have to qualify for with a 32AA.

Our state does have a YMCA states meet just like USAG. In fact, some levels have their meets the same weekends as USAG which makes it difficult and you have to choose. Some Y's do not choose to participate. The qualifying scores are about 1 pt lower than the USAG qualifying scores and they use the same requirements at USAG and even same judges most times. The Y programs have leagues, states, regionals for optionals, and nationals.

 

[maryRS]

My daughter does Y gymnastics and is only doing Y league this year, but has done USAG and other girls in the gym are doing USAG...I do not find the scores to be much different. What I do find different is what is often 1st place at a Y meet is a lower all around that at a USAG meet. Or you may have a 1st place with a fairly high score at a Y meet, and the 2nd place may be a whole point lower.

My daughter got 1st place AA in her first two Y meets and her AAs were just under 34 for the 1st meet and a 34.6 for the 2nd meet. Her friends who compete USAG got a similar AA (34.4) at her USAG meet the same weekend and that score brought her 3rd place. But the girls that go to USAG meets generally score very similary that they do at Y meets, they don't always place the same though.

Although there is not supposed to be, I know there is a huge difference in the scores of a YMCA meet and a USAG meet.

Judges are aware that most Y's do not put as many hours in as a private gym and they just don't want to kill the kids for that by giving them low scores at a Y meet. While I understand where they come from there are Y teams that do choose to go the USAG route as well, and it is these girls that it is most difficult on. They are on a roller coaster of emotions. One week they have a #1 AA next week they are in the bottom of the pack.

It has been very hard to get my head around the same thing for fours years now. You just have to look at your daughter and stay focused on the positive skill improvements that you are seeing...as I know you are

 

[MaryA]

But the girls that go to USAG meets generally score very similary that they do at Y meets, they don't always place the same though.

Yes, this is our first year competing in the Y league (only USAG meets in previous years even though it's a Y team) but this is what I've found as well. Scoring appears to be about the same, but a score that won't even get you on the podium at a USAG meet might get you 1st AA at a Y meet. I think it's been nice this year to have a little bit of both! Can't participate at sectionals/states without some USAG meets, but it's nice to play on a more level playing field from time to time too.

 

[maryRS]

Our Y is primarily a Y league team with the option to do USAG meets. It just depends on the year and the girls how many we have doing USAG in any year. This year I don't think a lot of girls have chosen to do it.

Yes, this is our first year competing in the Y league (only USAG meets in previous years even though it's a Y team) but this is what I've found as well. Scoring appears to be about the same, but a score that won't even get you on the podium at a USAG meet might get you 1st AA at a Y meet. I think it's been nice this year to have a little bit of both! Can't participate at sectionals/states without some USAG meets, but it's nice to play on a more level playing field from time to time too.